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The First Institute is a vocational training center providing hands-on skills training in the fields of medical assisting, dental assisting, and massage therapy. The massage therapy program is part of a recent expansion to include more allied health alternatives with a focus on whole-body wellness. The Crystal Lake campus is the only one to offer the massage therapy program, which it does in the close-knit, residential suburb located just outside Chicago.
Attending massage therapy school is a great step forward in your career, and you’ve probably got some questions. Is there scholarship money available? How long will it take? Where do I start? Let us help you fill in the blanks to any questions you might have.
Below is just some basic information about First Institute’s massage therapy program, but if you really want to learn more, fill out the short questionnaire by clicking the link below and someone from the school will contact you to talk about how to apply, scholarships, time requirements, costs and just about anything else you may need to know.
First Institute
790 McHenry Ave
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
The mission of the First Institute is to “meet the educational needs of students, employers and the community by designing quality training programs utilizing relevant methodology practices.” To help bring this mission to life, the school focuses on both education and more practical training, which is evident in the externship programs required to graduate.
The school was founded in 1982 to provide career training in the fields of travel, computer technology, and healthcare. More than 3,000 individuals have graduated from the school since that time, and expansions into careers like massage have helped to reach even more students hoping to gain a professional advantage. The First Institute can currently be found in four locations across Illinois, though the Crystal Lake campus is the only one to offer massage training.
The massage therapy course is designed to train students to run a massage practice. It is a diploma course that can be completed in as little as one year. In addition to learning musculoskeletal clinical pathologies, the training focuses on various areas of the body and specific massage modalities (including deep tissue massage, kinesiology, sports massage, Swedish massage, shiatsu, and reflexology, just to name a few).
All learning is complemented by work in the externship program, which places students nearing the end of their education in a real-world massage setting. The externship is accomplished at the Healing Arts Center, where salon services and massages are offered to the public for a low, student rate.
Faculty members in the massage program are expected to have real-world experience relevant to the field. Many of them are former massage therapists (or current massage therapists) who have run their own businesses, worked for healthcare centers, or been part of a spa facility. Due to the small size of the program and the school as a whole, there is a low student-to-teacher ratio and plenty of one-on-one interaction.
The focus of the learning format at the First Institute is divided between theory and practice. Massage theories and basic anatomy classes are taught in a classroom setting, while specific modalities are learned in a hands-on massage lab. The facilities are kept up-to-date with industry standards and are equipped with modern technologies and supplies.
The First Institute has received a Certificate of Approval to Operate through the Illinois State Superintendent of Education. It is also accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an overseeing body for vocational-level educational programs.
The First Institute participates in the Title IV funding program, so eligible students may be able to receive loans, grants, and other government monies. The school also offers a Scholarship Fund Award, which grants $1,000 scholarships to recent high school graduates; a separate application is required. Additional financial support in the form of private loans or payment plans may also be available; however, these are subject to credit rating and financial history.
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please click http://www.firstinstitute4me.com/disclosures/
Crystal Lake is a small but flourishing suburb located in northeastern Illinois, just outside the Chicago metropolitan area. As the name suggests, it is home to Crystal Lake, a beautiful and scenic body of water that affords the town plenty of outdoor recreation activities. As a suburb, the focus here is on families and a more low-key way of life. However, proximity to Chicago means that students can commute for work or for play, and enjoy all that life in the big city has to offer.
© 2012 Massage Schools Guide