Posted by Louisiana33 on 6/5/08 12:18pm
Msg #250136

Any Notary Prep Instructors Out There?

I am considering teaching a prep course for the Notary Exam in my state(LA). Until a few years ago, notaries took a parish wide exam and had only limited jurisdiction. The problem was that there was not a uniform exam and some candidates would have easy exams (i.e. 20 T/F questions that you already had answers to) and some candidates had a 5 hour exam consisting of questions and document prep. Anyway, now there is a uniform exam and hardly anyone can pass it. (The pass rate is less than 10 percent statewide). I passed the old exam back in 2002 and I recently passed the new exam. I am the only one in my parish that has passed the new exam and I did not need to pass it since I was already commissioned.

I am considering teaching a prep course in my area once night a week for about 10 weeks. How much should I charge and where could I find a place to teach the course?

Reply by ZeeCA on 6/5/08 12:24pm
Msg #250138

you need to sit down and write a business plan and get some organization instead of posting the questions in this post and the previous post....it is YOUR business and you need to figure out what your costs are vs everything else that is factored in and then decide what your profit needs to be and go from there

jmo.........

Reply by Vince/KS on 6/5/08 12:39pm
Msg #250141

Perhaps you should think about the end result of what you are considering first. If you have good enrollment in your classes, will the quantity of non-classroom work continue at a rate that will sustain you? If enough need exists to add 15 to 30 students per semester to your parish (and those in immediate vicinity), then you might consider talking with local vocational schools (sometimes part of local community colleges). If you can get on with a public institution, they will likely pay better (benefits as well?) than a private vocational school. Just an idea or two and hope it is of some help to you...

Reply by Louisiana33 on 6/6/08 4:30pm
Msg #250297

Thank you so much! As soon as I read your post yesterday, I checked with two local universities and am submitting proposals to them next week.

Have a great weekend !

Reply by 101livescan on 6/5/08 5:01pm
Msg #250178

It may vary regionally, but in CA we see any where from $50 to $125 (or more by the NNA) for the notary exam seminar, which is six hours, as required by the Secretary of State. At the end of the day, the proctors arrive and administer the SOS exam. Typically classes are held at hotel venues, or community colleges. I'm having one in Santa Barbara on June 30, 2008 at the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors office. Members of the Realty Board pay $100, non members pay $125, and there is live scan fingerprinting and passport photo service on site, as this too is a requirement for all new and renewing notaries in CA effective January 1, 2008. There is no cost associated with the SBAOR regarding space, as they have an entire second floor dedicated to seminars, meetings and continuing realtor education programs. It's a good draw, too...a lot of real estate professionals are notaries. Does this help? If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me via pm.

Reply by JanetLA on 6/5/08 6:39pm
Msg #250183

Many of them. Check around as most other states

are not comparable to us in Louisiana...

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/5/08 7:06pm
Msg #250184

That's what I was thinking, Janet.

Quite a large difference.

Reply by nolanotary on 6/6/08 8:07am
Msg #250207

I took a class at Donaldson about 2 years ago to prepare for the statewide exam and it was about $400 for 10, 3 hour classes. It was somewhat helpful, but most of the material I ended up learning on my own. There is also a study guide you can buy from the SOS office which is pretty good. The exam was very intense and thankfully I made it through the first time, but the section I thought was the most difficult was the scenario section. If you were to offer a class, that is where you should concentrate most of your time.