What education requirements are there in my State _________,

City____________

County_________

Is there an exam required for me to practice in this state, city, county?

• Is it the NCE or a state exam?

• If no exam, are there plans in the works for setting up an exam?

Are there any other state, county or other regulations about setting up a massage business in my area? (or where ever)

What is required to set up a business in my area?

How many hours of education does your school offer?

• What are the breakdowns of the hours of courses? (sports massage, deep tissue massage, injury treatments etc.)
• What classes are required?
• What classes are additional/optional?
• What class schedules are available? AM? PM? Weekends?

What is the focus of your program?

• technical aspects (medical massage, injury massage)
• energy/spiritual aspects (meditation, tai chi )
• psychological aspects (learning how to be of service rather than just fixing, self development of the massage therapist)

How much does the program cost?

• including books, tables, accessories

• any other fees?

What financial aid can I get?

How do I know your school will provide me with what I need to become a successful massage therapist?

• What is the pass/fail rate of your students from last year? From 5 years ago? From 10 years ago?

• What is the success rate of your students from last year? From 5 years ago? From 10 years ago?

• How many graduates have a full time practice?

• How many graduates have a part time practice?

• How many are not practicing at all?

Who are your teachers?

• What experience do they have in teaching?

• What experience do they have in practicing massage?

• Do they have full time practices in massage?

• Are they former graduates of the school? How many?

Are there certified counselors or mental health professionals available to you free of charge or for a small fee to talk to during the course of the program?

(this is necessary as massage tends to bring up big issues for most)

What will my practice be like?

• Can I bill insurance companies for massage?

• If yes, will I be able to become a provider for insurance companies?

• What requirements are there to work with insurance companies?

• What kind of jobs can I get in massage?

• What pay and benefits can I expect in a job?

• What will be involved in setting up a business?

• How will I be able to build my business?

• Is massage widely accepted by the public here?

• What issues will I be faced with when building a practice?

• What business classes and support will I get in school?

What kind of support will I have for building my practice or finding a job?

• Is there a job placement service?

• What is the success of this service?

• How are jobs listed?

• How often are they updated?

• Is there a mentoring or apprenticeship program to assist me while I start my practice?

• Is there a supervision program during the course of school and after graduation?