Getting Out and Escaping from a Schools Long Term Contract

[ElectricChair]

Does anyone have any experience doing this? And do you know how to do it without ruining your credit? I forsee this possibility, sometime down the road. In my scenario, this is a school where they emphasize cardio and minimize fight instruction. It's quite vanilla in nature. They have long term contracts, 1-2 years in length. Their one of several schools in my area of the same name, a literal franchise. It is not run by a fight instructor, but instead run by a woman who personally does not involve herself with any fight training, or physical training for that matter.

If any of you have ever had success in escaping from one of these contracts, and did not suffer any damage to your credit rating, please post your experience. I, and I'm sure a few others, would appreciate it. Thank you.

[JaredExtreme]

Back in my high school years I had a contract with a McDojo Karate school. Basically the contract said in exchange for paying around $20 less per month than a non-contract student... I agreed to attend school their for something like 2 full years. If I decided to leave I would have to pay the full amount.

BUT there were some stipulations in the contract. One of which was if the contractee moved over 20 miles away he would not be required to pay the remainder of the contract. Luckily for me I was moving away to college so I simply, and very politely informed my (McDojo) instructors that unfortunately I was moving away to college and wouldn't be able to come to their school anymore.

If I were you, I would say something like "The curriculum here combined with work is putting too much stress on my body. I really like the school but I don't think I can keep up with both anymore." Do this in a very nice and polite manner. If you act like an ass and berate their school, they will probably take you to court and win.

So the bottom line is: be very nice, say you like the school, but you cannot continue due to your work schedule or possibly an injury.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Why would you sign a long term contract with a school anyway?
That should be an alarm bell in your head that they need to resort to that Tiger Shulman crap.

What Jared said sounds like a good idea. You could get a doctor's note if they want. Just make sure they don't find out that you're training someplace else in the near future.
Or you could beat up the woman instructor.

[eXcessiveForce]

you need to look at your contract, if you walk away from a contract there is always the possibility that it will ruin your credit.

If they are a true business setup then it will ruin your credit.

A rule in most schools is everyone tries to leave owing money in the end.

My question is why did you sign up for this school on a contract if you did not like the instruction?

[ElectricChair]

I just logged in and I typed out a detailed and somewhat lengthy response. I tryed posting it and then the system pulled a fast one on me by stating that I hadn't logged in. And then it immediately trashed my post.

No time in my life to regurgitate, I just wanted to say thanks for your input. There was alot more to this story than meets the eye, believe me. Thanks again.

[bvermillion]

Did they act as if they were going to teach you applicable fighting skills? If so all you have to do is prove that they didn't come through on there end of the deal. A breach of contract works both ways.

[manofleisure]

that sucks,and contracts scare...............

me when it comes to martial art instruction cause always something can come up.

I just signed a year contract but my instructor said at anyway if I don't want to be at the school,then I can terminate,at anytime.

That is a rare school in my books,one of the reasons I signed up.