Frequently Asked Questions

CCR is approved by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).  CCR has been approvied by NCRA since 1987 and was the first online program approved by the NCRA.

CCR is accredited with the Indiana Board for Proprietary Education (BPE) since 1985.

CCR is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). CCR has maintained accreditation since 1987 and received an initial three-grant of accreditation from DEAC through June, 2021. CCR currently offers an A.A.S. in Court Reporting which was reviewed and approved by DEAC. DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency, and is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA is a nonprofit organization serving as a national advocate for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation. Website: https://www.deac.org/

CCR’s transfer policy is in accordance with DEAC’s accreditation policy for transfer credit. Transfer consideration will be given based on an evaluation of official transcripts, grades, credits earned, and relevance of courses to CCR courses. Please note that time to complete the program is not dependent on how many credits are transferred or on full- or part-time status. It is dependent on how quickly one develops their skill and accuracy and completion of all course and graduation requirements.

The College of Court Reporting uses the EV360  Realtime Theory. If you already know a different theory and are considering transferring to CCR, you do not need to learn the EV360 Realtime Theory.  Our academic courses and skill development courses are not specific to any one theory.  The EV360 Realtime Theory is a simple and logical theory, written by educators, that incorporates speedbuilding during the first couple weeks of a student’s first semester. When this theory was developed, the educators only had the students’ best interests in mind. They made the rules of writing easy to understand – rules that don’t require hours of analyzing and memorizing!

By the end of Theory I, students learn how to write every English word with a strong foundation of the basic theory. During their second semester, conflict resolution is introduced. Since students do not have to resolve conflict in Theory I and are able to focus only on learning the basic theory, it is easy for them to make minor changes to groups of words with conflict. Students enter their first semester of speedbuilding writing on average 80 words per minute. This is 20-40 words per minute faster using EV360 Realtime Theory than they were writing with the Phoenix theory CCR taught previously.

Academic classes typically meet live with an instructor and fellow students or, occasionally, the instructor may record the lecture which is accessible 24/7. Theory classes are also live with an instructor and fellow students but also consist of recorded video instructional content.  All content is available within the learning management system 24/7.  

Sample schedule: Wednesday, Theory, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Central time. Wednesday, keyboarding, from 8:45-9:45 p.m. Central time. Monday, English, from 8:00-9:00 p.m. Central time. Students must be available Monday-Thursday after 7 p.m. central time.

CCR participates in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student Loan programs. Our financial aid team would be happy to help you learn your Pell Grant and Direct Student Loan eligibility.  Our school code is 026158. Please note that CCR does not require students to borrow student loans but will provide information regarding estimated eligibility if the student chooses to utilize the loans to assist with paying for their cost of education.  However, the student makes the final determination on if they want to use students loans.

If you have further financial aid questions, please contact FA Solutions at fasolutions@ccr.edu or 219-255-4519.

A student is expected to spend between three and four hours per week for each credit earned for an academic or a speedbuilding course. It is recommended that the court reporting student plans to practice computerized machine shorthand 18 hours each week (three hours per day, six to seven days per week) in order to learn machine shorthand and develop the skill, speed, and realtime proficiency needed to complete the program within the maximum time frame.

The College of Court Reporting does not sell, rent, or lease machines or software. It is the student’s responsibility to purchase equipment. For more information about vendors who rent equipment or allow payments, contact Carlette Jennings, Director of Admissions, at carlette.jennings@ccr.edu.

In answering this question, it is important to understand a few terms when discussing program length.  As an accredited college, CCR is required to state what the minimum and maximum time frames are for each accredited program.  The stated time frame, or program length, is different for each accredited program.  The definition of the minimum time frame is the period of time CCR is required to offer the entire program’s curriculum.  If the minimum time frame is 28 months, CCR is required to offer each course in the program within 28 months.  A student has an opportunity to complete the program in 28 months if they progress at a regular rate, do not repeat any courses, and are enrolled full time (12 credits) each semester. The definition of the maximum time frame is the period of time a student is allowed to be enrolled in a program and earn the academic credential for that program.  If the maximum time frame is 44 months, the student must complete all required course work within 44 months.  Can a student attend beyond 44 months of enrollment?  Yes, but they cannot receive the program’s academic credential such as a degree or certificate.  However, all students receive an official academic record indicating all completed course work.

It is important to understand that court reporting programs consist of academic course work and skill development course work.  The skill development component is usually where program completion times vary from student to student.  Every student learns, develops, and progresses with their skill at different rates.  So stating the minimum and maximum time frames are 28/44 months for the associate degree in court reporting does not mean that a student will necessarily complete the program in 28 to 44 months.  Please speak with our admissions department regarding the average completion time for our students who complete their respective programs.

A first year dependent student can borrow up to $5,500; and second year dependent student can borrow up to $6,500; and a third year student can borrow up to $7,500. The aggregate loan limit for a dependent student is $31,000. A first-year independent student can borrow up to $9,500 for the first two semesters; a second-year independent student may borrow up to $10,500; and a third year independent student can borrow up to $12,500. The aggregate limit for independent undergraduate students is $57,500.

CCR has a full-time administrator who works with students about to graduate and those that have already graduated on finding positions both locally and across the United States in their desired court reporting or captioning field.  Although CCR cannot guarantee job placement, we do work very hard to make sure graduates are provided all the tools they need to succeed in their job search, including a stellar resume, a persuasive cover letter, and top-notch interviewing skills.  Additionally, CCR sends graduates job opportunities through a CCR newsletter and employers contact CCR regularly to discuss open positions.  Networking is such an important part of the job search that students are encouraged from the beginning of their education to join their state and national court reporting associations as well as to engage the professionals they meet during their internship, since many internships lead to employment.  All of these services are provided to CCR graduates for as long as they need them!