Accreditation, in my opinion, does not improve the quality of massage education. Rather, it means a school can offer you Title IV funding and allow you to receive federal financial aid. Many other massage therapist school owners have debated this as well, and there was even a study was done in 2014.
Although accreditation can be crucial for many types of college degree programs and career paths, it’s not as necessary for massage therapy.
A school already has to go through a lot of rigors behind the scenes to get ‘licensed’ through their state’s Private Post-Secondary School Board. Schools must provide, not only a quality curriculum, but a catalog of policies and procedures that are inspected, vetted, and eventually voted on, and approved by the board.
Additional accreditation is voluntary, and done through a third-party entity, like COMTA (the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation). There are several others, but COMTA is focused on massage and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a specialized accrediting agency.
The fees are higher for a school to be accredited and to be able to accept FAFSA money, and a larger staff is generally needed. Thus, the tuition fee per student almost doubles. Also note, a school cannot even apply to receive FAFSA money until they have been in practice for a period of 2 years!
I researched other states, and some really good programs of past in Arizona, that hadn’t gone that route, and they were able to keep their tuition low enough, so students didn’t need to take out loans.
Say a school program charges $14,000 and you get a Pell Grant for $5,500, you would still need to finance $8,500.
The Department of Education closed several of the prominent schools where graduated therapists were not well prepared for the demands of the career. They passed their exams but later defaulted on student loans.
ASMMW is only $8350 for a small, individualized program with lots of attention! We also offer an interest-free payment plan, so you can own your education by the time you graduate in approximately 9 months.
While the school is new, the owner/head instructor is not. Tammy Roecker is a 30-year veteran massage therapist, who is a Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator, has been teaching continuing education to licensed therapists and other healthcare professionals for 15 years, and who is passionate about her field.
The demand for high-quality massage therapists has never been higher in this country. Many employers, massage chains, and organizations are offering scholarships, and tuition reimbursement plans if you just ask, and work for them for a while after graduating.
You should also take into consideration the focus of ASMMW’s Medical Massage and Wellness program. It is a one-of-a-kind program in the West Valley, focused on an outcome-based, individualized approach to helping specialty clientele. Many relationships have been formed in Tammy’s 30-year career to offer students an opportunity to use the knowledge and skills from school along with critical thinking and mentorship, in various environments during student clinics and on campus.
Our intended goal for you as a massage therapist is to be able to enjoy a lucrative, and long career helping others achieve wellness.
An online visit with the owner and a visit to our school can help you understand the vibe of the campus. You will be welcomed into a professional, yet comfortable family environment.
If you’re interested in enrolling in the January 2024, program to become a Licensed Massage Therapist, with a Specialty in Medical Massage and Wellness — there are a couple options, call now to discuss. Click here to download our Catalog. The next step is to call us for a personal tour: 800-615-1342. Once this cohort is full, we will start a waitlist for a possible 2nd Fall Cohort.
