How did you deicde on a school?

[p0p0]

I am looking to begin training to become an LMT in the fall. It's great to have so many choices here in Chicagoland, but it's also a little overwhelming. Also, assuming I get board certified, will it make a difference where I went to school? I've asked around a little bit, but of course, each school tells me they are the best and the right fit for me.

So, how did you decide on a school?

Are you happy with the choice you made?

Does anyone know about the massage schools in Chicago? Does one have a better reputation over another?

Thanks.

 

[Terrex C]

How did you deicde on a school?

Which schools are you looking at? Are you looking at schools in the city or in the chicagoland area?

 

[geezer]

How did you deicde on a school?

I'm interested in schools in the city. I have been researching New School for Massage Bodywork and Healing, the SOMA Institute, and Cortiva. In years past I've had massages at NSMBH and Cortiva when it was called Chicago School of Massage Therapy in their clinics so I have a general idea of what the schools look like. Other than that I'm just going by what I've seen on the internet.

 

[A person you dont know]

How did you deicde on a school?

I'm a graduate of Chicago School of Massage Therapy (just before/during the Cortiva transition) and a co-worker is a SOMA grad. From talking to her, our experiences were different, but the educations we received were similar. While I'm partial to CSMT, I'm comfortable recommending both.

 

[Wilde33]

How did you deicde on a school?

Thank you, JaeMarie. Do you know anything about The New School for Massage Bodywork and Healing?

 

[Pompal 09.]

How did you deicde on a school?

I do not know of any schools in Chicago but I picked my current school because of their medical focus, connection to a chiropractic school, and access to a cadaver lab. I'm amazed how much I can learn looking at dissections in person instead of videos.

 

[:))]

How did you deicde on a school?

Questions to ask:

What perceneforum.xxxe of their grads pass their licensing exams on the first try?
Does the school offer post-graduate exam-prep? Is it included in your tuition?
What are the qualifications of the instructors? Do they have degrees in their fields? Are they licensed massage therapists?
What kind of student-instructor ratio can you expect in your classes?
What kind of extras are offered as part of the curriculum? Cadaver studies? Modality certifications? Internships?
What kind of career counseling and job placement assistance is offered to students and graduates?
In addition to the required subjects, what is taught? Business classes?
What kind of work situations do most graduates end up in? Spas? Clinics? Self-employed?
Does the school allow you to borrow materials (like books) or equipment (like massage chairs) as a student?
How many hours of hands-on practice do students get while in school?

Also:

Call a dozen different massage therapists in your area. Ask them where they went to school, then ask them where they would go to school if they had to do it over again. The answers might surprise you.

-Kat

 

[whartyorarp]

How did you deicde on a school?

The way I chose my school was rather passive. I was studying at a four-year university (which actually takes most of us at least five years to complete) when a new tech school popped up in my neighborhood (city-wide "neighborhood", mind you). At this point, I still had another year to go to get my BA, but I saw that they were offering massage. There was already a massage school in the next town over, but this one was just off the highway and very accessible.

I was at a point where I needed to decide where I wanted to go with my degree. I was in the process of applying for a job, and if I was accepted I would have gone on to grad school. It wasn't directly related to my undergrad, but I was in Humanistic Studies, so everything is at least remotely related. Around this same time was when I saw the school's sign advertising a Massage Therapy program. I decided that if I did not get this job, I would at least check out the massage therapy program. I've been interested in the study my entire life, anyway.

Long story brought up short, I didn't get the job, so I decided to go for massage. Massage requires interacting with people, so I'm not really departing from my Humanistic Studies. I don't know if I would have gone for massage if this school hadn't been here, but I'm glad it was. I've heard the benefits of a school that focuses solely on massage, but I've enjoyed being at a tech college with multiple schools of study. If I go for an advanced degree in massage, though, then I'll look for something more focused.

 

[aliminxxx]

How did you deicde on a school?

The way I chose my school was rather passive. I was studying at a four-year university (which actually takes most of us at least five years to complete) when a new tech school popped up in my neighborhood (city-wide "neighborhood", mind you). At this point, I still had another year to go to get my BA, but I saw that they were offering massage. There was already a massage school in the next town over, but this one was just off the highway and very accessible.

I was at a point where I needed to decide where I wanted to go with my degree. I was in the process of applying for a job, and if I was accepted I would have gone on to grad school. It wasn't directly related to my undergrad, but I was in Humanistic Studies, so everything is at least remotely related. Around this same time was when I saw the school's sign advertising a Massage Therapy program. I decided that if I did not get this job, I would at least check out the massage therapy program. I've been interested in the study my entire life, anyway.

Long story brought up short, I didn't get the job, so I decided to go for massage. Massage requires interacting with people, so I'm not really departing from my Humanistic Studies. I don't know if I would have gone for massage if this school hadn't been here, but I'm glad it was. I've heard the benefits of a school that focuses solely on massage, but I've enjoyed being at a tech college with multiple schools of study. If I go for an advanced degree in massage, though, then I'll look for something more focused.

Schools that focus primarily upon training massage therapists RARELY offer "advanced degrees", even though the programs *MAY be* far more intensive and enriched. Focus less on the degree/credential you will receive and more upon the quality of the training. Advanced training in massage/bodywork is (currently) pretty much all done as CE trainings and/or certifications.

 

[Risika]

How did you deicde on a school?

Even more great suggestions. Thank you. I still have a while before I make any final decisions. This board has been an excellent resource for me.

 

[erg322]

How did you deicde on a school?

I chose my school for convenience. Specifically because of the times classes were offered and that I was able to double up and get done quicker than most other schools allowed for in their schedules. I had an extremely limited amount of time I could put into schooling in a given day and time frame. I was lucky in that I had a very heavy background of education that was extremely complimentary to massage work. So, not only was I able to comp out of A&P, but I also went into the program with a lot of knowledge.

In my opinion, you make what works, work. However, if you can, try to get into a school that teaches well and make sure to take every advaneforum.xxxe in regard to your studies. It'll all work out, but the exceptional people in this field are few and far between. Make yourself one of them, by going above and beyond, finding mentors, and taking time to practice, practice and practice more.

This forum is a rare jewel. For all the people who bash this site, the fact is, most everyone here knows their stuff or is willing to learn it. Take as much time as you can and read all of the topics. You'll be ahead of the game, just by doing that.

Q2 & 3: I am happy with the choice I made. I don't know about any of the schools in Chicago, but you may want to look at the National University of Health Sciences (formerly National College of Chiropractic), massage curriculum. It may be a good option:

• http://www.nuhs.edu/
  and
• http://www.nuhs.edu/show.asp?durki=47

 

[Romanceistheway]

How did you decide on a school?

Schools that focus primarily upon training massage therapists RARELY offer "advanced degrees", even though the programs *MAY be* far more intensive and enriched. Focus less on the degree/credential you will receive and more upon the quality of the training. Advanced training in massage/bodywork is (currently) pretty much all done as CE trainings and/or certifications.

Do you know anything about the National Holistic Institute? I just learned about them last month. They have the "advanced program" I'm looking at. They appear to have an interesting curriculum.

 

[Justin]

How did you decide on a school?

Schools that focus primarily upon training massage therapists RARELY offer "advanced degrees", even though the programs *MAY be* far more intensive and enriched. Focus less on the degree/credential you will receive and more upon the quality of the training. Advanced training in massage/bodywork is (currently) pretty much all done as CE trainings and/or certifications.

Do you know anything about the National Holistic Institute? I just learned about them last month. They have the "advanced program" I'm looking at. They appear to have an interesting curriculum.

Well, "Advanced" is a relative term. Let's look at this program together and I'll share some of my impressions with you.

Their "Core 720" entrance-level massage program includes time on modalities that some other schools don't include in their curriculum. The curriculum description on their web site doesn't say how many hours are spent on each one, so I can't tell if each gets equal time or if some are just a quick introduction of basic concepts. How much time is spent on A&P, kinesiology, etc. is also unclear. As an employer, I like knowing how many hours a school spends on each topic so I have a better grasp of a massage school's strengths and weaknesses. Without that info, it's hard to tell whether their grads have any particularly strong modalities or just a surface-level understanding of multiple modalities. In this case, I'd have to submit a request and await that information from one of their admissions representatives, a step that I will leave for you to do.

NHI's "Advanced 400" program sounds like the core curriculum of some schools I am familiar with. It is clearly very focused on learning and applying neuromuscular therapy for a broad range of applications. For graduates of some other schools, most of it would be review material...

In short, NHI's "core" program includes modalities that would considered "advanced training" at some other schools, but their "advanced" CE program would be considered "core" material at some other schools. Ultimately, you'd just be learning similar things in a different order.

So... don't worry too much about whether the training is labeled "advanced" or not. In courses designed to teach you a whole new modality like NMT from scratch, the material isn't truly advanced... the students are too busy learning basic competency to be considered advanced practitioners. Completion of the program and a few years of regular practice may take care of that if you continue updating your knowledge and methods.

If there is a particular type of massage/bodywork you are interested in practicing, or a type of client or environment you are attracted to working with, look for quality schools that produce grads who do that work with those clients in those environments. Talk to employers and professional MTs to see what they recommend to achieve your goals, and see what you can learn, then make the choice that is most likely to prepare you for the future career you wish to have.

 

[bones50]

How did you decide on a school?

Well, "Advanced" is a relative term. Let's look at this program together and I'll share some of my impressions with you.

Their "Core 720" entrance-level massage program includes time on modalities that some other schools don't include in their curriculum. The curriculum description on their web site doesn't say how many hours are spent on each one, so I can't tell if each gets equal time or if some are just a quick introduction of basic concepts. How much time is spent on A&P, kinesiology, etc. is also unclear. As an employer, I like knowing how many hours a school spends on each topic so I have a better grasp of a massage school's strengths and weaknesses. Without that info, it's hard to tell whether their grads have any particularly strong modalities or just a surface-level understanding of multiple modalities. In this case, I'd have to submit a request and await that information from one of their admissions representatives, a step that I will leave for you to do.

NHI's "Advanced 400" program sounds like the core curriculum of some schools I am familiar with. It is clearly very focused on learning and applying neuromuscular therapy for a broad range of applications. For graduates of some other schools, most of it would be review material...

In short, NHI's "core" program includes modalities that would considered "advanced training" at some other schools, but their "advanced" CE program would be considered "core" material at some other schools. Ultimately, you'd just be learning similar things in a different order.

So... don't worry too much about whether the training is labeled "advanced" or not. In courses designed to teach you a whole new modality like NMT from scratch, the material isn't truly advanced... the students are too busy learning basic competency to be considered advanced practitioners. Completion of the program and a few years of regular practice may take care of that if you continue updating your knowledge and methods.

If there is a particular type of massage/bodywork you are interested in practicing, or a type of client or environment you are attracted to working with, look for quality schools that produce grads who do that work with those clients in those environments. Talk to employers and professional MTs to see what they recommend to achieve your goals, and see what you can learn, then make the choice that is most likely to prepare you for the future career you wish to have.

Oh, don't worry, I'm not starry-eyed over the "advanced" label. Those are some good points, though.
I like the curriculum and I've spoken to a few people in that ballpark, so I'm considering it as an option since I'm still early in my career, and I'm aiming to go into the medical setting.