Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Central Oregon Community College • Bend, OR
Studying AAS In Massage Therapy (completion in 2010)
• 5/3/2011
"The teaching was not adequate for the amount of money I paid. I did NOT feel prepared when I graduated. I did, however, pass my state exams the very first time. I just didn't feel confident once I had that license in my hand."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I think someone wanting to become a massage therapist in Central Oregon would be better suited attending Sage. Their graduates seem happy with their education upon graduation while none of the people with whom I graduated were. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Apparently COCC's Massage Therapy program had a bad reputation, even before I went there, for various reasons. Some students have said instructors talked inappropriately, or had inappropriate relations with students. However, none of those instructors were there at any time during my schooling. However, it's also pretty well known around graduate therapist groups that COCC does a poor job of preparing their graduates. I wish I had known that before I chose their program. |
| Program Quality | 3 | In the middle of my first year at COCC, the program saw a major disruption with the firing of the program director who also taught many of the classes. At the same time, a few of the instructors left. It was a period of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing as new, unprepared LMT's stepped into these empty positions having no teaching experience behind them. I felt like I was left with a ton of learning to do on my own when. |
| Instruction | 3 | We were mostly taught how to pass the boards, but we were not taught much about what massage careers were really like after becoming licensed. We were also taught very contraindicated positions and techniques to use on pregnant women by staff, including the new program director. It was disappointing that several staff members were arguing with each other, telling each other they weren't teaching correctly. I really feel like the students in the program were completely forgotten. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I never once had to study for my exams. Kinesiology was probably the only semi-difficult class (as in studying was necessary), but even all of that seemed to come fairly easy to me. However, we spent an entire quarter on hydrotherapy which essentially seemed like kindergarten-level common sense. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We spent most of our time focused on books. We spent the state-required minimum amount of time doing hands on learning. And when we did go hands on, it was repetition of specific routines thought up by the instructors. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Summer term classes were terminated the year I graduated. Also, a few of the classes have mandatory weekend requirements that some people just can't do. However, they do offer a program during evenings as well as one during the day which is very beneficial. |
| Academic Facilities | 1 | We were crammed in to two tiny classrooms for ALL of our program's required classes. However, a bond passed at the college last year which will pay for a new health sciences building. Building has begun, and the massage program is getting brand new rooms, equipment, and such. There will also be greater space available for student massage clinics that have previously been smashed into make shift curtain rooms. |
| Social Life | 6 | For a community college, I think the atmosphere was fun. The school is located in a town where athletics are very important and so there are always running, biking, and hiking events happening through the school. The associated body also puts on a lot of fun events like snowboarding rail jam on campus, free bowling each month, etc. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Again, there is no service or help with this. We were out on our own upon graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | We really don't have one. We have a Facebook page, but no one checks or updates it. I hear other schools in our area (such as Sage) have a ton of support for graduates of their program, but for some reason we have zero. |
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