Many people wish to break into the world of court reporting, but are not completely sure as to how to do such a thing. It is not the most common of professions, and therefore little is known about it as far as the general population is concerned. Of course, court reporting school is the most obvious choice, as many are offered throughout the nation. Time and location are often the most important factors that come into play when attempting to shape one’s future, though, and this is why many consider court reporting school online.
| Most of the online schools you may have heard about offer court reporting school online, such as the University of Phoenix, which has campus locations in 42 U.S. states, as well as two locations in Canada. This is probably one of the most famous online court reporting schools, as their advertisements are featured on many major television networks at all hours of the day. Their courses are specialized to meet the needs of individual students, and one-on-one training is always available either online or in person at one of their many campuses. If you wish to obtain a degree relating to court reporting, the University of Phoenix is probably the most popular choice in online colleges, and may be exactly what you are looking for.
| Of course, the most important thing for you as an aspiring court reporter is to be making money actually court reporting somewhere. A degree is not essential in the least, and may not even put you ahead of anyone else in the application pile. A certification is actually more important. Those with certifications are more readily hired, as with most jobs, and by obtaining a certification after having already been hired, a raise in one’s near future is always very likely. It highly recommended that you attempt to find a school that specializes in preparing you for certification with the Registered Professional Reporter Exam, otherwise known as the RPR Exam. This is widely recognized as the single most important step in establishing wide credibility as a court reporter, and it is administered by the NCRA, or National Court Reporters Association. The exam is composed of many different sections, which test your transcription skills as well as your knowledge of the American judicial system. Membership in the NCRA is required, but it is not terribly difficult to simply become a member. A small fee is required, and those who are students have their own specific category they are able to apply for.
On the same token, it is helpful to note that many states do not require any sort of court reporting certification, and are often more interested simply in how well one is able to perform the duties assigned to them. This can be of benefit to you if you feel that you, at the moment, do not have the spare time to devote towards achieving certification.
Aside from certification, various schools of court reporting thought and theory are taught throughout the World Wide Web, and again it is best to turn the National Court Reporters Association for guidance. Phoenix Theory, unrelated to the University of Phoenix, is approved by the NCRA, and can be accessed online. Various online court reporting schools offer training in this sort of theory.
There are also many “study at home” opportunities available, and it takes only minimal research to find some of these on the World Wide Web. The benefits of home study are fairly obvious, and include the lack of commuting requirement. With gas prices as they are, and traffic becoming more and more congested regardless of the city or region in which you happen to reside. Commuting also sucks away valuable time that could otherwise be spent doing other things, such as studying to become a court reporter.
Of course, this article is only designed to provide you with general advice as to what is available out there in terms of court reporting study. If you are truly interested, don’t hesitate to contact the National Court Reporters Association, the University of Phoenix, the Phoenix Theory website, or any other resources you may happen to find. Court reporting is a brilliant and exciting career, and if you are really serious about it, it can only be a matter of time before you are experiencing this fast-paced world for yourself. |
