Graduate w/some experience - Hopeful MT

I am posting because I have spent the past few days reading so many negative things on this board and a few positive things, but am very discouraged about MTing. 

My position is that I have graduated from a school (Career Step) that is accredited and one of the "top 3" I BELIEVE, but am not really sure now (can anyone tell me who those "3" are?). I graduated, but not with honors or high honors, Within one month, I got a wonderful job right out of the gate at a local doctor's office. I had the job for 9 months and was so gloriously happy with all the knowledge I was gaining and being able to work from home, etc. I loved it. I was learning so much and was getting experience in nursing home care, as well as clinical/office visits, workmen's compensation and no fault MVA's. I found it really fascinating. I often giggled at each doctor's "quirks", as well as ripped my hair out with ESL's that were difficult. But I still liked them and had a nice relationship with them. Like anything, there were good days and bad days.

I did not know that this office was looking into VR before they hired me and was later told they made they decision to go with Dragon and just really needed me to clean up their backlog. While finishing up the job, I noticed that many Dragon reports had many errors and I offered to stay on to help edit them. They were not interested. I am now looking for work but am truly disenchanted and gun-shy with the state of affairs and all the negativity I am hearing about MTSO's and how little they are paying. Also, hearing about, India, Epic and such. When studying, I was assured over and over again that this industry would always be needed and it may change but we could adapt and change with it.  

My experience is so little right now.  Even though I HAVE gone to what I believe was a great school and have SOME experience, I do not know what to expect or even look for anymore. My enthusiasm for this profession has been crushed. I would really like to stay at home and work as an MT, but am fearful of the VR problem again and always being worried that my company will be bought out and my jobs sent overseas. I love the job, and find it so fascinating, but cannot survive on what I am hearing people are working (hours) and getting paid. I am considering going to work at a hospital, etc in stead for experience and to prove myself but if they are paying the same thing or are also close to going to VR/outsourcing also, then would the expense be worth it.

I guess while trying to sort these thoughts through my head, and after reading so much here, I wondered if some would be nice enough to share some answers/opinions to my direct questions, maybe some posters will reply that I have never read. (It takes way too much time to go through ALL the threads. I have spent 3 days trying to go through just the recent ones!) I have researched MTSO's online and they all sound great, of course. And I am still researching different ideas to try and be innovative.

After all of my blah blah, my few questions are:

-What are the "top 3" schools?

-are there other MT boards where there is different/possible monitored feedback since I have heard several times that this one is not monitored, is more negative than other sites etc.

-How many years does it take to prove yourself, at this low rate of pay and difficult shifts, that you are a good, reliable worker before finally being considered for better pay for quality work?

-what are your MT experiences working in hospitals, clinics, etc. and are they generally paying the same as MTSO's are paying right now? 

I am not looking for anyone to do the work for me, just trying to see things a little more clearly.

Thanks for listening.