Graduating students all 10 that completed the program since I have been enrolled were unqualified for beginning job in the field. Frequent teacher & staff turnover. Worthless degree with credits that won't transfer as promised.
Where do I begin? The Court Reporting Institute of Dallas is the biggest rip-off around. If you are considering attending, I strongly encourage you to reconsider. Here's why, or at least some of it.
All but two of my instructors were horrible they clearly didn't understand the subject matter or were simply inexperienced. When we complained to the program director about these instructors she admitted that while the instructors did not have any teaching experience they had at one time been practicing court reporters and they all had a master degree so this automatically qualified them to know how to teach. But she is aware that the teacher was having problems adjusting to sustained dictation of classroom material and she is trying to get all instructors to a point where they can teach everything.' At my expense? How is that fair?
What little I do know about the programs we were learning I either taught myself through books and tapes purchased on my own, through tutorials or through the help of my classmates. We have been offered tutoring but this was yet another CRIDS empty promises. This consisted of the Dean of Education advising you to drop for one quarter; and by taking this leave you will magically acquire the ability absorb the court reporting speed requirements you are unable to accomplish in class. Now, that is just one shining example of the fine educational support and assistance offered by yet another degreed doctorate carrying advisor that is offered to you for the nominal fee of approximately $6000 a year in tuition.
One would expect that the computers and software used to teach would be up-to-date or in good working order. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There are never enough computers available to download and print speed test and the practice tapes are so garbled and out dated they all sound like The Chipmunks were hired to produce the practice material. Not that it mattered since anytime you went to check out a tape they are never available. As the only tapes available are the ones created when an instructor takes the time to record their "in class" dictation. So you can imagine the quality of the material from the start. Echoing, coughing, throat clearing, background chit chat, etc.
The learning level of the students in each class was too extreme, so much so that I feel my learning experience was compromised. I am all for diversity but not when it impedes learning that I am paying for. When enrolling you are given the most important lie. That the program is self-paced. You dictate when you graduate. Lie, Lie, Lie, it is not self paced if you do not acquire a certain speed level that the administrations require (which is not listed in the curriculum) but will be dumped on you after you have invested your time and money in the program and don't meet a plateau.) Then you will get to meet the Dean where you will then be made aware of your failure to meet the plateau and a warning that this will caused you to be dropped from the program if you do not meet this plateau within the next evaluation period.
On several occasions I did meet with the director of education to express my dissatisfaction and each time I came away believing that things would change. The mistakes being made at the expense of the students were acknowledged. But it all fell on deaf ears.
I could go on and on here. I will repeat what I said in my opening paragraph: If you are considering becoming a Court Reporter I strongly encourage you to reconsider getting your certification from the Court Reporting Institute of Dallas. Other 'graduates' would agree. Trust me there are better accredited online and homestudy programs that will get you there faster and cheaper. If you are looking for the discipline and support offered by a classroom support system you will not get that here.
There motto is we do only one thing - train the best court reporters in the world. That might be true, they train them. They sure don't produce them.
If you don't believe me make sure to ask to see their actual graduation rate. And watch for the song and dance to begin, they will dance all around providing you that information. Hopefully, that will be confirmation enough for you not to get suck in like the rest of us.
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