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Is NPTI worth it?

by Samantha
(Washington State)

I researched the NPTI website, spoke with the admissions counselor and read reviews on this website. From what I've gathered, it sounds like a great program. My only concern is that when I research job postings online, read personal trainer bios, etc. no one lists NPTI as being an acceptable program, or as a certificate they accept. Should I be concerned about this? Why wouldn't a gym/future employer accept this certification?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Comments for Is NPTI worth it?

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Education Provider
by: Katie - Admin

NPTI is primarily an education provider. They prepare you to take other certification exams. Although they do have their own certificate, it is not widely known. Thats why most NPTI grads take one of the major cert exams upon completing the program.

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NPTI Parterning with TWCC
by: Anonymous

I am currently a night student at NPTI location in Raleigh, NC. I chose this program because I am looking to transition into a career in fitness, and this is the only certification that I found that allows for hands-on experience.

At my school, the head instructor has called fitness directors at various gyms on behalf of graduates and explained the 500hr program, and managers seem more than welcome to hire an NPTI grad without additional certification. Also, NPTI is in the process of parterning with Training and Wellness Certification Commission who now provides a NCCA accredited advanced personal trainer certification exam.

I think as clients become more and more educated about the industry they will expect more from the personal trainers and we may begin to see this part of the fitness industry become more regulated. Programs like NPTI will then be in the forground.

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Opportunities at Schools
by: Anonymous

Collleges, high schools, and universities are now accepting NPTI graudates, not just those with masters degrees. So with an NPTI certificate you can also become the strength and conditioning coach at a school. These opportunities are not available to those with only a certificate.

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NPTI is smoke & mirrors
by: Anonymous

I am a student at NPTI in Murrieta, CA. The school here is failing to deliver on pretty much everything promised. They offer a 6 month curriculum which seams to justify the price. The reality is that the class is dumbed down to the lowest common denominator and will barely prepare you to write a proper certification exam.

The practical experience is discussed by everyone when you are signing up, but this is really having co-students develop disorganized and adhoc workouts that are largely unsupervised. On a good day the instructor has kicked in.

For the past month, 1/3 of this semester the fees paid have gone to a paid vacation for the instructor and two weeks of review of 8 weeks of material.

This school is nothing short of a match box diploma for which you are charged 10 times more. Keep your money and time and buy a text book or online course to write hte recognized Cert programs.

I highly regret my attendance and particpation in this program.

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NPTI Georgia
by: Anonymous

I have witnessed great instruction and leadership at the NPTI location in Alpharetta, GA. The program is ran by well educated and enthusiastic instructors in the area. The curriculum and hands on experience at the NPTI in Alpharetta is preparing the most qualified trainers in the Atlanta Metro Area and Nationwide. Please don't confuse the McDonough school with the Alpharetta location. If you live in the south Atlanta area, it is probably worth the extra drive to pass McDonough and drive up to Alpharetta. Actually, the lead instructor allows prospective students to sit through a class or two before deciding to enroll. Just make sure you let him know before showing up. Check it out.

I highly recommend becoming formally educated in Exercise Science, Nutrition, Fitness Business, and Program Design before entering the Fitness Industry. You will find great success!

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NPTI Cleveland
by: Anonymous

I was a former student at NPTI in Cleveland, Ohio and I highly recommend it. I am currently working as a personal trainer at Fitness Together in a suburb of Cleveland.
NPTI in Cleveland prepared me for my job. I would not have been hired if I did not have the experience I received from NPTI in Cleveland.
My class size was small and the workouts were excellent. The workouts were structured according to the lectures and printed out for us daily. I have 6 months of workouts (i.e., pregnancy, plyometrics, speed and agility, posture, PNF stretching, dynamic warm up, group training...). We had weekly assignments and case studies. The instructors brought in many guest speakers including the personal training director from Lifetime Fitness in Cleveland (he hired two NPTI Cleveland graduates) and the personal training director from Fitness Together who hired me.
NPTI in Cleveland has opened many doors for me and has given me the tools to become a successful personal trainer.

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NPTI is worth it
by: Anonymous

I went to the NPTI out in Cleveland, OH and my experience was great! I was never so overwhelmed with so much information in my life. I thought that I will never use all of the things I was taught with my clients. Within a year of graduating, everything I was taught was used in my training. The instructors were fantastic and they actually cared that you did well. They made the lectures fun and I loved it when they would always bring up their personal experiences. When I talk to my friends, I still bring up some of the mnemonics used to remember the muscles that we were taught. I learned how to actually do exercises right and the hands on practical that was part of the program was great. The workouts were structured and made for us and we were always quizzed on form, breathing, technique etc. I was extremely confident in my skills leaving school based on the material that was taught. If I managed or owned a gym, I would hire an NPTI student in a heartbeat.

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NPTI-Cleveland
by: Anonymous

There was no doubt in my mind when I decided to enroll at NPTI-Cleveland. It provided me with more than any other certification could offer. The 2 major things I am able to achieve with clients that I would not have been able to do before NPTI is to #1 - keep clients safe, whatever condition or injury they may have or have sustained. And #2 - give clients results, there is truly a way for anyone to get fit, and I learned what I can do, and more importantly what I can't do with certain clients.

I played sports, mainly baseball, all the way through college. Only 1 week into the 6 month program I learned why I was plagued with injuries. Everything I was doing in the weight room I was doing wrong. Coaches always told me to squat all the way to the floor and bench press all the way down to my chest. I had 4 shoulder dislocations through college and haven't had one since I went to NPTI-Cleveland back in April of 2008.

After graduation I went on to earn my CSCS through the NSCA. Because of NPTI-Cleveland I passed with ease. Even having my CSCS, I still value my NPTI certification more.

I started with an internship with 2 months left in the program, got hired directly after graduation, worked at a gym as a personal trainer and strength coach for a year and a half. Now I run my own in-home personal training business for athletes and people seeking to reach their fitness goals. Not only am I doing it well, but I am making a lot of money, and enjoying every day of it.

I attribute my current success, and foresee no failure in the future, because of my desire and passion for the industry, and attending NPTI-Cleveland.

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scholarships/grants for npti
by: Oscar

I was wondering if anyone knew of any grants or scholarships that I can apply to. NPTI is not cheap and i need as much help as possible.

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NPTI - a waste of time and money
by: Anonymous

This program is a waste of time and money. There are other program out there that are less expensive, less time consuming and provide a much more respected and recognized certification. Do your research, be an educated consumer!

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Some People Can't Handle It
by: Robert

I was reading commentary about how bad some people think NPTI is, a waste of time, etc... All I can say is you must be looking for the easy way out. You ask yourself how can I get certified the quickest and simplest way that won't take too much effort physically or mentally. So to all you naysayers, NPTI will kick your butt if you put any effort into it. They provided some of the most brutal workouts I have ever encountered and the study materials took me into places of the body I could have never imagined. I walked out of NPTI proud of the accomplishment knowing not many people could even handle this course. It takes hard physical work and allot of studying at home. I now work at a gym and compared to other trainers with their little online quicky certifications, NPTI blows them out of the water. I also became ACPT certified and if anyone ever looked into that test you would find out that you better be really well prepared if you plan on passing it and because of NPTI I had the confidence and ability to take that exam and pass it. NPTI and my instructors at the Lisle, Illinois location absolutely rock. So if you want to get in the best shape of your life and you think you can step up to the challenge its worth every cent to go through the NPTI program. You will also develop some good relationships with your fellow students. Where else can you go and get practical hands on experience to help you establish yourself as a Personal Trainer.

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NPTI/ Too exspensive/Not Worth it
by: MICHIGAN LOCATION /NPTI

Hello Im not knocking NPTI, but I must say that it is all about the money.

1.The $5,000.oo that they charge should be a crime within itself.

Take an anatomy class and get your own personal trainer for less money.

2. I missed a few days of class and I graduated late. Now remember this program is $ 5,000.00 so the instructor made me pay $ 24.00 for an extra month gym membership in order to complete my hours. In addition to that the gym barely has members. So do the math $5,000.00 x 15 students in my class.

3. Everyone is saying that you get a job after graduation ?

Some people got jobs at fitness 24, and life time, or snap fitness.

Its all a racket, because the people came in from the gyms because, im sure NPTI kicks back cash to them to hire the grads.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE QUIZES NOT MAKING SENSE AND NPTI KNOWS OF THIS

The intstructor pushes the ACPT(advanced certified personal trainer cert) which is $ 250.00 It follows the whole program of NPTI.

You need a 4 year degree in order to take this exam.

STILL INTERESTED IN NPTI????

All you get is a diploma from this school, not a certification.

SAVE YOUR FIVE GRAND

GET YOUR OWN TRAINER AND TAKE AN ANATOMY CLASS.

THEN TAKE A LEGIT CERT

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To the comment above mine...
by: Strength Coach, NPTI grad

Npti is not a scam. You're just a person who wouldn't succeed anyways. NPTI was a great school, I learned so much. After I graduated I took the ACPT test and owned it thanks to NPTI, and guess what!??? I don't have a 4-year degree! Learn your shit before you get on here. I am now a strength coach at a university.

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President of NPTI
by: Robert

You will see my defense of NPTI earlier in this Forum. But today I'm really hacked off. The major player at NPTI (Casey) I will withhold his full name is the most careless and least likely person to operate a school like NPTI. This person will never return calls, will not respond to emails and has no character to treat a person the way they should be treated. Here is my beef...Two years ago I graduated NPTI. At the NPTI diploma qualified you to sit for the ACPT exam a highly rated certification which supposedly could only be obtain by graduates of NPTI or a person with a college degree. Now to my dismay ACPT is no longer existing. I was pretty hacked off after spending 6000 dollars for school and the additional money for the ACPT certification. I started to speak to this "Casey" by email after learning NPTI was now partnering with NASM. I told him I did not think it fair to those of us who paid out to get ACPT certs. and not grand father us into NASM certs to make up for it. Well after trading emails (he probably responds once for every 10 you send) he promised that my ACPT would be changed to a NASM certification. He also promised the ACPT could be extended for six years if I chose that option. Well after several weeks all it seems to be is a big cloud of smoke. He now will not correspond with me, will not return calls and is just a totally careless individual. I have all of his emails with his promises in writing and am thinking of persuiting legal action for his lies and promises. That is all I have to say for now. Sorry NPTI...I was once very proud but your president has robbed me of pride.

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CSCS cert & NPTI
by: Anonymous

For the person who posted that after attending NPTI and went on to earn the CSCS certification through NSCA - in order to even sit for that exam you have to have a Bachelor's degree - so did you really earn that certification or are you lying? NSCA does not accept a diploma from NPTI in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.

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Why not just get an Associates Degree
by: Anonymous

I have an Associates in Applied Science degree in Sport and Exercise Studies - it cost less than what NPTI does and I have an actual degree with a hands on internship program. My main professor has her PhD in this field, the other instructor has her Master's degree. Why not get taught by degree professionals and have an actual degree? I am working on my Bachelor's in Exercise Physiology, something that you could not do with a diploma from NPTI.

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NPTI
by: Nate

I WILL BE ATTENDING NPTI THIS MARCH AND ALSO ATTAING OTHER CERTS AS WELL. CAN'T WAIT. I HAVE BEEN IN THE U.S. NAVY FOR SEVEN YEARS AND HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN FITNESS BUT WANT TO BECOME A PERSONAL TRAINER AND ALSO LIVE MY OWN LIFE SO I GOT OUT. IS THERE ACTUALLY ANYBODY HERE WHO HAVE TAKEN NPTI?

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NPTI Orlando
by: Daniel

so I don't know about the other schools but Orlando is the real deal. After 4 amazing months of hard work and hands on trainingand taking, I got offered 2 jobs just by showing the owners/GMs my diploma from NPTI. So my advice to anyone looking for clients or even a job at a gym and they don't know what NPTI is, just by explaining to them you went to a school and not some course online will win u any job, any client every time.

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NPTI Charlotte is FAR SUPERIOR
by: Anonymous

There are a lot of different takes on NPTI because they have 30+ locations nationwide! Each location is separately owned and operated, so do not throw them all into the same bucket! I graduated from NPTI Charlotte, and would not blink at the $6000 I had to spend. They say go get a degree, which I had before NPTI! I can honestly say that I learned sooo much more in 6 months than 4 years of a major college. Plus are you really comparing $6000 to $40,000+? I wished I had gone the NPTI route before wasting time and money on my degree. The hands on is invaluable, quality of instruction blows most of my college courses out of the water. I wasnt able to comprehend Bioenergetics in a 50 min college lecture but after a day in NPTI, I can talk to anyone on the subject! All I can say is talk to the Instructors/ Directors at the different locations and see what they have to offer! Do your own research, dont rely on others. My experience was excellent and I tell everyone about NPTI Charlotte!

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