jillsocci Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 Hi everyone! I'm new to Karate forum. I am online looking for info on the cost of black belt test. Maybe you can help me? I have been training for 3 years in Tae Kwon Do and love my training. Along the way every test has been $50 - $60 but now I am ready to test for my black belt and I find out from a classmate that the BB test is $6000 yes six thousand dollars. When I ask my Masters they kind of beat around the bush and then say that this is true. This seem WRONG to me. If this is the appropriate price then I stand corrected but even so don't you think they should mention this at some point in the last 3 years? At least so I can save? If you have any in fo or links that I may be able to show to them to tell them this is outrageous please let me know! Thanks!
patusai Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 Ok, I'll bite...Come on, this has to be a joke....but... I would pay $6000 to have the greatest of honors of being tested (or even having my kata corrected) by Matsumura, Itosu, Chibana, Toyama or even Koyasu and to me it would be well worth the cost. Note; that only one of those on the list is still alive...at least I hope that he is still doing well. I suppse knowing who you master is might make a difference...I suppose. It would not be for the test itself but for the high honor of being tested by by a great master... and I'm talking great here not your normal modern day master level black belt. Take the $6000 and find another school/style and use the rest of the money on some worth while charity. "Don't tell me the sky's the limit because I have seen footprints on the moon!" -- Paul Brandt
TAZ Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 I don't have any info or links, but I can tell you that $6000 for a black belt test fee is absolutely ridiculous. I agree that something should have been mentioned along the way. But I guess if they are looking forward to that 6 grand, then they probably would steer clear for the fear that most people would agree that it is WAY too much and would probably not want to continue with that organization. Just my opinion! "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Psalm 144:1
back_fist Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 What is this? These testing fees, they must be in replace of mothly dues, are they. Or are you telling me it costs 50 just to move a rank? What is the meaning of this? I find this very disturbing. I simply dont believe the $6000 test, as no one would ever pay this. It is ridiculous. It is blasphemy. Belt ranking systems are foolishness anyway, just a marketing scam to gain and keep interest resulting in more money for likely incompetent "masters" who feed the growing commercialization of our martial arts. I dont mean to offend anyone, these are just my feelings. If martial arts are not taught out of love for the art then they are bound to be corrupted. Ranking is not of any importance past the surface, so why bother with it. To be worn out is to be renewed. -Lao Tzu
back_fist Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 Also, I believe you should do your part and spread this news to anyone it will effect. This is a moral obligation, and if I were you I would have lost my respect for my masters for their high level of greed and deception. To be worn out is to be renewed. -Lao Tzu
TAZ Posted January 22, 2006 Posted January 22, 2006 Belt ranking systems are foolishness anyway, just a marketing scam to gain and keep interest resulting in more money for likely incompetent "masters" who feed the growing commercialization of our martial arts. I would have to disagree with this statement. Only on the fact that I am involved with a martial arts school (approx. 55-60 students strong) that has a very compitent teacher who charges only for the belt (at his cost, $5). And he does this all for "donations". No expectations financially from any of his students. He does it for the love of the art and people. IMO he is a one of a kind and not just because he teaches for free. "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Psalm 144:1
patusai Posted January 22, 2006 Posted January 22, 2006 As for belts being a marketing scam...sometimes it is depending on the school. All schools and all teachers are not that way. Taz, you have a one of a kind in todays MA world. All teachers cannot do that. "Don't tell me the sky's the limit because I have seen footprints on the moon!" -- Paul Brandt
back_fist Posted January 22, 2006 Posted January 22, 2006 True, belts are not necessarily a marketing scam, what I really mean is that since they are not necessary to the teaching or learning of martial arts, they most often are just a tool to gain more students and an excuse to justify charging more money. TAZ, i think it is amazing what your teacher does. He must be an honorable man. In my opinion if one is unable to teach for the love of the art, then do the right thing and dont teach at all. Martial arts should not be thought of as an easy money-making business. To be worn out is to be renewed. -Lao Tzu
srv Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 $6000 for a belt test is absolutely ridiculous. I have no prblem with the belt system or belt testing fees (as long as it's not over the top with 15 kyu levels, 3 month testing and exorbitant test fees) but $6000 is crazy and clearly just a money making scheme. Especially if all other tests are $50 and they've never mentioned it before. At our dojo before each grading we are given a list of belt testing fees so everyone can see the cost to test for each belt even up to higher dan levels. Sounds very dodgy to me. If you don't mind a personal question, how long have you been training to get to a BB test? It will give us an even better idea of how dodgy they are being eg if you've been traing 18 months and they're sending you for BB with a $6000 fee then they are clearly in it for the money - not training you properly.
srv Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 oops sorry - just saw that you've been training 3 years. Still the $6000 fee seems very wrong to me.
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