Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Massage Therapists
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Swedish Institute College, Queensborough Community College, and Finger Lakes Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Trocaire College.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Trocaire College and Mildred Elley School.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Queensborough Community College and Swedish Institute College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Trocaire College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Queensborough Community College.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Trocaire College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Trocaire College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Center For Natural Wellness School Of Massage Therapy • Albany, NY
Studying Massage Therapy (completion in 2010)
• 11/27/2011
"If I could go back to CNWSMT, I would do it in a heartbeat. The staff and instructors are the warmest, most genuine people I've ever met, and the coursework is so rewarding."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would not only recommend my school, but I would insist that anyone who is looking to study massage go to CNWSMT; they give you the best preparation for the examinations, and they prepare you for life out in the real world, doing massage. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | CNWSMT is the highest-ranked massage school in NYS. The students who attended hold an extremely high record of passing test scores on the NYS licensure exam, as well as on both of the national exams. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The schooling provided by CNWSMT was unparalleled. The instructors are very knowledgeable and caring; each of them would take the time to help any student with any problem they were having, relating to class or even home life. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors are current, licensed massage therapists and take their work very seriously. The class work and lectures reinforced the medical benefits of massage along with the structure of the human anatomy. The hands-on portion of learning the art of massage was carried out in a safe and caring environment. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The memorization of all of the muscles and their respective actions, origins and insertions was no menial task, but beyond the memorization required, most of the coursework was manageable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Learning massage isn't just about the application of technique or how to set up a table and sheets; it's also a lot to do with medical know-how, such as possible contraindications to massage depending on people's pre-existing conditions. CNWSMT handled all of that very well, while not burning out students with too much bookwork during a week; there was always balance. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The school has three programs that students can choose from. There is the nine-month, full-time program (daily class from 9 am to 4:30 pm) and two part-time, two-year courses, one in the morning and one at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school has a vast network of tutors and many instructors who are all the best at what they do. The school's facilities are modern and clean, and the massage tables are all of adequate quality, with plenty of them for the ever-increasing class sizes. |
| Social Life | 10 | CNWSMT provided a community unlike any other school that I have been to, or that anyone I've known has experienced. I consider most of the people that were in my class to be lifelong friends, and I view the dynamic of the group to be that of a family, not a class. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The school provides someone whose job is to help alumni meet with prospective employers, in order to find them jobs and expand the network of alumni. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The school sends out a weekly newsletter informing alumni of new developments in the world of massage, as well as any alumni meetings or events. |
North Country Community College • Saranac Lake, NY
Studying Massage Therapy (completion in 2011)
• 11/29/2011
"I love the area. I now am doing something I love."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a very small school. The teachers are great. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | There are many other schools better known than NCCC. It is in a very rural area. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It is in a beautiful area with another college nearby. The instructors are very qualified. |
| Instruction | 9 | I learned a great deal. They helped me get a job out of school. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It is harder than I thought it would be. A challenge is always good, though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Pretty well balanced. There was more bookwork than I had imagined. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They are pretty flexible. I never took advantage of the weekend classes or night classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | A lot of things are outdated. They work well enough. |
| Social Life | 8 | Everyone is pretty pepped up all the time. Lots of sports. |
| Placement Services | 9 | They helped me find a job when I graduated. It was near where I live. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | A lot of the alumni still live close by. They are not really interactive with the school. |
New York Institute Of Massage • Buffalo, NY
Studying Medical Massage (completion in 2006)
• 1/18/2012
"I am very happy with what I learned. I would, and maybe will, go back."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I learned a lot and I feel qualified. Anyone who wants to learn massage can get a great education at New York's Institute of Massage. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school is a massage school, so it has a good reputation in massage. The classes I took based on medical massage were not very full, so I don't know if the medical massage program may be less well known. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The instructors were very friendly and knowledgeable. I've considered going back to take more courses. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors were great. Even though I did not get a job in the medical field, I feel I am prepared to do so. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The course work was not entirely challenging because we moved at a slow pace. Regardless, it was still informative. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We were constantly learning massage and practicing it. We would read books about the physiology of the body, but not as much as hands on working. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Classes were kind of hard to schedule because I was also working full time. But I got it done, so I suppose it worked out. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The facilities were good. They were always clean and modern. I have no complaints. |
| Social Life | 2 | There were some minor social events, but nothing else. After all, it was not really a university, just an institute. I am not complaining though. |
| Placement Services | I did not use it, so I don't know. I would assume it is good. I know one person who got a job right after she got her certificate through the school. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not used or heard about the alumni network. I think they had a career placement program. I assume, based on the rest of my experience, the network is good. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.