How should one go about choosing a school and instructor??

[Rateh]

Here's a question. Would you try out a school or club that had no students? Where you would be a member of the first class, possibly the only student?

I ask because I have been trying to start a club at a rec center since April, and only now have I finally gotten 2 students. When people call and ask about the program, they always ask how many students are currently in the class, and when they hear none, there is always a pause on the other end of the line. It seems no one wants to be the first one to try the program, and that they would all rather wait until it is more established.

[bushido_man96]

For me, it would depend on what was being offered as far as curriculum goes. I'd be willing to check it out, at least. Who knows?

[bushido_man96]

Having a small percentage of higher ranking belts isn't necessarily bad. There may be a reason people leave that means the school is bad... or they may be a genuine reason. Instructor just may have really high standards, or take my school for example. When it first started out a large proportion of people were kids, by the time we got to blackbelt most of us left to go off to uni, left home etc. That's losing like 10 people. Took a few years before the numbers of blackbelts rose again.

I agree. I don't think it is the norm to see a bunch of high ranks in a school. I think that typically lower ranks will outnumber the higher ranks, just due to the process of elimination. I think there is a 10% factor in those who make it to black belt, and then a 10% factor for every degree thereafter.