Antonelli College - Jackson

Date: Aug 09 2011
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
I just withdrew from Antonelli College in Jackson, MS. My experience at first was wonderful. I was part of their massage program. I was making some of the best grades in the school and tutoring others at the request of my teachers. I started their massage degree program that is $35,000. It was a huge mistake. One of my teachers told me that I was "selected" to be part of the new diploma program for Massage. What they don't tell you in the beginning is that the degree and diploma mean the same thing in massage. You still get the same jobs regardless. She told me I would get out of school faster and save money. I found out after getting my transcripts, this was a lie. I didn't save any time or money. In fact, if I wanted to switch back to the degree program it would cost me more money! I only had to take two extra classes to get the degree instead of the diploma because I had already taken some many other classes that only applied to the degree program! I had basically already paid for the degree program and she was switching me to the diploma for really no reason.

I found out a massage school down the street gives diplomas for only $9,000, instead of the $35,000 Antonelli was going to charge me. They also have more massage related classes. At Antonelli you end up taking business, computer, english, math, etc. They say you can test out, but it is nearly impossible. I am a published writer and I couldn't pass the english test out. They told me the $35,000 included my massage table, lotion, etc. The products I got from Antonelli are crappy and overpriced. The laptop they gave me was broken within a month of having it and of course, for a "fee" they would fix it. I also work with computers and I hadn't even heard of the brand.

On top of all of this, the best massage teacher left during the school year. Leaving another teacher to teach the deep tissue class. The class was a joke. When my teacher is looking at posters on the wall of the muscles and trying to figure out where they are… I get scared. She couldn't pronounce most things properly and would ask me for help.

When I went to withdraw, they tried to bully me and a friend into staying in the program. They made me leave the room, so they could "talk" to just my friend because it was obvious "my mind was already made up." They told us about their high passing rates, etc. They don't tell you how many drop out or transfer.

I had over three classes that were total jokes. I didn't even need them for massage in the first place. They make you believe you are getting this wonderful education because they are a private school and that is how much a private school charges. There is no point! The police are at the campus all the time… it isn't any safer. There isn't a better crowd. It is possibly one of the most ghetto places I have ever been.

Future massage therapists should run far away from this program.