Is paying $1000 for a Blackbelt test too much?

Question

My instructor recently told me that I'm a "black belt candidate", and that I will be taking my test in a few months. When I asked how much it would cost he said it was $1000. I don't want to name the organization, but it is a large one. I've always had my suspicions that the art was run too much like a business. But, when I heard this it made me question the validity of the organization and the martial art. I've known my instructor for years in and out side of class. there are a lot of layers to this story. BTW, Dues are reasonable at $65 a month. What are your thoughts??

Answer 1

Rip off, I paid $60 for my test which included the belt and an international certification.

Answer 2

SCAM ALERT!!!! GET OUT NOW!

Answer 3

Sounds like a scam

Unless that $1000 covers,

travel expenses,

room accomadations,

certificate, plaque

and your new belt 3rd degree???

Answer 4

no srry but its expincivee

Answer 5

too much  period!!!!!!!

Answer 6

wow that's a h**l of a lot of money...ask youself this question-do you feel as though you got what you've been paying for ever since you started training?  How would you rate the quality of training?  Ironically for me, my black belt was free, but all of teh other tests leading up to my black belt was around $30/each.  Not to sure about that-I would ask the school for the specifics of why it will cost $1000 for a black belt-if the response sounds too sketchy then you might've been traiing at a mc dojo and not even notice it until now

Answer 7

The whole thing sounds extremely expensive.  I bet you could find a very cheap/free PAL boxing gym or a very cheap Judo or Karate teacher around.

That cash-register martial arts stuff is a racket.

Answer 8

Okay lets deal with this rationally:

1) A school or instructor can charge what they want for whatever. They could charge $1000 per lesson if they wanted. HOWEVER, $1000 does seem steep compared to what you are paying generally. The value is what the market will stand in business terms.

2) My guess is the idea is that many people will stop at Black Belt (at their school) and then open a school of their own so they see it as a final pull of the purse strings.

3) A black belt is simply a piece of cloth. Its what it means to you that matters.

4) Lets look at the alternatives; you could pay and get your belt; you could leave and train somewhere else and grade there; you could refuse to pay and remain a brown belt. My own advice would be the latter. Tell your instructor you feel it is too high a price and as such you want to stay a brown belt. It might take a while, but the instructor will get a little frustrated that you are better and more experienced than most of his up and coming black belts. It doesn't do his ego much good when new students see a brown belt showing better than new black belts. Does that make sense?

Hope that helps some

Answer 9

Your monthly costs sound in line and very reasonable; I myself pay about $55/month for my instruction. However, I have NEVER heard of a black belt test costing $1000. This is simply unjustifiable, regardless of what it is "supposed" to cover. For goodness sake, a lifetime application fee for the ITF is $45...period. Even if that fee covers the cost of lifetime registration in whatever organization you are affiliated with, nothing pertaining to your black belt test could POSSIBLY make up that difference.

It would help all of us if you could let us know what fedreation/association your school is affiliated with. There are some out there that are well known for operating "McDojos" posing as valid martial arts schools.

If you have had "suspicions" for some time now, then you need to look at why you had them to determine if the quality of instruction has been worth what you have paid for it, and to determine whether or not you want to continue with this organization.

EDIT: And James, you make some good points, but $1000?? Even if one was instructing full time as a sole source of income, that sounds ridiculiously steep for a single test, particularly if the student has been studying at that school from the start. testing will increase in cost (usually), but I from the sound of the question, the test for 1 Gup wasn't even close to $1000, otherwise there wouldn't be any shock at teh number. If this was the norm across all ranks, then it might be a little more palatable. But that doesn't sound like the case here.

I could be wrong (it's been known to happen once or twice...lol), but the number doesn't mesh.

2ND EDIT: If, perchance, you study at the school I think you are studying at, then I suggest you find another school where you will actually receive solid instruction. After looking at their site, they have listed a 2nd Dan instructor who attained that rank with a mere 2 years of study. This should be impossible to accomplish. It should take you at LEAST that much time to get to 1st Dan (3 years is more realistic), and another two just to get to 2nd Dan.

Answer 10

Yes, I think all this type of junk is a scam..My son was in swim and the fees were $120. per month.  My cable doesn't even cost that much.  All I can say is you know your skill and you know what you are at.  Be happy with that.  I would really hate to know that  someone spent that much then failed the test.   That would really stink.  I would say, open up your own studio and start your own classes and make the cost for the classes reasonable.  Continue to research the true fees to such programs and get yourself certified some other way as a black belt.  Good luck.

Answer 11

In cases like this, alot of the money, at least half, will go to the association that certifies you as a black belt.

For example, if your school is part of the "fill in the blank Karate Association", then $500 will go to them and they will provide the certificate and keep it on record forever (hypothetically).  This can be considered a good thing because it is SUPPOSED to provide standardization of belt testing requirements over a large scope of schools of the same style and prevent someone from buying a black belt at a store and opening a karate school under that style.  Obviously there are 100's of martial arts organizations and some are more legitimate than others.  

The other 1/2 of the money will go towards your new belt, usually custom embroidery, the wood and bricks and any other materials required for your test and any fees that any testing judges or masters may require for the 4-6 hours of time for the test.  Also, your school will make some profit from it.  

Bottom line, if you are happy with your instructor, your dojo, and the quality of training you receive, and everyone else is paying that, then you should feel ok about it.  

There are some who believe that teaching martial arts requires a devotion to eternal poverty and that teaching should be done as a charity or only charge enough to cover the bare minimum.

My master works about 70 hours a week and teaching is his only source of income.  I think it's ok if he makes a decent living as a dojo owner.

James