I look at it this way. If the person has put in the dedication, time (years), blood, and swet, then it doesnt matter if he is a teen. If they deserve it then they deserve it. I have been studying for years and have been around the real training halls and mcdojos alike. If a person starts their study at 8years old and at 12 they get their 1st dan, at 14 their 2nd dan, and at 17 or 18 their 3rd dan, then as long as they can do what they have been taught proficiently and have developed the proper mind set then so be it. My teacher is 62. He is one of the original Hapkido Grandmasters. He started his studies at the age of 12 and by the time he was 18 he was a third degree and runing his own school. He is an increadable MAist.He studied in the old country the traditional ways. These way they started young and were masters in their early to mid 20s. They put in long hours and tons of hard work, borderline abuse and assault, to achieve what they have gotten. This is the old way. The way the great masters of the past trained. It didn't take them 10, 8, or 6 years to get their dans. And on top of it all the recieved 4 and 5th while they were very young. These are the people that developed the arts we study today. These are the forefathers of what we study today. It isnt how many years you study. Its how many hours a day, how much dedication, pain, blood, swet, tears that get you there. All these years of study in the great Americanized school is all about the money, monthly dues, Buisness. My teacher came up the old fashioned way and I would put him against any odds. Yes you have to still be good and know what you are doing. But, just becouse they are not 25, 30, 35 years old before they get their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd dans doesnt mean they don't know what they are doing, are compitant, or worked any less than anyone else. Yes their are the mcdojos out there that give us all a bad name. But so does this negative way of thinking. They may be young but they are just as capable and compitent as anyone else out there. I know from first hand experience. My first Hapkido teacher was a 23 year old 4th degree and he knew what he was doing. Myself I'm almost 29. I'm nowear near him and I am 4 years older than him. Age has nothing to do with it. Its all personal abilities and dedication. Don't be closed minded to these younger people just becouse you may have had to wait 8 years before someone either felt you deserved your rank or you reached their financial highbar, and paid enough money to them to test. They way things are done mostly now is the American way, not the traditional way. Don't let the martial buisness man brainwash you into thinking that there are any set number of years you have to bleed before you have paid him enough money to be given the opportunity to test. And if anyone Thinks that this is just my personal opinion, well I get what I have to say from several Korean Grandmasters, old chinese masters, and a long time friend and teacher Okinowan master, and a ahrd core traditional Japanese stylist who is a breath away from being a master. With exception of the last 2 who are American the Chinese and Korean are their specific nationality. But all of them inclyding myself are traditional MAists ant traditional teachers.
BREEEEAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHH.
WHat can you do 
