What kind of class I teach didn't influence my pricing structure. I have always had rent to meet, so I wanted to make sure I had enough students each session to make rent, and be able to budge some bills. Then I continued this structure for the past 8 years. So pre-registration all the way.

I know some dance and fitness classes prefer punch cards or drop-ins, but any other class I have ever signed up for was ALWAYS some set price for the duration of the class--art classes, community ed, career advancement, whatever. I see it as a way to bring even more of an air of legitimacy and it sets up an expectation of consistent study, not "Oh, whenever you wanna drop by and shake it around a little, we'll be here." Know what I mean? I suppose if it were simply a fitness class, drop-ins make more sense, since that is a "whenever ya have the time." But I am teaching where exercise is a side-benefit. I am teaching performing arts, history, culture, and more. That's not something you can drop in and out of whenever and get good at it.

My time is worth it, my classes are worth it, and it gets students committed at the outset to pursuing the dance more diligently, IMO.

In a small area, you have to have the students pay up front AND have an expiration date on their punch cards or you won't be able to pay your bills! Larger areas can afford to be more..... elastic. I'm in a VERY small area, and I am looking forward to going to a larger area. I'm hoping we will be moving soon! But while I am here, it is pay for your classes up front, and be at class when you are supposed to because there will be one make-up class and that's it. I used to do the "just be here when you want to" thing, and ended up waiting around just for no one to show up, then have them turn around and be angry with me for being late one night to open the door (I know, unprofessional, but I seriously got caught behind a HOUSE being moved!)

Punch cards were the way Maggie and I set up our studio. There are all types of classes at the studio and we wanted to meet the needs of our market - the professional working crowd who benefit more from the drop-in/punch card method than sessions.

The studio now does offer sessions, but it depends on the class. Take a look at our pricing if you would like more info on how we broke it down:

www.studiodanceandfitness.com/pri...html

I second what Shay said.... After trying both punch cards and tuition sessions... I definitely prefer the sessions... If a student knows they are not going to make a class I do not make them pay for the class, if they already paid and something comes up I let them make up the class in another class (that same sessio)... if you teach a workout
BellyClass Punch Cards may work (tho I recommend you fully make them sweat)
but like Shay I teach technique, art, music and culture. These are all things u must come to multiple classes to receive full benefit... that's my thoughts

I always require full balance due upfront at the beinging of each month. My view is, if I count my session as full, and then people don't show up, it's very inconvinient. I limit my class sizes, and when I have enough people signed up, that's it. This way I can ensure that everyone moves forward together; I don't have to worry about taking extra time reviewing information with someone who didn't bother to show up.
I take pride in what I do, and I do it for a living - it's my only source of income. I explain all of this to my students, and they're always great with it. I have never had any problems with it. As far as I can tell, it has no effect on business levels.
Hope this helps!

For bellydance classes (meaning technique, choreo, rithms, etc) I have my students pay upfront, for 10 weeks.

I don't teach fitness classes, but for those I would consider punch cards.

You could do something like: 10 classes that can be taken over a 15 week period, or something...

this is my policy. It is based on the fact that I teach at my home studio & have limited space. I have had problems in the past where my class fills up based on preregistrations so I close registrations to other potential new students only to find that students who are preregistered, flake out, have irregularly attendance leaving me with a half full studio. Im sure that many of you have experienced the same frustration. So, my policy is structured to discourage flakey attendance.

Registration / Enrollment Policy: First class with us? Call ahead to confirm your attendance. Drop-ins are welcome on a space permitting basis only ($14 per class). Priority is given to students who are enrolled for the current session. Class pass rates are 4 classes/ $45, 8 classes/$80, Monthly unlimited/ $115. All class passes are valid only for the current class session purchased. Please register responsibly. Sorry, no refunds for unused class passes or classes & passes are not transferable. Passes CAN be used for make-up classes as long as your pass is current and arrangements are made in advance to make up the class you missed within the same month of class sessions. Class passes may not be used for special events and workshops.

I'm doing a combination of tuition and punch cards, and yes, I do vary it by the classes. I used to do punch cards for my classes, but I found attendance was to sporadic and I often ended up showing up to an empty studio because no one could make it that week. That being said, I've decided to go over to an 8 week format for my adult classes and a four week format for my kids classes. I do make arrangements for students with special situations. I have a student in my kids class that can only come on weekends she's not with her dad, so we've made special arrangements. I have a couple high school students that needed a couple weeks off from finals, so I told them I'd have no problem discounting their next sessions tuition for the classes they'd have to miss. I made these arrangements beforehand with students that have special situations, especially those from my earlier classes when I did punch cards. I also offer drop-ins for those classes as long as there's room, and, of course, students paying for the session get priority.

However, for my prenatal classes, I'm doing punch cards for a book of four classes. For me this was easier since it meant if complications came up and the student could no longer attend classes, she could always take a break and come back when she was ready to attend again. It also meant for those students I've had dancing with me right up until labor, they would be able to keep paying and just finish their classes after the baby was born if they went into labor before the session was over. It's working out pretty well for me, especially since these women are actually motivated and want to come back. Not that it's been a problem yet, but I give them 8 weeks after their estimated due date to return to classes or their card will expire. This gives them leeway if they end up on bed rest or go into labor, but it means I'm not going to be holding on to a card forever after they've had their babies. It's been working out for me thus far, but I've also got a really great group there, so I'm sure that helps.

At our studio we settled on tuition for technique, drop-in or punch cards for dance exercise. This means that people who want to learn technique but who cannot attend regularly take private lessons, attend workshops or find another studio. We started out allowing drop-ins in the technique classes, which meant that some folks would show up every second or third lesson and expect to be brought up to speed in that one class... very frustrating for teacher and the rest of the students.

Having the same class on different days and/or times helps folks with erratic schedules come regularly to technique class. Miss your Monday class? Come to the Wednesday one.

There are months where schedules are all over the map: Christmas season and summer. We are always tweaking those schedules, adjusting the proportion of session classes, dance exercise and workshops, but the policy remains the same.

We don't have an expiration date for the punch cards. Punch card rates are lower than drop-in rates.