Court Reporting Certificate

Course Outline    Course Instructor

Course Description

This self-paced, online, home study program is designed to prepare beginning students and transfer students with prior training to be realtime writing steno machine writers to prepare them for careers in court reporting, broadcast (closed) captioning, and CART providing. As they write on the steno machine, the words appear in English on a computer screen or a television screen. These exciting careers are in demand and provide job security.

Court reporting allows individuals to work for agencies/firms, the government, or to own their own business as a freelance court reporter, or work as an Official court reporter in the courtroom setting. Closed captioning, writing the captions beneath television programs for hearing impaired persons, allows individuals to work entirely from home. CART (Communications Access Realtime Translation) Providing is primarily writing for hearing impaired college students and may be accomplished by working entirely from home or going to the assignment. (Read more about these careers.)

Upon completion of training, students are prepared to pass any state CSR exam or the national RPR examination. Certification is not required in approximately half the states in the United States.

There are no prerequisites. Students learn theory (how to write on the steno machine), build speed to 225 wpm, learn CAT (computer aided transcription) software from the CAT software vendor, learn career specific academics, perform an internship, and prepare for certification examinations if they are required in their state. This skills-based program requires significant practice by the student to reach the level of proficiency to work in these careers. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be awarded a Certificate of Completion by Auburn University.

CRAH Program License Agreement (training only without a steno machine) at a cost of $7,899.00. CRAH Program License Agreement- with training steno machine at a cost of $8,899.00. Case Catalyst student version CAT software is included without charge during training. However, most professional reporters, captioners, and CART providers must provide their own professional version CAT software throughout their career.

Pre-Requisites

These exciting careers are filled by people from all walks of life. We have trained students from 17 years old to some in their early 60s. It is not necessary to have a college degree. Students with a high school diploma or GED may enter any of the three careers of court reporting, captioning, and CART providing. They require no prior experience. Students need an internet connection to access their materials on their Student Platform and Support Department through emails. This is a self-paced program, and all training is accomplished from your home, except for a court reporting internship. Captioning and CART providing internships are generally performed via the internet. Students with average intelligence, average ability to memorize, and average dexterity can accomplish this training. It requires motivation and discipline to practice.

As a participant in the program, you have the option to apply:

Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan

Registration

• Registration Fee: $7,899.00 without Steno Machine
• Registration Fee: $8,899.00 with Steno Machine

Register Now

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does it take to complete the program?
   CRAH is truly a self-paced program. How quickly you can complete your training is based upon your ability to memorize, your dexterity, how familiar you might already be with some of the academics you must learn and the number of hours you can practice each day. Successful completion requires a motivated, disciplined student. Some students have completed their training in a year, but some students may take 18 months, 2 years or longer.

2. When can I start my training?
   Immediately! This program has open enrollment, and the day you receive your materials, you may begin your training.

3. Do you offer job placement?
   Absolutely! We have 100% placement. Every student who has completed their training has been employed.

4. Who are my instructors?
   Your Support Staff is comprised of licensed, credentialed court reporters, or captioners, or CART providers who have passed state and/or national certification examinations or have at least 10-20 years’ professional experience in these careers.

   The developer of the program has served on NCRA committees, published articles in the NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting magazine, was a professional court reporter for 29 years, previously owned a traditional, accredited, NCRA-approved school, trained the first realtime writing court reporters in Africa, and passed three State CSR examinations at 225 wpm, the national RPR examination at 225 wpm, and the national RMR examination at 260 wpm. She also served on the NCRA Committee that develops the national RPR examination, and her test was chosen to be administered at the May, 2007 RPR exam. She is a Certified Program Evaluator (CPE) for the NCRA, serving on teams that evaluate traditional school programs, and she has served as a team member of the Southern Colleges and Schools accreditation commission evaluating traditional school programs. (Read more about the developer of the program.)

5. What theory will I learn?
   Realtime Reporting and Captioning Theory is taught in this program. It is the shortest, easiest, realtime writing theory available and the only theory that includes VIDEO TUTORIALS that correlate with each lesson in the Theory Manual.

6. Are there any additional costs?
   There are no additional costs throughout your training. We only sell the Stenograph Luminex CSE and the ProCAT Blaze steno machines. Each manufacturer furnishes free student CAT software (Case Catalyst and Winner, respectively) to students in training with us. We provide a steno dictionary that will translate approximately 100,000 words, with terminology from all three careers.

7. How long will my internship last, and how does that work?
   When court reporting students can pass a Q&A test at 225 wpm, the Support Department will establish an internship for them in their area at hours that are convenient for them. The student is not paid. Students will attend court reporting assignments with professional court reporters, writing the assignment with them. They get to see in action what they have learned throughout their training. We recommend 40 hours of writing time on the steno machine, but it is up to the student to determine when they feel comfortable with their internship. If they wish to shorten it or extend it, they may. It will not interfere with a student’s current work. They may accept internship assignments immediately after work hours or later in the evening. They may accept an internship assignment this week and wait several weeks before they accept another. Students are able to intern at hours that will not interrupt their current work schedule.

   When captioning students can pass a 180-wpm literary test, and deemed proficient by professional captioners on our Support Staff, prospective captioning employers are contacted to evaluate the student’s transcription. Their writing will be assessed by the prospective captioning employer, and captioning employers they may offer them employment immediately or may make recommendations to the student regarding their writing. Students’ writing may be assessed several times prior to employment.

   When a CART providing student can pass a 180-wpm literary test, and deemed proficient by professional CART captioners on our Support Staff, prospective CART providing employers are contacted to assess the student’s writing and translation to see if they are ready to provide CART services. If so, they may be offered employment. The student may perform a remote or onsite internship.

8. Will I receive a Certificate?
   Yes, successful graduates in the court reporting program will receive a Certificate of Completion from Auburn University upon completion of their training. However, approximately half the states in the United States require students to pass a state or national certification before they can work professionally. Most of those states accept the National Court Reporters Association Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) examination. However, some states require students to pass their own State examination referred to as a Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) exam or Certified Court Reporter (CCR) examination. This program will prepare students to pass any of those certification examinations.

   There is no state certification required for broadcast (closed) captioning or CART providing. Successful graduates in those programs will receive a Certificate of Completion from Auburn University upon completion of their training.

9. Do you accept international students?
   Yes, certainly, as a self-paced, distance education program you learn right in your home. We train students all over the world.

10. How much do court reporters, captioners, and CART providers earn?
    It depends on the proficiency of the court reporter, captioner, and CART provider and whether they freelance, work as an official court reporter, provide CART or captioning, but many of them earn over $100,000 annually. We have many students who begin earning $65,000 to $80,000 annually and some who have earned $100,000 their first year, but again, there are many variables that affect income.

11. Can I use a Mac computer?
    During the first half of training, yes, you may use a Mac computer. However, because all CAT (computer aided transcription) software programs are Windows based, when you begin the CAT software phase of your training, you will be required to either use a Windows-based computer or to partition off a segment of your Mac computer for Windows.

12. What are the software or hardware requirements?
    Students need a computer and internet service to access their support.

13. How does the program work?
    There are six components to the CRAH Program: Learning theory (how we write on the steno machine), building speed on the steno machine, learning academics for which ever career you choose, learning CAT (computer aided transcription) software that translates steno notes into English, certification preparation and internship.

    The program components are shipped to the student via UPS Ground in most cases. Because our program is online via our student platform, this allows the student to log in from any location using their email address and designated login password. Students follow this regimen to learn the theory: (1) watch the lesson on their online student platform; (2) memorize the letters and words introduced in that lesson in the Theory Manual; (3) practice writing the letters and words by listening to an audio drill dictated for the lesson; and (4) take a short written test covering the lesson.

    To build speed, students follow a speed building practice regimen developed for each student by their Support Staff based upon the number of hours the student has available to practice each day. Each speed level contains audio practice materials and tests. All students are on the honor system. As the student is ready to take a test, the Support Staff will email them the answer sheet for their use in grading their exam.

    Students review the court reporting academics, and may take a test at the end of each lesson, which is automatically graded online and provides the student with the correct answer if they get it wrong.

    CAT (computer aided transcription) software is provided without charge during training for students who do not already own CAT software. Support for the CAT software is provided by the CAT software vendor. It is very similar to Microsoft Word, but it has the added feature of translating steno notes into English.

14. Are there any federal student loans or grants available?
    This is a noncredit program and, therefore, federal student loans and grants are not available to pay for this training. However, students may apply for a private educational loan via the lender of their choice. They can also apply for a Sallie Mae Smart loan by following this link: http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/courtreporting. In addition, in some states Workforce grants, Vocational Rehabilitation grants, etc. may be available for students who meet that state’s eligibility requirements.

Testimonials

Here are just a few comments from some of our many successful graduates:

"This program was the best decision I ever made." – Kimmy B., FPR, CRAH graduate and Florida Professional Reporter

"I passed the RPR on my first try. I love this program." – Kathleen S., RPR, CSR, CRAH graduate and Illinois CSR

"I have passed the National Court Reporters Association’s RPR exam at 225 wpm and the RMR exam at 260 wpm! I can’t recommend this program enough to those who wish to train from home." – Jill M., RMR, RPR, CRAH graduate and Texas CSR

"This program was the best decision I could have made for my future!" – Amy K., CRAH graduate and Mississippi Professional Court Reporter

For more video and written testimonials, visit the Court Reporting At Home website.