Guest Fees at test sessions

[Terri C]

I've just turned down another opportunity to re-take Bronze moves and here's why.
The other club in our area is having a test session next month and my coach said I could re-take Bronze moves there "if I would like to try". At this point the test is not bad, but not passing with flying colors, either.
I looked at the test application and decided that paying $95 ($30 for test, $60 for guesting, $5 for administrative fee) for a test that is borderline passing is NOT worth it! Plus, I'd need the entire day off work, since they hold the test session on a weekday and can schedule me at anytime.

So, this leaves me to wonder, what are your club's guesting fees for a test session? I've looked and some are as cheap as $15/25 and others, like the club I mentioned above can be as high as $60.
For the record my club's guest fee is $50.

[flying~camel]

Our out-of-club fee is $20 and everyone (in- and out-of club) is charged a $10 judges fee on top of the test fee (which varies according to level testing).

ETA: I took my Bronze FS test out-of-club last November and ended up paying $70, plus I had to take the day off of work and drive 2 hours to get to the rink. Good thing I passed ;)

[skaternum]

For comparison, my club charges:

Pre-bronze Moves $45
Non-member fee $35

Total would be $80.

[flo]

I think it's 30. Many of the clubs here have agreements between them so that their members can test at other clubs. The moves tests do cost more, as they take up more time.

[phoenix]

DANG, you guys pay a lot for guest fees! I think the most I've ever paid is $10-15.00. I totally wouldn't pay that much--how in the world is that justified? Unless their sessions are so full that it's a real hassle to fit you in, you're just another skater taking up 5-10 minutes of ice time. I also pay partner fees since I'm a dancer, so my test costs are outrageous enough as it is.

[Terri C]

DANG, you guys pay a lot for guest fees! I think the most I've ever paid is $10-15.00. I totally wouldn't pay that much--how in the world is that justified? Unless their sessions are so full that it's a real hassle to fit you in, you're just another skater taking up 5-10 minutes of ice time.

That's just it! Where I live there are very few judges (like maybe 1 or 2) that live locally, so we need to bring them in from elsewhere, which with gas and airline costs (yes we flew judges in on our last test session) can be $$$!
Paying for ice can add up as well.
Needless to say, test sessions are few and far between here, so the guest fees are that much to ensure that home club members get first dibs.
It's the same way if you want to compete, you need to travel, period.
My thing is, for the price they are asking, I want to put out a good test with no questions asked on the judges' end, and the deadline is Monday- they want their applications in 30 days in advance.

[Justine_R]

Its $22 here, for a dance or a skill and $32 for a freeskate.

Not that bad?:bow:

[jazzpants]

My club for testing:

Bronze Moves: $35
Out of Club guest: $35

So about $70... not including travel costs...

That's just it! Where I live there are very few judges (like maybe 1 or 2) that live locally, so we need to bring them in from elsewhere, which with gas and airline costs (yes we flew judges in on our last test session) can be $$$!
Terri: I strongly suggest encouraging adults to start doing judging school. If you get enough people, it might help offset the cost of flying out people and you might have the flexibility of having more frequent test sessions than just once every six months or something.

Just something to think about... and I strongly agree that unless your coaches think that it's a slam dunk that you'll pass that you forgo testing. I waited a year and two months between my first and second test and I was very close to passing on the second test session. It'll be 10 months this time, and I have two coaches who are just dying to get me to take this test and "pass it already!!! I'm sick of seeing you do this test!!!" :twisted: :P :lol:

[skaternum]

DANG, you guys pay a lot for guest fees! I think the most I've ever paid is $10-15.00. I totally wouldn't pay that much--how in the world is that justified?It's justified for several reasons. The big one is cost of running a test session. We almost always have to bring in judges, so there are travel expenses, ice time (very expensive in this area), and the cost of office supplies like the copier, paper, etc. We usually have trouble getting enough ice, so our test sessions are usually full. And, quite frankly, we run test sessions using significant member volunteer labor for the convenience of our members.

[twokidsskatemom]

We live in a place that we have to fly in people to judge. I forget who said that before, but trust me, our costs runs alot more than the lower 48 !!
We just came back from a test session at the only other club in the state, 400 miles from us. They didnt charge us extra to test.
The clubs here only have afew test sessions a year, and usually have a comp with them.,kill two birds with one stone I guess.

[Terri C]

We just came back from a test session at the only other club in the state, 400 miles from us. They didnt charge us extra to test.
The clubs here only have afew test sessions a year, and usually have a comp with them.,kill two birds with one stone I guess.

Wow- that is really gracious of them!
Actually, the test session being held with a competition is more common than you think. After all the judges are already there and that's a good moneymaking opportunity for the club, plus it provides a much needed service for all skaters, not just the hosting club!
With the rapidly rising costs of travel (just saw the news tonight,another gas increase!8O :roll: ) this may be a new trend in skating across the US.

[TreSk8sAZ]

In Arizona, we have what is called the Arizona Inter-club association. This means that anyone in any of the four AZ clubs (Coyotes SC of AZ, SC of Phoenix, Flagstaff FSC and Tucson FSC) may test at any of the other clubs without paying a fee. However, anyone else must have a letter from their home club allowing them to test and pay a $35 processing fee. The fees for the two Phoenix-area clubs are the same, but test fees vary widely between them and the other two clubs. Tucson FSC and Flag often have to bring in judges from the other two clubs, meaning the fee variance can be justified.

[NoVa Sk8r]

In late 2004, I tested at a different club near Washington FSC and was not charged a guest fee (or any of those other fees).

[Sk8pdx]

In late 2004, I tested at a different club near Washington FSC and was not charged a guest fee (or any of those other fees).

Same here... I tested in June for Pre-Bronze and didn't have to pay guest fees at the other club rink either. There is also a plethora of judges in the Northwest though. (Mostly dance judges. hmmm. maybe I should sign up to judge pairs just to even out the spectrum).8-)

[gt20001]

I just registered to take a test at my home club and it was 20 dollars for pre bronze move and 20 dollars for pre bronze freeskate and 8 dollars hospitality fee and the out of club fee is only 25 dollars i dont like the sounds of some of your other clubs either especially if you have to keep taking the test over and over again.

[icedancer2]

Same here... I tested in June for Pre-Bronze and didn't have to pay guest fees at the other club rink either. There is also a plethora of judges in the Northwest though. (Mostly dance judges. hmmm. maybe I should sign up to judge pairs just to even out the spectrum).8-)

Here in Portland you just have to be a member of one of the area clubs and you can test at any session. If you are an individual USFS member or come from another area, there are fees involved.

(As far as being a pairs judge goes, that comes with being a Singles judge. It's called Singles/Pairs -- you have to do pairs if you judge singles. And everyone has to judge moves.

We do have a lot of judges, but we can always use more... and actually we need more dance judges!8-)

[Mrs Redboots]

Thankfully, it's different here - we do get skaters from other rinks testing at our rink, but I think they only have to pay the test fee (this varies, getting higher according to the level you are testing - can be a bit eye-watering at the highest levels). My coach charges a lesson fee to partner you through a test, but he would normally be there anyway so doesn't (I think) charge to put you on the ice if you are soloing or dancing with another partner.

I think that if skaters from another rink then wanted to stay on until the end of the session (our tests start at 7:00 am and are usually over by about 9:00 - they have to be over by 10:30, finished or not, as that's when the session ends and public skating starts), they would have to pay the normal session fee, but not just for testing.

[jenlyon60]

I whole-heartedly second the plea for people to consider learning to judge.

It can be frustrating during the trialing, especially for the initial appointment, but it's very rewarding.

Having said all that, be prepared to possibly do some traveling to find the "odd-ball" tests (especially pairs for singles/pairs appointments). Pairs tests can be difficult to find, and when one does find them, it's often at short notice. I ended up trialing pairs for test credit at Liberty, towards my Bronze appointment, then 2 or 3 weeks later picked up some "real" tests at an out-of-town test session. Just got done trialing pairs at Liberty again for test credit and activity, as I work towards hopefully putting in for my next level appointment.

The side effect of the judging for me, at least, is that I find it difficult to just sit back and watch skating for enjoyment. Instead, I tend to watch it critically, to hone my identification and assessment skills.

[lovepairs]

In late 2004, I tested at a different club near Washington FSC and was not charged a guest fee (or any of those other fees).

Well, clearly, it's because you're so cute, Nova! :P

[Hannahclear]

Dang! I've never heard of the guesting fee being higher than the fee of the test itself?

I'm an Individual Member, so I guest whenever I test (rhyme alert).

I paid $60 to test Bronze Moves, $40 for the test and a $20 guest fee. Same price for Bronze FS (coming up next month!).

Maybe the relative reasonableness of the fees is due to NE location? Lots of clubs and lots of judges?

[Thin-Ice]

Here in the San Francisco Bay area we have lots of judges and six major clubs and several tests each month at the various rinks. But our ice costs are pretty expensive.

One of the clubs doesn't post its fees. You have to ask to be scheduled onto one of their sessions.. which are a bit more infrequent than the other clubs, but it is one of the more "remote" clubs from San Francisco.

Of the others, three of the clubs charge a standard $25 guest fee for each test session. One charges a $40 guest fee and the last one charges double the test fee for each test.

And the prices range from $15-35 at my club (the cheapest of them all
:bow: ) to $35-50 for the most expensive tests... although that club also lists figure tests too and charges up to $155 for a full 8th Figure test -- since it takes LOTS of clean ice.

And all the clubs that I've visited/tested at/judged at require testers to bring food/snacks/drinks for the judges -- which of course the skaters are welcome to, after the judges are done.. and there are ALWAYS plenty of drinks and food left over for the skaters to enjoy.

[rlichtefeld]

This is my club's (Georgia FSC) policy:

Individual Members of the USFSA and Skaters From Other Clubs:
Test fees are for full skating members of clubs belonging to the Southern Inter-Club Council (SICC).
Skaters from clubs not belonging to the Council pay a $25.00 fee.
Individual Members of the USFSA pay three times (3X) EACH test fee. If an Individual Member is required to retry a test, they can re-test for one & one-half times (1-1/2) the test fee(s) at the next available test session only. Individual Members can test only during at times designated by the host club.
Prospective test candidates must be members in good standing with their respective clubs and/or the USFSA to be eligible to test. A letter of good standing or a letter of permission to test must be attached to this form if the skater is not a member of the Georgia FSC, the Atlanta FSC, the SC of Augusta, or one of the SICC clubs.


You can find the test app with all the fees at:
http://www.gafsc.org/testing.htm

So, for an "Out of Council" Bronze MIF test, the fees would be $65.00. Unless you were and Individual Member then the cost would be $120.00

Rob