Question 1

Where exactly are you located?

Accepted Answer

We are located in the Hudson Valley area at 181 Huguenot St in New Paltz, NY.

You can get more information, including bus route information, on the Location page. (https://www.arborvitaeny.com/location)

Question 2

When are classes held?

Accepted Answer

Classes start mid-September and go through mid-May.

Weekday Classes - Online (3 or less per month)
Year 1 - Wednesdays from 9a-5p 
Year 2 & 3 - Tuesdays from 9a-5p

Weekend Classes - In-Person (1 per month)
Year 1, 2, & 3 - Friday 10:30a - 6:30p
Year 1, 2, & 3 - Saturday 9a - 5p
Year 1, 2, & 3 - Sunday 9a - 5p

Click the links below for the current class dates.
Year One Schedule (https://www.arborvitaeny.com/yearone)
Year Two Schedule (https://www.arborvitaeny.com/yeartwo)
Year Three Schedule (https://www.arborvitaeny.com/yearthree)

Question 3

I am unable to commute to classes or miss work each week? Can I attend all classes virtually?

Accepted Answer

Our hybrid program requires students to be in-person half of the school year.

Many of our students have successfully worked out a schedule with their employers to enable them to attend the weekday classes.

Please note that schedules may vary (due to weather, class accommodations, etc), but typically it's three or less weekdays (Year 1 on Wednesdays, Years 2 & 3 on Tuesdays) online per month and one weekend (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday) in-person per month.

Question 4

I'm excited about your program and want to start immediately – can I begin in January or after classes have started in September?

Accepted Answer

Our program does not follow a traditional fall & spring semester but rather a year long course. Because our curriculum is cumulative, we unfortunately cannot accept students into the current year’s program after the first day of classes in September.
 
However, it is never too early to apply to next year’s program!(https://www.arborvitaeny.com/applications) We periodically offer live Workshops (https://www.arborvitaeny.com/intensives)and have a number of recorded classes that are available for purchase (https://arborvitae.thinkific.com/collections/scholarship-series)both of which are a great way for you to begin your herbal studies with us right away!

Question 5

Can I just take the weekend classes?

Accepted Answer

We currently only offer a full-time program as we have found that this is the best way for students to really learn the curriculum.

Question 6

How do I know which year (1st, 2nd or 3rd) is right for me?"

Accepted Answer

Are you fairly new to herbalism? – Take a look at our Year 1 program.(javascript:void(0))
 
Already have a strong foundation in herbalism through education and/or practice? – Check out our Year 2 program.(javascript:void(0))
 
Do you have your herbalism education in place but need clinical supervision working with clients? – Check out our Year 3 program.(javascript:void(0))
 
We encourage anyone who is considering applying directly to the Year 2 or Year 3 program to thoroughly read our Year 1 Syllabus (https://arborvitaeny.com/yearone#year-1-student-resources)and Year 2 Syllabus,(https://arborvitaeny.com/yeartwo#year-2-student-resources) as well as the Credit Submission Form,(https://1914e097-7cc0-4197-a9d5-980b3d1d917b.usrfiles.com/ugd/1914e0_ef2995a6c21043178c5942a14b486566.pdf) to better assess which level is best for you. We will also discuss the best level for you in more detail when you apply.
 
Still have questions? Email admin@arborvitaeny.com (mailto:admin@arborvitaeny.com)– we are happy to discuss this with you!

Question 7

Will I be a "Registered Herbalist" after completing the 3 years?

Accepted Answer

The "Registered Herbalist" designation is awarded through the American Herbalists Guild. Not all herbalists seek this designation, however for those that are interested ArborVitae's curriculum has been designed to align with AHG's Education Guidelines. AHG will have some additional requirements post graduation in order to be eligible such as letters of recommendation and additional clinical experience.

Clinic mentorship starts in year 2 with monthly 1 on 1 mentoring that continues into Year 3 but increases to 2 times a month. These are all hours that count towards the clinical experience requirement. It also allows students to gain direct clinical experience within the program and to start practicing after they graduation, which ArborVitae is proud to offer as part of the curriculum.

We encourage you to check out AHG's "Becoming a Registered Herbalist" webpage (https://americanherbalistsguild.com/becoming-ahg-rh-member)to get all the details.

Question 8

Does ArborVitae accept federal financial aid?

Accepted Answer

ArborVitae is a registered school in New York, however, we are not currently an accredited school, which is required for federal financial aid. We do our best to make tuition affordable by offering a zero interest loan. More information can be found on our Tuition page.(www.arborvitaeny.com/tuition)

Question 9

Does ArborVitae offer or know of any available scholarships?

Accepted Answer

Partial scholarship opporunities through ArborVitae are not currently available to Year 1 students, but are available to returning students entering into Year 2 or 3 that wish to apply.
 
There are likely many other opportunities that we are not aware of that you might be able to uncover through some searching on your own. Occasionally we become aware of grants available from outside organizations and do our best to pass that information along to applicants.

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Have you attended one of our Open Houses?

Check out this recent Open House recording to answer even more of your questions.

To apply for the
Foundational Year Professional Herbalism Program.

Visit our Application page to learn about what a complete application includes for all programs.

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