Quick note before the list: I work at RAL Roadmap, which offers guides for Residential Assisted Living operators and investors, so factor that in. I wrote this to be useful for any program, ours included.

First, ask for the licensing details for your state, not the pitch. Texas HHS, for example, charges $300 plus $15 per bed for a three-year license, capped at $2,250 for Type A and Type B. It says it has up to 30 days to review an application and issues the license within 45 days of a complete one that has passed inspections. If a course can’t get that specific for your state, it’s selling excitement.

Second, check the income math. Revenue per resident isn’t profit. CareScout’s 2025 survey puts the national median for assisted living at $6,200 a month, and that’s before payroll, food and vacancy.

Third, ask who runs homes using the system and whether you can talk to them.

Fourth, ask what support looks like once the course ends and what the refund terms are in writing.

Fifth, ask what the course says about the empty months between getting the house and getting licensed, since you’ll carry those costs with no residents.

What do you wish you’d asked before your first course?