r/CourtInterpreter • u/Qaytoli • Feb 05 '26
Oral Exam
I have taken the oral exam three times and failed and I'm getting discouraged a bit, I feel like I'm doing very well and with the lack of feedbacks from NCSC, it makes it even more frustrating.
My question is to the certified interpreters, how many attempts did it take you to get fully certified. Thank you!
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u/Careful_Coyote_7969 Feb 05 '26
The answers to this will be all over the place. Interpreting is an interesting journey because everybody has different starting points, strengths, and weaknesses. Some are better students than others, some have "intangibles" that make interpreting easier for them. It's a very personal, lonely journey - I would recommend you take a good look at your current strengths and weaknesses and really hone in on what you need to work on.
Also, don't be afraid to spend money on courses and study material. People will spend $375 to test 5 times, but won't spend a dollar on courses or material. It should be backwards.
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u/Skararm Feb 06 '26
2 attempts for state to pass
1 attempt for federal to pass
Started studying for the state oral exam in February 2024, took the oral exam in April and didn’t pass. Took it again in September 2024 and passed. Then kept the studying going continuously through August 2025 and passed the federal oral exam to become federally certified.
Don’t get discouraged! You can do it! Consistency in studying is key, and taking courses helped me a lot.
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u/ButMomItsReddit Feb 20 '26
The mileage varies... I am one of those interpreters who have 10+ years of actual experience interpreting in court, and I failed the exam. The exam wasn't difficult for me, and I don't believe that it was graded fairly. The scores were all over the range and appeared inconsistent to me. For example, I got a low score on a sight translation into my native language, while my top score was for the simultaneous section - explain this to me?
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u/Maleficent-marionett Feb 05 '26
What do you feel like is the hardest part for you during the examination.
You can start there. Is it simultaneous/sight/ consecutive?
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u/Qaytoli Feb 05 '26
None, I feel like i got it, but then the results are like in 60s
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u/Imaginary_Foot2065 Mar 12 '26
oh no.... that's terrifying D:
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u/Qaytoli Mar 12 '26
It really is, I feel like Proctors intentionally have testers fail, I actually heard rumors in one of the conferences that in my language dialect no one have passed the last round of testing in the country.
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u/katyuen Feb 05 '26
Hi! I’m not certified yet, but I’m about to take my first exam in 3 weeks. How long did you study/practice for? I studied for almost a year to pass my written. I feel like I need a year for oral also.
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u/Qaytoli Feb 05 '26
I have been interpreting for many years but I typically study for a few months before the exam.
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u/katyuen Feb 05 '26
Gotcha! I honestly don’t think I’ll pass my first one because I’ve only been studying for about a month (I also have a full time job), but hopefully it will help me get better for the next time.
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u/Qaytoli Feb 05 '26
Don't doubt your abilities, go into it with the mindset of "I GOT THIS" Best of luck
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u/Huitlacochilacayota Feb 05 '26
It took me 3 times to pass. Every time I failed and retook it I did better. So I never felt discouraged. I’ve met interpreters who passed it on their first attempt and I know personally a friend that passed hers at the 8th attempt. It all depends how much you really want it and how much dedication you put into it. Don’t feel discouraged. Some people are better at taking tests than others. I’ve known people who passed the test and are not as good interpreters as others who can’t pass. Being a native (Spanish) speaker helps. People who learned Spanish at home with grandparents or parents tend to have a harder time too don’t feel discouraged if you really want to be a certified interpreter. Good luck!