Also can anyone share what students pay for this education.

Deb

I probably commented on that, and I will see if I can pull up a link for you. I think they tell you that you can get by with a tape player now and that part of the graduate support is help in deciding which equipment to buy. Anyway, all pretty vague without a link, so I'll be back with one ASAP!

Knocked me dead too! I believe they even say you need "access" to a typewriter or computer to take the course. Talk about not using the tools of the trade!!!

If they recommend a tape player for training transcriptionists, I would have to say that if anyone could actually transcribe off a regular ol' tape player, then they would probably be about the best transcriptionist in the world!

Deb

I found the link I was looking for. Sorry about the delay, had to finish a delivery!

Make sure you read Q&A #5 carefully.

At-Home Professions Q&A page

It is a little tedious having to repeat our advice over and over --- geez our advice doesn't change nor do the desperate questions. We should have a permanent canned section for those poor folks that have bought into this and now have no job.

Thanks again and take care.

Deb

I took AHP about five years ago and then they did not provide a transcriber. I used a regular ol' tape player. If I remember correctly, I paid about $800.00 for the course.

As far as working, I started out in an office as a temp for 3 months (and was completely overwhelmed), then worked in another office as a receptionist for 6 months, then fell into the hands of a wonderful mentor before landing my own accounts, the first of which was overflow and QA'd by the office transcriptionist for over a year.

Now I am completely on my own. I got all my offices except the first one by word of mouth and charge the highest rate in this area. I do have to turn down work occasionally because I don't have time. It was a very LONG, HARD road to get here though.

I would be glad to answer any questions you have about AHP. You can email me if you like.

Thanks for answering.

Deb

I am currently taking a course through AHP and I am doing it entirely online with VLC. It is an excellent course, and it is nothing like you are making it out to be.

I can also tell you that 95% of the students that graduate from this course get jobs right away.

Maybe you are not satisfied with your own route; that is why you need to bash other courses.

If you would like enrollment info., let me know and I'll be more than happy to send it to you.

Please read the threads carefully. How do you know how thorough your course is if you have never been an experienced MT? You simply don't know what you don't know because you don't know it yet. That is very common. I thought my course was really difficult when I was taking it, but the reality of the job quickly smacked me upside the head! Looking back now, I am in a position to make suggestions to the school on what can be changed because NOW I know what I'm talking about. Back then, I was just a new MT looking to experienced MTs for the bigger picture. I had no idea what I would encounter in this job, and I never would have imagined any of this even when I was done with school.

They also showed some student-transcribed reports that were pretty atrocious, but I assume they were the best examples they had. Most of the errors had not been corrected by the "school," so these people will continue to make those same errors until someone else tells them differently.

Strangely enough, I did meet someone who wanted to take the "course," and I tried to warn her of it, but she had already paid her money. I checked on her about 6 months later, and she claimed to be working - AT HOME. I'm not sure if she was telling me the truth, and I never checked any further. We did interview and test someone at my place of work who was also a "graduate" of AHP, and she was predictably horrible and incredibly surprised at this revelation.

It's the graduates of these schools that give everyone a bad name. They also drive prices way down because they are willing to work for next to nothing so that they can "work at home," as the school promised.

I firmly believe that the people who promote these schools are total charlatans and that they should be exposed. Perhaps all the "graduates" could sue collectively in a class action suit for fraud. These people need to have a huge spotlight of truth on them so that they do not dupe any more people.

Goes on to say, after #5, that to actually do the job you will need a transcription machine, a printer, and a word processor or computer.

People are getting doctorates by studying the proven, hard work of scholars thoughout the ages. They do not start from scratch. There is too much to know and they would not live long enough to actually put their degrees to work.

Likewise, if I am going to cook dinner over a flame, please give me a match--better yet, electronic ignition. I know it's possible to rub two sticks together...but my kids can't wait.

Paying for a course on cooking and getting two sticks to rub together...I'd be peeved.

quote:

---

I am currently taking a course through AHP and I am doing it entirely online with VLC. It is an excellent course, and it is nothing like you are making it out to be.

---

Wait a sec...hongirl, are you taking AHP's *or* VLC's course? I do believe there is a huge difference!

If you are adequately prepared to work as an MT after finishing your course, and you are able to find a job, it doesn't matter where you went to school or what kind of equipment you used.

If you felt you were adequately prepared to work as an MT after finishing your course and you can't find a job and you go to your school who gives lifetime job placement assistance and they refer you to "trans-scam" just what do you think that says about that school?

Here's the link to where the person had the unfortunate experience of finishing her course, could not find a job, went to AHP and they told her to apply at "trans-scam" -
http://www.mtchat.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=001983

Ceb - more power to you -- I could not sit there and turn on and off a tape player to transcribe reports. If I used a tape player to transcribe the thousands I did during my training period, I would still be sitting there. For me, it was more effective, faster and better use of my time (translate money) to use more user-friendly equipment.

Someone recently posted a link to the "getting started" archive. I went there and thought that this time-tested advice is far better than anything that I can say and I think I should defer to that site rather than do any personal "side-lining".

I do wish you all well.

Deb

[ 12-23-2002: Message edited by: Debo ]

How much AHP bashing are people who took the AHP going to have listen to this??

I do not know how the other AHP students or graduates feel about all of this but in my opinion, it hurts. It hurts because everyone keeps going over and over and over. It's like taking all my hopes and dreams in the palm of your arms and just CRUSHING them.

I do not know how times I have said this but I will say it again. I think that those of us who went through or are going through AHP hears everything that everyone has said, why drag up through the mud more?

Like everyone here in all these posts and messages, everyone has their own opinion and here is mine.

MT Born, what should I do? Not mention to this poster that their school is referring students to a scam?

Please tell me -- what should the appropriate response be?

Deb

[ 12-23-2002: Message edited by: Debo ]

Unfortunately AHP comes up frequently and probably will continue to do so as long as it continues to function in the manner that it does.

I don't think folks are really replying to your specific situation anymore, but rather to the situation as it faced by other students who may only be posting here for the first time or who may have never had a need for more in-depth information about this particular school before.

Nae

There is not anything wrong with letting others know about the SCAM about AHP.

I'm just saying, people should not continue to put people down who have taken or are taking the AHP course. That's what I saying.

It seems that whenever someone talks about AHP they always state how terrible their MTs are and they are not trained for anything and the obvious reason for them looking into MT is to work at home because that is what AHP posts that will happen. In my opinion, it had nothing to do with working at home and I feel that I have learned from AHP. Probably not as much as everyone else who went through different schools but I feel that I have learned SOMETHING.

Anyways, I do not have anything wrong with letting others know about AHP but do not critize the ones who have.

It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If you are satisfied, that's all that counts.

MT Born, you are in charge of your own dreams; it is up to you how you achieve your goals.

Deb