Woburn Cosmetology School To Pay Refunds Over Alleged Violations

WOBURN, MA — The Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics will pay $35,000 to reimburse students under a deal with the Massachusetts attorney general's office to resolve allegations that it violated for-profit school regulations.

The attorney general's office accused the Woburn cosmetology school of failing to provide required disclosures to potential students and giving students information about job placement rates that was not calculated according to the state regulations.

Under state law, for-profit schools are required to disclose information including the cost of a program, the program’s graduation rate, and the percentage of students who are not paying their loans to prospective students.

The office will contact eligible students about restitution, it said.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.