Black Belt Test Fees

OK.. I started this thread and as I said my "old" instructor charged this much and still does. I have not been with him for 18 years after he went even more into the money game. After I left him I more than halved the test fees I charge but still believe they are too high so I am/was wondering what the norm is. Hope that clarifies it.
 
Just when I thought the $400+ fee for 1st dan in the system I'm in was ridiculous. It goes up for each dan rank, but not a night and day amount. Don't really know why it would go up for each rank either, but possibly because you test less often and it's another way of meeting the bottom line financially for the school. I've still got at least 18 months before I test for 1st dan, so I've got time to save up.

My teacher doesn't do dan testing. We go to our headquarters dojo in NYC, where the cost of living and doing business is exponentially higher than where I currently am. My teacher could do dan testing if he wanted/had to, but we're reasonably close to our headquarters that he'd rather his teacher test us instead of him.

I also train for dirt cheap, so I just look at dan testing fees as making up for the money I've saved in tuition, which after adding up the dan test fee and tuition is still far cheaper than anywhere else I know.

My teacher doesn't receive any of the money. It goes directly to the dojo that's testing.

When I tested for 1st dan in my former system about 15 years ago, I paid $125. The embroidered belt and certificate cost about $75, so it's not like he was pocketing a ton of cash. 4 or 5 people tested twice a year. My 2nd dan test would have also been $125, but I left for grad school 2 million months before I could take it.
 
Stupid question...

Does the $4800 include anything other than the test, belt, and certificate? Some TKD schools around me charge more than that for 1st dan, but it includes all tuition and any other testing fees (other than uniforms) until 1st dan. They call it the black belt plan - pay one price (up front or through monthly payments) for everything until you pass your 1st black belt test.
 
JR 137 said:
Just when I thought the $400+ fee for 1st dan in the system I'm in was ridiculous. It goes up for each dan rank, but not a night and day amount. Don't really know why it would go up for each rank either, but possibly because you test less often and it's another way of meeting the bottom line financially for the school. I've still got at least 18 months before I test for 1st dan, so I've got time to save up.
Click to expand...

There are a couple reasons why the testing fee may go up for each dan rank. If the test includes being certified through a federation, the federation may charge more for each dan level (Kukkiwon, for example, does this). Also, oftentimes, each dan level involves a longer test, more boards to break, etc. So conducting a 2nd dan test may involve more work and expense for the school/examiner than running a 1st dan test. I think it's reasonable for them to charge $50 or $100 more for 2nd dan for that reason.

But it also might just be "because they can".
 
JR 137 said:
...My 2nd dan test would have also been $125, but I left for grad school 2 million months before I could take it.
Click to expand...

Damn iPhone autocorrect!

2 months before my 2nd dan test.

The organization I'm in (Seido Juku) doesn't have any licensing associated with rank that I know of. I'd imagine there's things you have to do if you open your own dojo, but I don't think there's blanket licenses.
 
Oh, wow!

Back when (can't hardly believe it's been over a decade by now)
I paid 50 bucks for color belt testing (on top of my membership), then 95 for BB tests - but they were not every wo months, but every 4, so the price went down - then again, I think the belts cost the Sabum maybe $5

In the beginning, three schools pooled their resources and held tests in a rented gym - even schools charge you these days.
#rd Dan on up - if I recall this right, as I dropped out at 2nd - was at a national tournament (which would save the extra cost for the judges to travel, as they were already there)
but 4800, that is a lot of mullah!
 
troubleenuf said:
Hello, Wondering what the norm is around the country for 4th, 5th and 6th Dan test fees? My old instructor is still charging $4800 for 4th Dan?!
Click to expand...
ATA is $100 x rank being tested for. They require 3-4 midterm testings during the time in rank, and the fees for the midterms are credited toward the testing fee. If you NC, you test the next time for free.
 
A few years ago, a man posted here that he had spent $11,000 for his son's 2nd Dan Kukkiwon test. He wondered if that was the norm. After some questioning to gain information, it came to light that the instructor had brought in GM Hae Man PARK to oversee the 2nd Dan test. GM PARK is one of the designers of the Tae Geuk poomsae & a huge name in Taekwondo. In short, the man paid so much because he had equivalent of the Rolling Stones play at his kid's birthday party. GM PARK is my instructor's instructor & I highly doubt that he charges THAT much to come to an event. This instructor certain took advantage of this student.

My point is, with bringing grandmasters or masters in for a test can be a reason for a larger amount for a test. To the OP: did you have other grandmasters than your own sit on your testing board? Was there a large party-type event in your honor that would constitute such a large amount for your test? I'm trying to assess why he would charge so much for 4th Dan.
 
I will try to answer most of your questions... First of all I tested for 4th Dan with my old instructor 20 years ago. I left him after 5th Dan partly because of his getting greedy and party because he was supporting what I would deem a child molester in opening another school.
First: He charged that much, and still does to those that are still with him, because he made us all believe that it was the norm and that a Kukkiwon was hard to get and we were "lucky" that we were one of the only ones in the states getting them.
Second: We did not bring in anyone else for that test. I did test in front of GM Byung Jik Ro for first dan when he came over from Korea.
Third: No parties, no special privileges, just spent a lot of money on something that should not have cost that much. Basically he has made a career out of taking advantage of us in ND. He is able to do this mainly because he kept us isolated from anyone else.
A side note... after I left him he began promoting his instructors to black belts in Hopkido and Kumdo on weekend seminars that he charged $1500 for. And of course everyone passed and received a black belt.
 
IcemanSK said:
A few years ago, a man posted here that he had spent $11,000 for his son's 2nd Dan Kukkiwon test. He wondered if that was the norm.
Click to expand...

Iceman, was that a typo? $11,000 and someone asked if that was the "norm."???. I need only three students like that.
 
Archtkd said:
Iceman, was that a typo? $11,000 and someone asked if that was the "norm."???. I need only three students like that.
Click to expand...

The number is correct: eleven thousand dollars for 2nd Dan. It was posted here in maybe 2009 or so. If I remember correctly, that student was testing for 2nd Dan & there were 2 other students testing for 1st Dan (I don't recall how much the others were charged). Yeah, pretty crazy. Another odd part was that the instructor didn't even tell the students, "GM Hae Man PARK is going to be there." The father of the student posted a photo of the testing group from their small town Texas newspaper. He had no idea who GM PARK until I told him. So there was no reason given for the high price of the test by the instructor to the students.
 
troubleenuf said:
I will try to answer most of your questions... First of all I tested for 4th Dan with my old instructor 20 years ago. I left him after 5th Dan partly because of his getting greedy and party because he was supporting what I would deem a child molester in opening another school.
First: He charged that much, and still does to those that are still with him, because he made us all believe that it was the norm and that a Kukkiwon was hard to get and we were "lucky" that we were one of the only ones in the states getting them.
Second: We did not bring in anyone else for that test. I did test in front of GM Byung Jik Ro for first dan when he came over from Korea.
Third: No parties, no special privileges, just spent a lot of money on something that should not have cost that much. Basically he has made a career out of taking advantage of us in ND. He is able to do this mainly because he kept us isolated from anyone else.
A side note... after I left him he began promoting his instructors to black belts in Hopkido and Kumdo on weekend seminars that he charged $1500 for. And of course everyone passed and received a black belt.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm glad you've moved on.
 
troubleenuf said:
OK.. I started this thread and as I said my "old" instructor charged this much and still does. I have not been with him for 18 years after he went even more into the money game. After I left him I more than halved the test fees I charge but still believe they are too high so I am/was wondering what the norm is. Hope that clarifies it.
Click to expand...
Who was your instructor?
 
Michael Shayne said:
It sounds more like a Franchise fee. If not, it is definitely an excessive amount.

I know of a school that charges $1500 for there black belt test, but it is a franchise fee as well. You just lose it, if you decide not to open a school under that affiliation.
Click to expand...
Charging a "franchise fee" to someone who is not opening a school is inexcusable, IMO.
 
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