Testimonials

"After graduation from high school, I bounced around to a few different schools and jobs trying to find the right fit. It wasn't until a friend of my mother's suggested court reporting that I started to look into it. I didn't even know what it was.

Every court reporter that I spoke with kept saying they had the best job in the world, they would never want to do anything else, and the pay was beyond their expectations. After the tenth time that I heard that from different people, I started to become suspicious. How could all these people actually love their job? I finally figured it out when I graduated from school and became a full-time court reporter that I too loved my job.

Going to school at NECRI was a very new experience. The rate that you proceed through school is really in your hands. The more time and energy you spend practicing, the faster you will finish.

Jonathan, Randy and Jack guided me through school. Learning Steno Theory, Speed Building, Medical and Legal Terms, Grammar and being technologically savvy can be a challenge. Jonathan was very patient with each and every one of us spending as long as he needed to make sure we understood things. He had a knack for being able to pinpoint where my weaknesses and strengths were so that I could move past whatever was holding me back. Since the class sizes were so small, he was able to sit down and watch my hands and my computer screen to really focus on what I needed to improve. I would spend some time practicing in those areas and before I knew it, I was on to the next chapter.

He is also always on the prowl for the latest technology that is going to assist his students. He put so much time and energy into making sure we were using the best software and machines and showing us how use our equipment.

Randy, who teaches speed building was always so encouraging. Learning to make your fingers fly across a steno machine at 225 words a minute is not really something that anyone can teach you. It takes guidance and encouragement and someone to say don't give up. One of the most important things when trying to pass out of one speed and on to the next was to keep a positive attitude and an open mind. Randy would always notice when a student would become stressed out and agitated about not passing a speed. He would then point out how far we had already come and all that we had accomplished. Those little words of inspiration helped to dispel any negative thoughts, so we could really focus and push ourselves to keep passing tests.

There is no substitute for real life, hands on experience. I still use a lot of the tools that Jack gave me when I am working. She taught me everything from how to set up your deposition title page, to what to do when people are talking over each other. She spent so much time with us making sure that we understood how to proofread our transcripts, and to really pay attention to every detail. She is also a great role model. To see a successful court reporter and all that she has achieved kept reminding us of what we were working towards. I am grateful to everyone at NECRI that helped me to reach my goals. They always made themselves available at school. Even after I graduated, I have gone back for software workshops. They want their graduates to be the best and to keep learning.

Finishing school at NECRI was a challenge, but the reward is a really great career. I had a job the day I finished school and went to work immediately. My schedule is so flexible, and I really love deposition work. It is a new topic every day, which makes things exciting. I get paid well, and I know that number will increase over the years. The more I improve my writing, broaden my vocabulary and build my dictionary, the better reporter I will be and the more earning potential I will have. The best part is that you are in absolute control over how far you want to take your career.

NECRI was a really good fit for me and what I wanted to do with my life. While court reporting is not for everyone, it is a career with a flexible schedule and great pay, the best of both worlds!"

-Amanda Stevens NECRI graduate 2005