Craziest Price Quote From A School?

[AceHBK]

Ok I just have to ask, what was the most craziest/absurd price quote that you have gotten from a school?

Last night I went to a TKD school that was small but had excellent teachers.
I was curious to know how much they charged for lessons.

Weeeeeeelllllll I found out they have 3 commitment levels
4 months
8 months
12 months

The owner said and I do quote "$1800 for the 12 month commitment"
I dont know if i was more shocked at the price or how straight his face was when he told me.

I then asked how much was 4month commitment and he said "It is higher due to shorter commitment. Of course longer commitment cost is cheaper. About 80% of students are on 12 month commitment. It's a business"

When I got home I double guessed mysef, "maybe he said $1200.....nah..cause i damn near fell to the floor when he said it so he did say $1800."

 

[Grenadier]

An excellent question, indeed. Some folks might not like my answer, but here goes anyways:

It all depends on the location, and what people believe.

Out in the very wealthy neighborhoods, where schools have firmly established themselves, it's not entirely odd to see a school charging $150 / month, and they do quite well.

Some places in the Southern California area were even charging up to 200 bucks a month, without any problems.

Of course, if we tried to do that in my area, which is more of a blue-collar area, we'd probably be devoid of students after a short while...

It's just like selling automobiles. For all practical purposes, a $35,000 BMW 3-series sedan isn't going to be that much better than a $22,000 Toyota Camry (V6 engine).

However, if the car is advertised in the right marketing area, then it's a sure bet that there are people who will perceive the BMW to be better, and that they'll snap it up over a Toyota Camry any day.

 

[HKphooey]

Good points!

Also,

• Does that include all testing fees?
• How many times a week can you attend class? Some schools charge $70-100 and only allow 1-2 classes a week.

 

[terryl965]

AceHBK what school did you go too and who is the instructor.You can PM if you like.
Terry

 

[mrhnau]

Good points!

Also,

• Does that include all testing fees?
• How many times a week can you attend class? Some schools charge $70-100 and only allow 1-2 classes a week.

Also, I've seen class length vary. I've seen one guy having a $40/Month, which sounds good, but he has class once a week for one hour.

If they guy has class 7 times a week, you might not be able to make every one, but the price/class may be very reasonable.

Still, that is alot of $ *checks his piggy bank*

 

[Jesse]

Also, I've seen class length vary. I've seen one guy having a $40/Month, which sounds good, but he has class once a week for one hour.

If they guy has class 7 times a week, you might not be able to make every one, but the price/class may be very reasonable.

Still, that is alot of $ *checks his piggy bank*

Ya I hear ya on that one, I'm paying $80/month for once a week and only an hour and a half at a time. Comes to $20 a class.

Kinda sucks but thats the best price around.

 

[Gemini]

The majority of schools I've seen in New Jersey, New York and Las Vegas all exceed your price quotes. Vegas being far and away the highest. Because the cost of living in NY/NJ is so high, it isn't really an issue, but the justification in Vegas is unreasonable IMO. Yes, there's alot of new building and the price of facilities is at a premium for the area, but the quality of instruction isn't there that I've found yet, and the overall CoL is much lower. Sure, it's a business, but if you're charging more than you're offering to make financial ends meet, you have a poor business plan to start with.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Maybe it is because I do not live in a rich area or Southern California....

$150/month :erg:

There are 2 CMA schools within 2 hours from where I live both charge about $100 per month. One allows greater than one class a week and there are no other fees. The teacher is a Disciple of Ip Ching. The other is once a week for 1.5 to 2 hours and there are no other fees. This teacher is a student of Yang Chengfu. Neither requires commitment by time but the second one will tell you not to come back if you don't show up regularly. I suspect the first would as well.

I was paying my previous Sifu $50 for 3 months, once a week 2 to 2.5 hours and I thought $100 was steep but $150 and a commitment of 12 months or if it is less time committed it cost you more, nope too much for me.

 

[AceHBK]

AceHBK what school did you go too and who is the instructor.You can PM if you like.
Terry

It was Ahn's Tae Kwon Do in Dallas off of Frankfort Rd.

Here in Dallas for a TKD school to charge that much is outrageous.
I think I gave a Oscar performance imitating Joe Pesci in the car on the way home. "$1800 Dollars!! what the **** do u mean 18 **** dollars?? How in the world can u charge $1800 **** dollars for TKD lessons!??! I mean will the founder father of TKD rise from his ***** grave and teach me one on one?!?! Will Jhoon Rhee himself be my gat damn **** sparring partner??"

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT HE CHARGES FOR A SHORTER COMMITMENT TIME. Like he said "it is a business".

I was very impressed by the 5th Dan he had teaching though. Not 1800 impressed but impressed nonethless.

Classes are 4 days a week I think and last for 1 hour and I saw they spent 10-15 min stretching and doing warm ups. so really 45 minutes.

 

[Xue Sheng]

"it is a business".

THAT!!!! THAT RIGHT THERE!!!!!!

That has ruined 2 good CMA schools I have trained at.

Business before the art is a great way to make money and potentially a great away to ruin the art :soapbox:

OK... I'm calm...sorry for the outburst.... I feel better now.... must take deep breaths….

 

[SFC JeffJ]

There is a TKD school in South Bend where you'll pay $3000 for a year, plus testing fees. But they'll guarantee you a BB after two years. So it must be a good deal, right?

JeffJ

 

[evenflow1121]

I remember a time when you could find an excellent instructor for around $50-65 try finding that today. I understand that prices go up and people have a right to charge whatever they want, but some of these places, the pricing is outright outrageous; $150 a month (1800/12) would seem like a lot to me, I am more of around $90 and thats as high as I will go. Highest quote I got was in a kick boxing / grappling gym $130 a month and I said no thanks.

 

[AceHBK]

There is a TKD school in South Bend where you'll pay $3000 for a year, plus testing fees. But they'll guarantee you a BB after two years. So it must be a good deal, right?

JeffJ

$3000!??!?! If this was some art from China that only a few people know, I wouldnt be like WTH. This is TKD though!?!? You can find a school anywhere. TKD rivals McDonalds with most chains.

 

[AceHBK]

I remember a time when you could find an excellent instructor for around $50-65 try finding that today. I understand that prices go up and people have a right to charge whatever they want, but some of these places, the pricing is outright outrageous; $150 a month (1800/12) would seem like a lot to me, I am more of around $90 and thats as high as I will go. Highest quote I got was in a kick boxing / grappling gym $130 a month and I said no thanks.

It is too high.
Funny, while I was sitting and waiting for class to finish, one parent talking to another said, "this place is small and hidden I am surprised they make money since u really have to find it."

After hearing the price all I can do is laugh.

 

[Flying Crane]

I live in San Francisco, very high cost of living, and even for here, I think that would be pretty high.

I have kind of an unusual situation so I'll throw it out here for the sake of adding to the discussion.

I train once a week with my sifu. Other than that I train on my own during the week where I have a membership in a gym near my office. When I train with my sifu, it is at the YMCA, and I get in about 4-5 hours on a Saturday morning. He teaches a class in Tai Chi for health, which is technically offered thru the local community college, even tho it is held at the YMCA. He is paid by the community college for teaching the class, so it is free. If I just want to take the tai chi class, I don't pay for it, and you can take the class without paying to become a member of the YMCA. When school is out for the summer, he charges $5 for the class since he isn't getting paid by the college during that time.

However, I am interested in learning a lot of things that he doesn't teach during the tai chi classes. So I have a private lesson from him after the main class is over. The time we spend varies, depending on what we are doing, but this is when he teaches me the other things that I am interested in. For this, I pay $25 per session. If I don't have a session, I don't pay, there are no contracts and no testing fees or association fees, or anything like that.

On the other hand, I also train once a week in my Capoeira school. Again, there are no contracts but you can pay for several classes at a time, or just one. One class is $12, if you buy several at a time it gets down to $8 per class. Class is offered almost every day but I only train once a week with them due to my busy schedule and other interests.

 

[Xue Sheng]

$3000!??!?! If this was some art from China that only a few people know, I wouldnt be like WTH. This is TKD though!?!? You can find a school anywhere. TKD rivals McDonalds with most chains.

You can go spend a year in China at Chen village training Chen style with room and board included for around $3000 for the year.

 

[pstarr]

That price is...stiff. I wonder what the shorter term courses cost...

 

[SFC JeffJ]

The only reason I know about this is that a local news show did an expose on them. Doesn't seem to have affected their enrollment though. They are in one of the highest rent areas around here and are still going strong.

JeffJ

 

[mantis]

Ok I just have to ask, what was the most craziest/absurd price quote that you have gotten from a school?

Last night I went to a TKD school that was small but had excellent teachers.
I was curious to know how much they charged for lessons.

Weeeeeeelllllll I found out they have 3 commitment levels
4 months
8 months
12 months

The owner said and I do quote "$1800 for the 12 month commitment"
I dont know if i was more shocked at the price or how straight his face was when he told me.

I then asked how much was 4month commitment and he said "It is higher due to shorter commitment. Of course longer commitment cost is cheaper. About 80% of students are on 12 month commitment. It's a business"

When I got home I double guessed mysef, "maybe he said $1200.....nah..cause i damn near fell to the floor when he said it so he did say $1800."

my school chargest 7200 for 3 years + test fee of 75 every 2 months + down payment + weapons. but you only have to pay for 3 years even if it takes you 10 years to get your black belt

 

[ronin_warrior_j]

Relson Gracie Jiu Jitsu, $1440 for a year. I guess thats not really all that bad concidering you can train 7 days a week if you want too. Its not including belt tests. Nevermind, i guess thats really not all that bad.