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DON’T BELIEVE HIS WEBSITE – he hasn’t been voted Best in Atlanta in 20 years! My son attended for a year and a half and part of the time was fine. However, Mr. Corley is entirely too pushy about money. He is constantly badgering people to sign 3-year contracts (which involve a $5, 000 loan) for a child that is only 5-6 years old. He doesn't get it when you tell him that you are not ready to make that type of commitment for a child that young. Also, the instructor turnover ratio is extremely high. My son would get attached to one then he would leave. New instructors did not know the level of skill for all the children, and by the time they learned, they were gone. And Mr. Corley is completely unavailable for several months out of the year while planning his even, the Battle of Atlanta - he will not even take your phone call during that time. Our experience was not one that showed how much the instructors cared about the children, but rather how much Mr. Corley cared about money.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer's satisfaction.
These people complaining are not representative of the thousands of families trained by Master Corley. The way he structures contracts helps families save money, not the other way around.
It’s 2018, and all of these complaints are still dead on. The studio lies in a defunct strip mall behind a strip mall. Clutter is everywhere. Space is limited. His wife still scowls at everyone who walks in. He still seeks lump-sum payments to cover “instruction, ” not including a $50 request every time your child gets another belt. Children get belts regardless of readiness or skill. There are reasons all of these people above complained, and the reasons remain, unchanged.
Said the [censor]
Poor Joe Corley...so much truth posted on this board. He is motivated by money more than anything else. This is true. The instructor revolving door - also true since at least the mid-1990s. He cannot keep instructors because he does not pay them well, and treats them poorly.
Is he a con man? Yup.
Is his wife a miserable human being? Yup, afraid so.
It shocks me that people still sign up at his school. 18 belts, 18 testing fees.
His karate schools have had financial challenges and he simply files for bankruptcy or starts a new company and refuses to pay old debts.
My 13 year old Grandson has OCD and other emotional problems. We enrolled him in Joe Corley's school to help with these issues. I find Master Corley to be kind, caring and very devoted to a task or purpose with my grandson. He tries to encourage him with words of wisdoms and his knowledge of the Martial Arts. My grandson loves and respect Master Corley and it has helped him with his self esteem. My grandson will never be a Karate Master but he will remember Master Corley, his work and the experience he gained from
taking classes from him, . I don't know much about Michale Anderson other than that he is funny, respectful to me when I come in. He is a role model to the kids and the kids seems in awe of him. Master Corley may be pushy but to have a business of that nature you have to be a little aggressive to get parents to spend money on thier kids rather than themselves! Parents don't think twice about spending $1000s on cars, rolex watches, name brand furniture but will take a step back before spending that kind of $ on their kids. Just saying! Maybe a small percentage of these kids will actually excel in Martial Artas but the experience is priceless. Jean C
52 year old karate instructor michael anderson with a 17 year old student. Joe corley puts his emphasis on money and not the safety of children.
his senior instructor michael anderson got a seventeen year old STUDENT pregnant! how could he let someone like that around our children?
everyone in the martial arts world knows that "master" corley is a con artist and more than likely senile. he's so money hungry he makes gene simmons look conservative and his school is plastered with signs quoting the seven habits of highly effective teens, he brain washes his students by making them recite a pledge before and after class one line of the pledge is, "i will be a good person". how can he teach his students to be good people when he's not a good person himself? and don't get me started about his head instructor who lusts after the teenage girls.
I am still on the fence about how I feel re: the instruction. Nothing to compare it to, so that's probably why. I'm surprised I haven't seen complaints on what I came here expecting to find: how his wife scowls at all the women who come into the school. We moms talk about it all the time. We really want to just say, "Seriously, lady. We do NOT want your man!"
I agree Joe Corley is a crook. I also know the law of bio-genesis (i.e. you make what you are) is true. Beware of his errant students who have gone on to open their own schools, such as The Dojo. What a load of crap! I put two sons in the school, which hounded me for money while provided poor training and attention to my children and others. They are also racist. I was treated poorly due to my Cuban heritage. The school owners and the Chief Instructor are at odds and the Chief Instructor's girlfriend / School Secretary has been heard saying how much she hates African-Americans! Terrible!
Joe Corley is a crook. My child went to his school for a few months, but I was really turned off at his lack of attention to actual martial arts instruction and his full attention on taking our money by 'upgrading us'. I also hear he pays his employees garbage. I think he made himself a 9th degree because he made up his own style and somehow ended up in the hall of fame. The facility of his is also just mediocre and it felt like I was in someone's garage with some equipment thrown around. He does not offer quality bottom line. I know this because my son is now at another school and I can see a huge difference. You have to be careful. With so many schools offering martial arts you really want to focus on who is interested in your child's best development and who is just looking to take your money.
If Joe Corley is such a great martial artist and businessman, why did he have to close all his studios and re-invent himself as Atlanta Extreme Warrior after 40 years of instructing?
Definite waste of money for the training you receive. You might as well buy a DVD online and train your kid at home because no matter how bad they are tehy will get a belt, 18 or so to be exact, given to them to "keep them motivated." What that means is to keep YOU (the parent) motivated to spend a large sum of money each month - $$$$$$$$ is the bottom-line for this instructor.
I spent 5 years and way too much money with this dojo. Joe Corley is a money-hungry businessman. Though a badass in the arena, very few professionals can make the transition to teach, and JC has FAILED. Waste of money, sign your kids up for wrestling or soccer.
I have known Joe Corley for more than 3 decades, and in that time I have seen him work tirelessly for the good of the martial arts and for martial artists all over the world. His students have gone on to bring back their kids and their grandchildren to his studios for the kind of caring and nurturing that his system has provided. In my experiences at the studios, I have seen people who have wavered in their commitments and have complained to whomever would listen. My kids are in the care of Master Corley, and I know the experiences they receive will benefit them in the same way I was empowered.
Very true. I experienced the same thing. Now he is trying to hide his bad rep by changing his school name to Atlanta Extreme Warrior. New name, same antics! Plus his new place is very dirty, cluttered, and disorganized.
This may be the worst karate school ever. I pulled my son after a year of watching this man give kids belts without even testing them. (I refused to sign a three year contract and got a deal. You can pretty much write your own if you are stubborn enough.) There doesn't seem to be any organized method of teaching. Instructors are in and out like a revolving door and if you are watching your children take class, you can be sure someone on staff is going to hit you up for money for this or that promotion or event.
The above poster is dead on. I'd stay away from this one.