Any reviews for Career Step or Andrews Training Corp?

cashck in Marietta, Georgia said: It is going great. I've been impressed with the course so far and feel like I'm learning a lot. I actually know something about online courses since I worked for a school that offered online and in-class continuing education courses. I like the format on this one and feel it teaches the material well.

Did you choose the gold or platinum option?

southernbelle in Columbia, South Carolina said: Well, maybe on second thought, not such a good idea. I did not stop to think about copyright infringements. Job is going well. Thanks! Good luck with the course!!

I didn't either. I have seen used books on Craigslist and on the CareerStep site, but I just wanted my own copies that I weren't already written in, highlighted or etc. We are all just trying to help each other and that $250.00 is a lot of money for anyone.
I'm glad to hear you are working. Are you enjoying the job? I am trying to get this course finished by the end of January.

mlhh4@aol.com in Phoenix, Arizona said: Did you choose the gold or platinum option?

Platinum.

Hi everyone, I've been researching MT programs for WEEKS, and my head is spinning! Career Step seems great, and not as expensive as the "other 2" big MT schools. Is it realistic to complete the course in 4 months? Thanks for any input!

Susan in Warner Robins, Georgia said: Hi everyone, I've been researching MT programs for WEEKS, and my head is spinning! Career Step seems great, and not as expensive as the "other 2" big MT schools. Is it realistic to complete the course in 4 months? Thanks for any input!

Oh my gosh I know what you mean...everytime I think I'm done "researching" I go back through everything again just to make sure I haven't missed anything!! I keep coming back to CS because of the possibility of completing the course more quickly (although I know I won't be done in 4 months with two small children), and the price. The lower tuition will make the possibility of it taking a bit longer to find employment when I'm done a little less terrifying :) For what it's worth, I've read EVERYWHERE that it is, indeed, very possible to finish up in 4 months (with proficiency) if you consider it a full-time job and REALLY devote your time to studying and practicting.

Good luck to you!
Theresa

tgreene said: Sheesh... not to be a Debbie Downer BUT what I've read on some of the MT Boards has me rethinking this whole MT thing.. not that I thought I'd make a lot of money doing this, but seriously, I'm reading posts from experienced MT's who are working their butts off, FT (sometimes even more than FT) and only barely making $17-18k a year? I thought you could make that part time (with experience, of course). Holy cow.. so not sure what to think now..

I honestly didn't look into this thinking I could make a ton of money - I simply just want to make my money back for the training, then maybe make a dent in my son's $530/month school tuition when I start working part time. From everything I read, good luck finding a job, then when you do you'll barely make minimum wage and will be tied to the computer trying to find the work when you're not typing...

Please somebody tell me I'm wrong... my bubble has burst (and I'm such an optimist at heart)..

I need to hear from happily employed MT's :)

I have a friend that did MT from home for about 16 years while she was a single mom. She made in the low 40's. Her only problem was she could never take even a week long vacation. She said the doctor's needed their work completed. When I heard that I changed my mind about learning it.

eHow answers the question: How to select a Medical Transcription school. One of the steps is to contact ahdi (formerly known as American Association for Medical Transcription, which should help you answer any questions about schools, etc.

LLANDMAN1@COMCAST.NET in Houston, Texas said: Funny how you do not see many comments on this about Andrews. That alone should tell you something.
:D

The reason why is the original Andrews that was questioned is not the Andrews School at this website www.andrewsschool.com.

Having graduated from there 2 years ago and working in the field, I can attest to the fact that Andrews School does a great job of preparing someone to work in this field. I know for me, I don't go out there looking for message boards to post on. I just stick with our private school boards and another well-known MT board. I only found this site because some sent me the link.

I just wanted to post and clarify between the original Andrews questioned and Andrews School. These are 2 different schools.

I am also an Andrews Grad and have no idea about this Andrews Training Corp but I sure hope this other place isn't trying to give the Andrews School a bad name. The Andrews School was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had a job offer the 1st week after I graduated. I've been working for a year now and love it. I make decent money and I am home for my 4 kids.

A friend of my husband's daughter went through the Career Step course and she hasn't gotten a job yet after quite a few months now. She called me for advice and I wasn't sure what to tell her. She did tell me that Career Step didn't require her to buy the BOS. How can you work without the BOS? A LOT of employers use that book as the standard. All I know is, I am glad I went to the Andrews School.

Think carefully about the school you choose. There are good reasons why some schools charge more, and there are ABSOLUTELY good reasons why honest and effective schools do not suggest that you can finish a comprehensive program in 4 months. And why would you want something less than a comprehensive program?

Of course, we all want to finish as quickly as we can and spend as little as we can, but we also want to end up with a quality education that will help us to secure respectable jobs. Right? Jobs are not easy to come by for anyone these days. Why risk spending less money and getting less than what you pay for?

I am very pleased with the quality of education and the many reference materials that I received from Andrews, and I was offered a job before I finished the course. Did I finish in 4 months? No way!

I have an advanced degree under my belt, and I am accustomed to studying on my own. In addition, I have no children at home, and I was able to work on the course full-time after the first few months. It still took me a little over 10 months to finish this course.

When I read about all the graduates of other schools who are unable to find work months after graduating, I am very grateful that I chose a school that offers a more comprehensive course of studies. Yes, it took longer, but I am much more confident than I would have been with any course that I could finish in 4 months, I have a very nice set of reference books that are well respected in the industry, and I am EMPLOYED.

Whatever school you choose, I wish you the best of luck. However, if you use your common sense, maybe you won't need luck. Think about it. Do you really want to go to a school that has to pay its graduates to recommend it?

Regarding the past few posts...

I have kept up with this forum for a while now and nothing has really urged me to put my two sense in, until now. I don't think this forum's intention was to become a bashing forum for either CS or Andrew's School. Yes, CS promotes that you can finish in less than 4 months but I believe that is only if you go at it FT and have had previous medical experience of some sort. I don't think that you can take from one person's experience of having graduated Andrews and having a job within the week, compared to the friend that is still searching, as proof that one school is better than the other.

We all are striving for the same goal...to enter into the field of MT. I believe that which ever school you go with, the end results lays in your own lap. Those that do not take the time and effort to devote themselves to learning the material and those that do not put the effort into finding a job will not find a job, regardless of the school or position they are seeking for that matter.

I haven't posted until now but have been reading the forum comments. I don't think that because someone graduated from one school and got a job right away and someone else that graduated from another school and doesn't have a job is an accurate gauge of what school is better. Time and again I've read about Career Step graduates having secured jobs quickly after graduation or even before graduation, and time and again I've noticed that its the graduates who graduated with honors or high honors and who've had no problem passing employer testing who've gotten those jobs. So while quality of education may differ between schools, not necessarily one better over the other, just differ, I think a big part of it seems to be how much you apply yourself and how well you do. After all, a school can only do so much. After that, it's up to you.

You both make very good points about how it all comes down to how much a person applies themself. I really don't know much about CS other than what that girl told me and she seemed really clueless about the world of an MT. I do apologize for being too quick to judge. Sometimes my mouth talks before my brain. This is just one experience with one person I don't even really know. I don't know her work or study habits. I think I am just so happy with my experience at Andrews my loyalty is a bit severe. It has to do with that comment back aways about nobody speaking up from Andrews that got my back up. The most important thing I've learned at Andrews is to be flexible. I just want everyone to know it is a very good school and I recommend it to anyone.

I've read a lot of good about both schools and both are on the AHDI list of recognized MT schools, which was a requirement for me. I only considered schools on that list. I am taking the Career Step course through a college partner though, and one reason is because I'm on unemployment and Career Step course is an approved one that unemployment will pay for. In the end of course, I want what we all do -- to land a job quickly and be able to make a living wage, sooner rather than later, LOL!

Kat in Port Orchard, Washington said: I would definatly recomend looking into other options besides Career Step. I attended this program and it was a waste of money and my time. I completed the training and received my certificate and felt amazing until I was unable to get a job. I am starting all over again with a new training the good thing is, the company I am going through likes no experience so they are able to train you their own way. They prefer you have the MT knowledge but have not worked for anyone yet. I am thankful I found them and it was by accident talking to a lady in the grocery store who works for them. They are an independent contractor so pretty much unless you know someone thats working for them to recomend you its hard to just come accross one. They pay 10 cents a line. Not getting rich but at least I finally found a job. Career Step was WORTHLESS when it came to helping you find a job when you purchase the platinum package so if you do decide on them it is way to get SOME knowledge. Not so great getting a job afterwards.

why would you say that?? Focus Infomatics hires right from CS and AHDI has a paid internship. I didnt go through CS, but a coworker of mine did. I did a very similar ahdi-approved school and was hired right from school by going online and taking tests that online companies offered and was picked up right away. I did this because I couldn't do the 40 hours a week required for the paid internship through AHDI.
MT work is a great second income to a family and I am so glad I did it. I only wish I found it sooner. I dont think a school should be blamed if you cant find work. That just doesn't make sense. There is MT work out there.

Last time I checked Focus no longer hires new grads.

I too graduated from The Andrews School of Medical Transcription. To be honest,no other school was ever a consideration for me, and I spent a great deal of time seriously researching what school I should attend. I have a degree and had related courses up to graduate level and consider myself to be smart and well educated, but the curriculum at The Andrews school still proved to be very challenging. I was hired by a large and very well-respected MTSO exactly 3 weeks after graduation. A lot of the internships out there pay as low as 5.5 cents per line, but I am paid well and am very happy with my income and my benefits package. It is unfortunate that some new graduates feel that they have to settle for low-paying internships. When I had to make the decision there was just no way I was going to gamble with my time or my money and I felt that The Andrews School was as close to a sure thing as I was going to find. I have not been disappointed. My "pedigree" alone has opened many doors for me. I have 4 young children and working from home has proved to be very challenging so I also appreciate the self-discipline that I learned at Andrews. I would absolutely never recommend this field to a friend who only wanted to do it so that they could "be at home with the kids." Working from home is really not as easy as it might sound, but of course that really depends on your company and your account. I am happy with my job and with the fantastic foundation that The Andrews School gave me. There is no way that I could perform well in my current position without knowing the BOS inside and out or with any of the other many skills that I learned at Andrews. I graduated in August and I am already absolutely thrilled with every aspect of my job. I wish you all the best in your search for the right school for you. I am grateful for my foundation from Andrews every single day that I log on and go to work.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: I've read a lot of good about both schools and both are on the AHDI list of recognized MT schools, which was a requirement for me. I only considered schools on that list. I am taking the Career Step course through a college partner though, and one reason is because I'm on unemployment and Career Step course is an approved one that unemployment will pay for. In the end of course, I want what we all do -- to land a job quickly and be able to make a living wage, sooner rather than later, LOL!

How did you get unemployment to pay for it? I'm on unemployment as well and thinking about signing up.

I contacted NY state unemployment, because I worked in New York City even though I live in the Poconos of PA. You can contact your state unemployment agency or I'm sure you can find info online for the unemployment division in your state; it should be posted on the site. Career Step is on the approved list for New York State, as well as other states, but not all states. There's funding out there under the Workforce Investment Act I think its called.

Thanks for your help Connie! I will be checking into that for NC.
I appreciate you sharing the information!

"Thanks for your help Connie! I will be checking into that for NC.
I appreciate you sharing the information!"

You can email me at discuscrazee@yahoo.com because I can give you further unemployment info.

Here's where the best introductory information I found is located by doing a google search for: eBay Medical Transcription Training. It is written by user: into_the_clouds.

With the exception of ahdi.com, which is the official American Association for Medical Transcription site, this is the best information for deciding whether or not being an MT is right for you.

I personally do not have college level grammar skills, so MT isn't right for me at this time.

According to the article Andrew Schools and M-Tech both teach the 'SUM' method (System Unit Method) - explained in the article - which almost guarantees their students employment upon graduation. The 'SUM' method is apparently an essential piece of the training puzzle. In other words, you want this training!

Also, according to the article, most of the other schools have courses that are much easier and they graduate just about everyone who paid to take the course, even though they are not truly qualified for the exacting and detailed work of an MT. Those in the industry who hire MT's are aware of this and don't hire from a lot of these other schools.

Apparently it takes at least 1 full year - at 40+ hours per week - to truly learn how to be an MT.

However, if you go to one of the other schools and don't get hired because your knowledge and skills just aren't high enough, then it's just more time and more money to go back and get the right training. The training you should have gotten to begin with.

I hope this post helps you in making your decision about becoming an MT!

I am not affiliated with any MT training course and I do not sell anything or benefit in anyway from this post, other than hoping it helps people who are really struggling with deciding who to trust and where to go. God Bless!

Very well put, Lauree. I'm so glad that you recognize that MT isn't the right path for you at this time rather than spending money on a school that is only interested in taking your money. If you are still interested in the medical field (without being in direct patient contact), you may want to check into coding or pursuing a HIT degree. Of course, you can always work on your grammar skills and pursue MT in the future though too. Just trying to give you another alternative that you may be able to purse now.

FYI, I believe the other school that you mention using the SUM units is M-TEC. There is another school with a similar name to M-Tech (can't for the life of me remember it now though), and they are one of those "schools" that seems more interested in the money coming in than the education being received by their students.

Ok, now for my $.02 for short courses.

I'm not here to knock CS or anything, I'm sure it is a fine school for some people. I'm just here to comment on the "finish in 4 months" thinking of ANY course.

Does anyone remember cramming for tests in high school? Didn't study at all through the semester and then pulled an all-nighter the day before your final? Yeah you "memorized" enough to allow you to pass the exam, but how much did you really learn and retain??

In a field as wide spread and complex as medical transcription, I just can't imagine anyone learning and retaining enough to be able to succeed in this field. Oh yeah, you can get possibly get an internship for very low pay and "hope" to work your way into a full-time job making average pay at the end of 2 years, but wouldn't it make more sense to spend a year on a course and have a full-time job making average pay at the end of that time? Seems to me that working at a living wage sooner would be the way to go.

I know for me there was no other option of other income, it's just me. I couldn't have afforded to work 40 hours a week in an internship at substandard wages for 6 months let alone 2 years. My education at Andrews gave me the skills needed to be able to make a livable wage in less than 3 months on my first MT job.

Hello to a fellow Hoosier. I grew up in Frankfort, Indiana and used to work in West Lafayette. I now live in Georgia.
Just an FYI, I chose Career Step's course after exhaustive research into all the top schools. They are not a "fly by night" operation as many of these "schools" are. The ONLY way you can expect to finish their course in 4 months is if you devote many, many hours per week to it; just as you would a full-time job. The course is about 350 hours with approximately 130 hours of dictation prior to taking the final. I think most people take more than the 4 months to complete the course on average. I am familiar with continuing education on-line courses (I used to work for a school) and find this one to be very good. I have also heard good things about the Andrews course. I think, as with most things,if you apply yourself and have goals, you will succeed.

It seems the one major thing that is being held against CS is the notion of the "4 month finish" of the course. I was laid off in February of this year and after talking to my fiance's aunt, that has previous MT experience, I decided to pursue the field myself. I am trying to get this done as soon as I can, while not jeopardizing the actual learning of the material, and I will more than likely not finish in 4 months. I have devoted my morning, afternoon, and evenings to this course from day one. I also dedicated a lot of my time on the weekends as well. So again the "finish in 4 months" is not something that can not be done with ease, it is not a "let's study for an hour and a half a day" and I will surely be done in 4 months. I don't want to come off as defending CS, by any means, and I feel that Andrews sounds like a great school. But there is no clear evidence that CS does not set you up with substantial education for you to succeed in the MT field. If that was the case, no one out of CS would ever receive a job.

I think the bottom line here is as long as the school is accredited, then the chose is yours. If anyone wants to converse and exchange ideas or references that can actually help with the actual MT field please e-mail me! Sberg82@yahoo.com. I am very ambitious to make sure that I learn all that I can to become a successful MT, and all that, regardless of the school, lies on my shoulders! Good luck to you all!

I agree and I don't want to come off as defending CS either. If you go onto their forums, you will find it takes much longer for most to finish their course. If you are able to devote a lot of time to the course, you could possibly do it in 4 or 5 months, but I would guess the average is closer to 9 or 10 months. Also I just bought the new edition of the Book of Style (BOS) through AHDI for $50.00 as a student member. Although Career Step does not require that you purchase it through them, as you go through the course, you see that it is an essential reference for MTs. It is mentioned several times in their material as something you will need. Again, you need to do the research, ask questions and find out what is right for you. I have been to large well-respected job fairs here in Atlanta where Career Step was a participant. I have personally spoken to Career Step students and graduates and also their job counselors; so I feel very comfortable with my school selection. I hope all of you find your perfect fit. Good luck!

Andrews School Grad in Farmington, Michigan said: ....A friend of my husband's daughter went through the Career Step course and she hasn't gotten a job yet after quite a few months now. She called me for advice and I wasn't sure what to tell her. She did tell me that Career Step didn't require her to buy the BOS. How can you work without the BOS? A LOT of employers use that book as the standard. All I know is, I am glad I went to the Andrews School.

Just to clear up misinformation re the BOS, it sounds as if they don't require you to spend money on the hard copy of the book, especially if you someone has access to the BenchMark KB (either as a part of your enrollment or as a separate material), because this resource includes an electronic version of the AHDI Book of Style. For someone like me, right now purchasing the hard copy would be a hardship, being on unemployment.

Directly from the CS website:

Do I need to purchase the AHDI Book of Style?
The Book of Style is considered a required reference book for this Career Step Medical Transcription program. If you have access to the BenchMark KB (either as a part of your enrollment or as a separate material), this resource includes an electronic version of the AHDI Book of Style. Remember that the Book of Style is not the final word on style—your employer is. Be prepared to be flexible in your style depending on the needs of your employer or client. If you would like to purchase the Book of Style, please visit the AHDI website at www.ahdionline.org.

I think it can be done in 4 months if you can devote yourself to the course full-time. I'm devoting 5-6 hours a day, 6 days a week and I'm ahead of schedule. I do happen to pick things up very quickly, and I also didn't have to bother with the keyboard module (having been a legal secretary for the last 31 years), which saved some time, but being a ahead of schedule, that means I can take my time on any areas that I feel I need to devote more to. Not saying it wold be easy, just that I think it can be done. Of course if you've got young kids, etc., it would be very hard.

I agree, but I do think the average is probably more like 8 months or so from what I have read in the forums. I also did not have to spend much time on the typing module since I have good and accurate typing skills. I do not have small children at home so it is easier to concentrate on the lessons and I have more time to do so. Each person is different.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: Just to clear up misinformation re the BOS, it sounds as if they don't require you to spend money on the hard copy of the book, especially if you someone has access to the BenchMark KB (either as a part of your enrollment or as a separate material), because this resource includes an electronic version of the AHDI Book of Style. For someone like me, right now purchasing the hard copy would be a hardship, being on unemployment.

Directly from the CS website:

Do I need to purchase the AHDI Book of Style?
The Book of Style is considered a required reference book for this Career Step Medical Transcription program. If you have access to the BenchMark KB (either as a part of your enrollment or as a separate material), this resource includes an electronic version of the AHDI Book of Style. Remember that the Book of Style is not the final word on style—your employer is. Be prepared to be flexible in your style depending on the needs of your employer or client. If you would like to purchase the Book of Style, please visit the AHDI website at www.ahdionline.org .

I actually used the Benchmark website today. I did go ahead and buy the hard copy 6th Edition Book of Style that just became available. I joined AHDI as a student member and was able to purchase it for a discounted price. I wanted to get it before it went on back order...I was not told it was going to be out of stock, but I thought "just in case".

Thanks, I'm going to check that out and see how much it is at the AHDI discounted price. I'd always rather have the hard copy.

Someone above posted that at CS you end up transcribing 130 minutes of dictation prior to graduation. At Andrews, we transcribe 3400 minutes with 1500 additional optional minutes. We start out transcribing actual, full reports the very first week of instruction, not halfway into the course.

From the 3 months I spent on researching schools, I came to the conclusion that you cannot go wrong with either Andrews or Mtech. I have a BA degree in English literature and an MLS degree, and the Andrews course was surprisingly challenging, especially the grammar sections. I was employed within a week of graduating, which isn't at all unusual for Andrews graduates.

For those of you considering MT schools, I'll suggest something else that helped me come to a decision. Pay close attention to the spelling errors and grammar mistakes found on this very thread.

Just my 2 cents!

"The course is about 350 hours with approximately 130 hours of dictation prior to taking the final."

"Someone above posted that at CS you end up transcribing 130 minutes of dictation prior to graduation."

Sorry, but it was 130 hours of dictation that was posted, not minutes.

Your 3400 minutes actually comes out to only 56.666666 hours and with the optional 1500 minutes, it comes to a grand total of 81.666666 hours.

Don't be sorry, it was my mistake.

That seems like a lot of dictation in a very small amount of time. Especially since CS students don't start transcription until halfway through the course. I'm going by what two friends who are currently taking the CS course have told me, so I'm not sure if that's accurate.

One more thing I want to add. When I was doing research, I read over and over that companies will hire Andrews and MTECH students with no experience because the education is so thorough, and both schools use the SUM dictation program.

Okay, sorry, but that exchange was just plain funny... you go Connie134 :)

Seriously though, I can't tell you how many hours I've spent researching schools and reading all the MT Boards for comments regarding opinions on schools and jobs and books and placement and line counts..and on and on and on... I appreciate so much that all of you take the time to share your opinions and input and offer advice to those of us just starting out.

What it comes down to though, I feel, is the best fit for each person.. I'm sure there are graduates from each of the schools who have done extremely well, and some who have struggled. Not everyone who tries this WILL be good and that should not be a reflection on the school. I'm happy for everyone who went to Andrews, M-Tech, CS, or wherever, if THEY'RE happy and found employment afterwards.

For me, CS seems the "safest" only because I simply cannot afford a $3,800-$5,000 mistake (that's almost my son's yearly tuition I'd be gambling with - there's just no way). Plus we're still paying on student loans from my bachelor's degree. CS, for the most part, seems highly regarded and offers a curriculum that most agree is very adequate for entry-level placement.

I'm not expecting any miracles, just plan to work extremely hard and hope to catch a break somewhere along the way. Hopefully I'll love it; if not I'll return to teaching. CS makes it possible for me to TRY it without a huge financial commitment - for some of us that's what it comes down to unfortunately.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: "The course is about 350 hours with approximately 130 hours of dictation prior to taking the final."

Seeming as how that 350 hours is how much of YOUR time is spent on studying, the 130 hours could be how much of YOUR time is spent transcribing? The dictation/transcription ratio is different for everyone.

So that this number can be evaluated properly by potential students here, can we get an accurate count of how many minutes of actual dictation there is in the CS course? As stated, the Andrews program has 3400 minutes (now does this include the new ESL material or is this the old number) of actual dictation plus those extra minutes available after graduation. M-TEC has probably about the same amount since they use the same program, but I don't know if they use the new ESL stuff.

Well, if the course is 350 hours, halfway through would be 175 hours, so 130 hours of dictation seems that it could be accurate to me. It seems to me that the important thing is to have the transcription practice, no matter when in the program that practice begins. Different styles of teaching the MT course, that's all it amounts to.

So it sounds to me like you are paying a $1 a minute for Andrews...I don't understand the back and forth CS vs. Andrews stuff. There are successful grads from both schools as well as not so successful grads....just like any other school. It all comes down to preferences and what you can afford.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: Well, if the course is 350 hours, halfway through would be 175 hours, so 130 hours of dictation seems that it could be accurate to me.

I don't know about anyone else, but even with the best dictators, I can't do a min of dictation in a minute of my transcription time. That 130 hour being actual dictation or 130 hours of transcription time is very different. I know when I was in school, by the time I graduated, I could do a minute of dictation in about 5 mins, depending on how much I had to research and double check or even the quality of the file. In the beginning of the course, 1 min could take me anywhere up to 15 mins to complete, so yeah that makes a big difference when a prospective student is researching schools.

Lori in Cary, North Carolina said: So it sounds to me like you are paying a $1 a minute for Andrews...I don't understand the back and forth CS vs. Andrews stuff. There are successful grads from both schools as well as not so successful grads....just like any other school. It all comes down to preferences and what you can afford.

With Andrews, you aren't paying for just the dictation practice, you are also paying for the valuable guidance of their wonderful instructors (same as a college course, the instructors don't teach for free) and also for all the references included in the course which are all that are needed once you start working. The only thing I bought when I started working was a more up to date drug reference since mine was outdated, but I didn't even have to do that. I was able to add more specialized references as I discovered what would be useful on the various accounts I am assigned to at work.

I don't know anything about the CS program, and I'm not bashing it any way because I personally don't know anyone who attended it. I do know of some people who attended it and weren't happy with their experience, but that is their story to tell, not mine.

Well, I can tell you that the competition thing has gone on between the three major contending schools since I started the CS course back in July 2007. Not sure either why it's such a big deal to some people. I can tell you this though; I chose the CS course mainly because of the fact that I researched schools for about a month, every day. I called about a dozen companies and I kept hearing from them that the CS grads did quite well overall; that, coupled with the fact that the CS course was self-paced and I knew I would want to study on my own schedule. It was my understanding that the other two schools had instructors and you had to move along according to their schedule. Having said that, the other schools may be better training for some; I cannot speak to that subject. I will say, however, that I took my time and applied myself thoroughly and it took me 15 months. Some days I worked 8-10 hours, other days less; I took maybe 2 or 3 days off some weeks, especially during the summer. I took the final one time, not two or three, and scored High Honors. I am trying to convey here that if you really apply yourself, you will be well prepared for the industry. In the end, when you test for companies, it is what you score that counts. Maybe some of the companies, if you email or call before testing, say they don't want CS grads; however, I will tell you that NEVER happened to me. NOT EVER. I tested with four companies, got offers from all four, based on how I scored. I think that speaks volumes about my training. I have been working a year now and my supervisor told me about a month ago she would never guess I was a new MT. The first company I worked for told me they ONLY consider new grads from CS, not any other schools. That co. is #5 nationally as well. You cannot rush through it though folks! You get out what you put into it, just like anything else in life. Why rush and then be defeated on the employment exams?

Just my two cents' worth!

Well said, Southern Belle in S. Carolina! The effort you put into something in life is what you get out of it. That goes for schooling also. All three schools are good. It's up to the student themselves.

With the baby boomers getting older and needing medical care, I think there will be a lot of MT jobs out there for good MTs.

I started CS Sept. 21st and I am already half way through their Anatomy module. I like their teaching methods and some of it is tough. I work part-time, so I devote a full four hours each afternoon to the course and if I get a chance, a few hours on the weekend. Although I intend to buy their hard copy version later, I do make my own hand-written copy of what I think is important for me to know in every lesson.

I'm very happy with my choice of CS for training. They are thorough, very helpful with guidance, the course is certainly not easy, but challenging and I must apply myself. I received lots of patient guidance from CS personnel and CS does have a good track record. After all, they've been teaching MT for years, they are well respected and have many grads who can and do get jobs quickly too, as I'm sure other schools do. I'm also equally as certain that CS, as well as those other schools, have those that do not do well and have a problem finding a job. I don't think any school has cornered the market on 100% employment of 100% of their grads. You will have people who simply do not do well in the course. Remember in high school, there were those who excelled in all or certain subjects and those who did not do well. The same thing applies. Not everyone who takes the MT course, from whichever school, will do well. Some are just not cut out for it. They will not do well. If they don't do well in the course, they won't pass employer's tests and of course, I don't see any employer hiring someone who can't pass their test, regardless of whether it's a CS or Andrews or GeeLet'sLearnMT.com graduate. The bottom line is that it is still YOU, how well YOU do in the course, how well YOU do on employers' tests.

Andrews School Grad in West Lafayette, Indiana said: I don't know about anyone else, but even with the best dictators, I can't do a min of dictation in a minute of my transcription time. That 130 hour being actual dictation or 130 hours of transcription time is very different. I know when I was in school, by the time I graduated, I could do a minute of dictation in about 5 mins, depending on how much I had to research and double check or even the quality of the file. In the beginning of the course, 1 min could take me anywhere up to 15 mins to complete, so yeah that makes a big difference when a prospective student is researching schools.

Having done legal transcription as part of my job for the last 31 years, I can say that I've never transcribed 1 minute of dictation in 1 minute. That 1 minute can take at least 5 minutes, so whatever number shows on the minute counter of the Dictaphone is certainly not a way to tell how long it will take to transcribe.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: If they don't do well in the course, they won't pass employer's tests ....

See, there's the difference with some of those "schools" out there. There are some schools that as long as you complete the program, you receive a certificate of completion, no matter what your grades are. A school (any school no matter the field) shouldn't graduate a student until they have marketable skills. In MT for example, a student shouldn't be able to graduate until they are able to complete their coursework with a 97-98% accuracy rate - the standard in the industry.

In all reality, if a student doesn't do well enough in school, they wouldn't get a chance to test, because they shouldn't be a graduate of a program. As you said, not everyone is able to do this work, and a school giving a certificate of completion to a graduate without the skills to do it is not a very good school in my opinion. I don't know off the top of my head any schools who do this, but I'm sure there are some.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: Having done legal transcription as part of my job for the last 31 years, I can say that I've never transcribed 1 minute of dictation in 1 minute. That 1 minute can take at least 5 minutes, so whatever number shows on the minute counter of the Dictaphone is certainly not a way to tell how long it will take to transcribe.

That's why I was trying to get an actual count of how many minutes of DICTATION there are in the course as compared to how many hours those dictations will take, which is what the 130 hours could be. I looked on the CS site, but it doesn't say. I think to accurately compare the dictation content of courses, the terms of measurement need to be the same, otherwise it's comparing apples to oranges, if you get my meaning.

I agree, but the reality is that if they paid their money, the school can't legally refuse to allow them to graduate. Conversely, if they took the course, the school shouldn't be expected to refund their money either.

Andrews School Grad in West Lafayette, Indiana said: That's why I was trying to get an actual count of how many minutes of DICTATION there are in the course as compared to how many hours those dictations will take, which is what the 130 hours could be. I looked on the CS site, but it doesn't say. I think to accurately compare the dictation content of courses, the terms of measurement need to be the same, otherwise it's comparing apples to oranges, if you get my meaning.

I'm going to ask CS today about this and will post.

Connie134 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania said: I'm going to ask CS today about this and will post.

And just to clarify, minutes or hours of DICTATION as opposed to minutes or hours of TRANSCRIPTION, which are two totally different things.