Informed Choice - Finding a Massage School

So, I went to massage school 6 years ago. This is not an awfully long time ago, but it is enough time to observe a huge change in the education industry. The three major massage schools in my state have all changed ownership, been sold, or been eaten by a monster company. I have people who ask me where they should go for massage school. Well, I have no idea! When I went to massage school, I looked at massage schools all over the country. Since I was moving, and was not exactly set on where, this was no problem for me. Luckily for normal people, most states have more than one choice of school. Even with many of the schools being owned by the same company, every school is different. The schools philosophy and the individual people who teach there will have the greatest impact on the education you walk away with.
When I started school, I knew I wanted to do something that looked more like treatment/medical massage. Thus, I considered the curriculum of each school, the internships available, AND the cost. I am far from provided for, and some schools require you provide a lot of your own equipment early on. This can get pricey since you have no idea if bamboo fiber sheets are really that much better than flannel, or if you will really use that extra low table feature....ever. Some schools are farther left in the world of natural healing than others. What matters is finding the school that is marching to your own little beat.
This worked out for me.
I picked the school that seemed to focus the most on the treatment of injuries and maintenance of the body. I went through a full year of anatomy, physiology, and knesiology (instead of the 6mo some schools provide). Also, I got to intern at a hospital. These extra learning experiences made all the difference when it came to my confidence in treating clients and my eventual move into training and managing other therapists.
Another thought to consider beyond what I wanted to do in my practice, was where I wanted to do my practice in ten years. Since massage is not regulated at the national level, every state has its own set of requirements. My way around this was to attend school in a state that had some of the highest standards, that way when I moved again (nomadic much?) I would not be finding myself back in school. Thankfully, there is the National Board Certification which also covers folks who find themselves less rooted.
The truth is, you can find a school almost anywhere. The key is to find YOUR school. Mine, unfortunately, is gone. Sold, then sold again, I can no longer herd seekers that way with confidence. Ah well, in the words of Tori, "all will find its way in time". She probably means us, too.