The School Doesn’t Need NCRA Approval

The standards set by the National Court Reporters Association are minimum, which means that some schools touting themselves as NCRA-approved are really only meeting minimum requirements. It does not guarantee a quality education. On the other hand, some schools choose not to go through the approval process but still offer a quality education. The best way to measure whether a court reporting school has the right program for you is to look at its graduation rates and online reviews. If you can, it may also help to talk to former students and ask how they have fared in their career since graduating from the school.

You Will Learn a Theory

Theory is one of the most important considerations when choosing a court reporting school because it is the most important component of your training. Theory determines how accurate you are, how quickly you build speed and how accurate your translations will be in real time. Many schools now offer online studying and use the court reporting at home theory, which is approved by the NCRA.

It Will Take Some Time

Most court reporting schools claim their programs take about two years. However, the NCRA finds that most students actually take between three and five years to complete their training and graduate. It is believed this is because the schools tend to emphasize non-essentials such as associate degrees not relative to the field. When deciding on a school, ask about the average length of time for graduation instead of how long the program claims to be.

You Will Spend Money

Traditional court reporting schools report tuition costs of up to $57,000, largely in part due to hiring administrative staff, deans and other administrators that are not court reporters themselves. The more affordable route to choose would be one based on a local community college or an at-home training program. If you choose to take on court reporting training, remember to factor in the costs outside of tuition. You may need to purchase or rent equipment, buy textbooks or factor in other costs. If you attend a properly accredited school, you may qualify for government financial aid, which can lessen costs, but which you’ll also have to pay back once you graduate.

You Should Have an Internship

To get the most out of your education, search for a court reporting program that can set you up with an internship or externship. These types of opportunities allow you to gain experience by working directly beside a certified court reporter who can show you the ropes, provide tips and answer your questions about the career. It will also help you begin to build a network that makes it easier to transition from student to career professional.

You Will Become Certified

Once you complete your training, you will become certified. There are several types of certifications, so ensure the program you choose offers the one you hope to achieve. Some of the most common ones include registered professional reporter, registered merit reporter and registered diplomate reporter. The latter is available to those have earned a different type of certification, proven their skills in the field and are actively involved in the industry.

Before choosing to attend court reporting school, determine the need for court reporters in your local area. Doing so ensures you spend time learning a career that you are passionate about and that will have a high earning potential. Always do thorough research before signing on the dotted line to attend any program.

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 There are more than enough court reporters.
o There is actually a shortage in court reporters and in one county, Maricopa County in
Arizona, it has been difficult to find reporters to take on cases.
o There is a decline in court reporting school enrollment but increased demand in non-
legal fields.

 No one wants to be a court reporter.
o Sharing the joys of being a court reporter through blogs and social media channels has led to some more interest in the career.
o There are specialized skills needed to be a court reporter such as focus, attention to detail, punctuality, organization, and accuracy and speedy transcription.
o The earning potential for high-demand court reporters is higher (about $40,000 on average) than other four-year college degrees. Experience can lead to some court reporters earning six-figure salaries and making their own schedules.
o It is an exciting career where reporters can work with a variety of clients such as lawyers, paralegals, and expert witnesses.

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Stenographers write what is said at events into a machine called a stenotype machine. Voice recorders
or writers speak into masks containing a recorder and voice silencer. The training for each depends on
what specialization you are interested in.
Let’s address stenography first. To be certified as a stenographer, you must be able to type quicker and
more accurately than most other people. According to the National Court Reporters Association, a court
reporter should be able to write 225 words per minute in shorthand. Shorthand will be taught during
the educational process.

There are also state-specific requirements for becoming a court reporter with some states only needing
certification from one of the court reporters’ associations and others needing both certification and
completion of a vocational program at a technical school. One random fact to note is that if you have a
criminal report you are not allowed to become a court reporter.

Since the requirements vary by state, the amount of accredited educational programs in a state can be
quite different from other states. For example, New York doesn’t have strict requirements and has many
ways for students to learn court reporting such as online, at community and technical colleges, and at
schools specifically dedicated to court reporting. Georgia on the other hand has strict requirements and
only has one accredited institution to learn court reporting.

The next thing to consider is what you need to buy to become a court reporter. Most education
programs want students to have a manual stenotype machine which typically costs between $100 and
$250 and a professional computerized writer which costs between $2,500 and $5,000. Since a
computerized device is so expensive, many schools provide rentals.

A final requirement is the licensing test. Most states want prospective court reporters to take licensing
tests provided by the state. This can cost anywhere between $200 to $600. The test has a written and
skills portion and you have to pass the written portion with a 70% or better. Some states also want you
to join a professional association such as the National Court Reporters Association to become fully
licensed.
Stenographers are generally considered more highly than voice recorders or writers and in 2015 only 37
states allowed voice reporters in the courtroom. There are also fewer schools that offer instruction in
voice reporting and are mainly online trainings. The equipment costs between $1800 to $2200 and
tuition can cost between $4000 and $7000 at a program sponsored by the National Verbatim Reporters
Association. Voice writing is tested by the National Verbatim Reporters Association and you need to
score at least 70% on the written portion and dictation with real-time transcription at 95% accuracy.

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