Attending one of the top court reporting schools may lead you into a fulfilling life-long career in one of the best legal professions. While many careers are suffering due to a lack of demand, employment for those graduating with degrees from the top court reporting schools continues to increase. Long known as a top paying profession that provides high paying jobs, this occupation is undergoing technological changes which now provide an even greater opportunity for those newly trained in the field.Court Reporting Schools Nearby
A career in this occupation will generally allow you to find work in almost any geographic location across America and in the world. Big cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, New York City and San Diego may employ thousands of court reporters in positions ranging from federal jobs to freelance work. Exotic and smaller locations like Alaska and Hawaii are just as likely to need to new graduates from the best court reporting schools. These training institutions can be found in most major cities and virtually every state in America. Most larger metropolitan areas will have multiple colleges to choose from that have education programs in this field.
How long do Court Reporting Schools take?
The cost and time necessary to master the field of court reporting will vary depending on how fast the student is able to master the skills necessary. The essence of this job involves documenting legal proceedings and other events by translating in real-time the spoken words to an electronic or paper record. This is done utilizing a machine known as a stenograph. In the very old days, the words spoken were written by hand, but like most things, technology has advanced. Now, an electronic stenography machine is typed into utilizing a form a short hand. A computer then translates the typed input into a transcript that is outputted to match the original words spoken in a proceeding. The speed at which the words are spoken is the same speed that a student must be able to type them into the machine. Therefore, to a large degree, the education of a student will be completed when they have mastered both the speed and accuracy necessary to accurately record the proceedings into the stenograph machine.
As with any education, the instructor is very important. Most of the top court reporting schools employ teachers who have extensive experience in the field. The best court reporting schools will advise students upfront that a substantial amount of practice and devotion to learning these skills is the key to success in this career.
The typical time it takes to achieve certification and a degree from a court reporting school is in the range of two to five years. Costs may vary substantially, but it is not unusual to spend $25,000 or more before achieving the necessary education and training to become certified. Attending one of these court reporting schools may well be worth the time and effort as the typical pay starts near the mid five figures and can exceed 100K per year. Typically you will need to be able to report conversations at a rate of about 225 words per minute in order to pass the final test and graduate from court reporting school.