The Court Reporting Institute of Dallas

Date: Jan 31 2010
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
Don't come here. They lie in admissions. They tell you it's a two-and-a-half-year program, not because that is how long it will take you, but because that is how they've set up the grading system. They don't tell you the national average is four years.

They charge you $1000 while you are still eligible for financial aide, but then your tuition magically drops to $100 a month. You have to keep going because now you're $50k in debt and need to stay enrolled in school to get your massive loans deferred.

They tell you it's so expensive because "we offer a degree," but what they don't tell you (and wasn't in the contract I signed when I started) is that you have three years and nine months to get that degree. If you don't. You're out $50k and a degree.

Admissions will tell you anything they think you want to hear. They'll tell you how much money court reporters make (which is true, but they make it out to seem that you'll get out and start making $80k a year) or that because you play the piano you'll get through extra fast or whatever they think you want to hear to get you to sign the papers and hand over money.

Go to the school and hang out somewhere and ask one of the students how long they've been there and if they'd recomment it. Ask two or three people and hope someone is honest with you.

The school is owned by Vatterott (who also owns other technical schools) but they don't understand what they are dealing with. The Dean used to be the librarian. The left hand of this school doesn't know what the right is doing.

Do your research before you go to this school. I hate every day I have to go there. I wish someone had warned me…or just been honest with me.