Choosing the RIGHT Martial Arts school to train yourself or your child is an important decision.  There are many factors to consider when selecting a place to train. The following can be used as a guide of priority reasons to select a school:

1. General Fit to Your Needs
2. Instructor and Instruction type
3. Disclosure
4. Location  
5. Price
6. Martial Arts Style or System
7. Add-on Fees; many schools have extra fees that add up quickly and to a lot

1.  General Fit
 

Most importantly, you should explore the school for its general fit with your needs and your comfort level with the school.  Are the students friendly and helpful to other students?  Does the instructor’s style of teaching seem like one you’d be comfortable with? 

There are many different philosophies that instructors may use in running a school such as a military style, a competitive style that is focused on tournament competition, an Asian philosophical style or a style that is supportive of the "Family Environment".  

You should look for a school that has a style you’re comfortable with and will enjoy. Be sure to talk to the students and get their experiences as well!

Nothing is more important than your comfort level with the:

• School

• Instructors

• Students

2.  Instructor

The instructor is one of the most important things you should consider in your decision.  The head instructor of the school should be knowledgeable, experienced, capable and most of all a good teacher.   The head instructor should actually teach a significant portion of the classes the school offers.  There are several factors you should explore with a potential instructor.

You should look for a school with a head instructor who has attained sufficient rank to thoroughly understand the Martial Arts system taught at the school, yet still be able to teach students effectively.  Most people will tell you that Black Belt is only the beginning of a Martial Artist’s journey.  A 1^st Degree Black Belt has just learned the basic curriculum for his art.  The black belt ranking system is sometimes compared to the education system.   

1^st   to 3^rd    Degree Black Belt    - usually 3 to 8 years experience          Novice

4^th  to 6^th     Degree Black Belt    - usually 12 to 23 years experience      Intermediate

7^th  to 10^th   Degree Black Belt   - usually 30 to 47 years experience       Advanced

3.  Full Disclosure of Costs and Fees

One of the things you should strongly consider is the school’s willingness to discuss the cost of training with you.  When you call and ask about the price of classes, will they tell you over the phone? The monthly cost of an actual program varies by how a student/parent selects to pay for it, over the phone you should expect a rough price, a range.  Gone are the days of $50 a month when classes were  taught in basements or gyms.  Generally, prices of karate lessons have risen at less than the rate of inflation.  The bottom line is:  How much is your child's character and safety worth to you?

Martial Arts schools offer tremendous value in what they teach versus other schools, activities, physical fitness programs and much more. To understand the value in the price perspective students should come and:

• Observe classes

• Talk then about pricing

Do they disclose the full price and other associated fees after you have had an opportunity to observe?  Do they disclose this information the first time you ask or the fifth?  Things you should ask about are:

      What are the belt, promotion, or test fees ? 

•       Any school charging you for Belt or testing fees sees you as a wallet that they can take money from. Any school requiring Testing Fees/Belt Fees for non-Black Belts is using you as a profit center. All schools have to test students, it should be part of the every day low pricing.

What are the association membership fees?

•       Membership in an association shouldn't be required, but if they are present they should be fair and reasonable. Many Associations attempt to gouge students with high pricing.

  Are long term contracts required to start training?  

•       Contracts are legitimate when they follow state guidelines. Most states don't allow more than a 1 year agreement. Schools operating without contracts are often desperately attempting to lure students to programs that shouldn't exist. If a school delivers high quality training in the Martial Arts you should expect a contract, but not longer than 12 months.

•       A school with a GREAT REPUTATION will allow you out of your contract if certain situations arise:

  • Moving more than 15 miles

  • Loss of a job

  • After first 3 months you exercise a 30 day right to cancel

Any school not offering an exit made easy by the above should be avoided like the plague.

Are upgraded contracts required to achieve rank?

•      This practice should be illegal but it isn't. Many schools have adopted a philosophy of upgrading programs (to gain profit from you). Basically if a school has different contracts and pricing to achieve ranking you should avoid them.

Introductory classes and Enrollment

•      Introductory classes vary between schools from 1 class to a full week's worth of classes. Any school requiring you to enroll without allowing you a week of classes should be avoided. The Introductory period (a week of classes) allows you and the student to see if they like what the program is. During the course of a week the method of teaching and class style will be easily identifiable. During that FREE week you  should be informed of the annual cost.

Purchasing equipment at the school:

You should expect to purchase supplies through your school. A quality school will restrict what is allowed in the school:

•      To achieve consistency of student equipment

•      To minimize challenges for parents when students see something different on other students     

Prices shouldn't be inflated. If the school doesn't allow you to see the actual retail cost from their suppliers you should be concerned.

4.  Location

One of the least important aspects of selecting a Martial arts school to train at is the location.  Most students attend a class within 10 to 15 miles of their home.  An ideal school is one that is located within 5 miles of your home. However, the program fit and quality of the school will often have students traveling a greater distance. At East West Karate we have had people drive as far as an hour to study with us because of the quality program we have.

5.  Price

Price is a weak factor in selecting a Karate school.  While price is important, value is much more important.  

6.  Martial Arts Style or System

Another ludicrous factor is the Martial Arts style or system.  There are many different Martial Arts styles and all of them have great things to teach.  You should consider several factors in choosing the style that might be good for you.  

Is the style a reasonably established system that is readily taught? 

If you had to move as a result of a new job, could you or your child find a school to train at in your new location? 

Is the style all flash, or is it practical?  Does it teach your child to show off, or to protect him/herself?  Does the style meet your need for self-defense, exercise, or practicality?

7.  Add-on Fees

Many schools will have one or more of the following EXTRA fees, they do this because their consulting firms tell them students are a profit center and they should collect whenever they can:

A. Belt Testing Fees, ranging from 5.00 to 35.00 per belt in the lower ranks. If you or your child takes 3 classes to test the total amount of the fees can become as much as the annual tuition. Testing usually takes place on a monthly basis.

East West Karate has No Belt Testing Fees and our price is much better    than other schools in the area.

B. Belt Fees, every promotion requires earning a new belt, and many schools charge anywhere from 5.00 to 15.00 for a belt every few months.

East West Karate has No Belt  Fees and our price is much better than other schools in the area.

C. Extra Class Fees, many schools charge anywhere from 5.00 to 10.00 for students that attend more than 2 classes per week; the charge is often per additional class over 2.

East West Karate has No Extra Class  Fees and our price is much better than other schools in the area.

D. Black Belt Test Fees, all schools charge a special fee for Black Belt Testing. At most schools the test and what a student has to complete is 1 to 3 days and the prices range from 750.00 to 1,500.00. If the student fails the Black Belt Test there is no refund.

East West Karate has a Black Belt Test Fee that is less than 300.00 for teens & adults and less than 200.00 for Kids. Our Black Belt Test lasts for 8 weeks covering a 95% accuracy on Techniques and Forms and performing proper mechanics during the physical testing for 8 weeks to demonstrate they can outlast a bad guy and to develop 2 key items to perform at our Black Belt Promotion.  We are told we have the most rigorous test in the area, but our students who achieve Black Belt have truly earned it.