She decides that she will take the next exam for the fourth kyu as soon as the requisite three months are up. She has learned the kata, understands its implications, can do it with her eyes closed, knows the basics, and she is proficient in kumite against men and women her rank and experience. He thinks that this woman trains very hard and very often, even though she is nearly devoid of athletic talent. Her understanding of the techniques and her ability to perform are improving along expected trends, and he is quite happy with her attitude. Most instructors are not very uptight about kyu ranks.
Students get nervous and are completely shaken by the thought of testing for a new rank.
They are scared to death that they will make a mistake and fail. They are afraid that they will make many mistakes and pass. They are afraid that others feel that they should not receive more rank. They are afraid that the instructor does not think that they should receive more rank. She walks away thinking about her training regimen for the next 30 days.