I'm new to BJJ, and am about to start taking classes. My options are a 1 year contract or a 2 year contract. I know this is something I would definitely want to do for several years, and you do get a $20/month discount when signing up with a 2 year contract. My only question is...
Is 2 years too long to be stuck in a beginner class?
It depends on what your academy means by beginner class. I know our beg class is full of blues, purples, browns because adv is right after and we like taking both.
But generally you don't want to be bound to anything too long. You just never know if you have to move or whatever it may be happens. Go one year and go from there.
Fuckin hell, having to sign a 1 year contract.
I really dont HAVE to sign a contract, but the discount is appealing. I guess I'll do a one month and see how progressive it is, and decide after that. I just didn't know how long it should take to learn the fundamentals.
Hard to say exactly. It seems like your saying that if you sign a 2 year contract, you can only go to the beginner class for the two years and not move to a more advanced class.
(sounds like a strange way to run things)
If so, a year might be good value, two years probably too long.
Beginner classes are basics. Basics are the foundation of your grappling. Never stray from them 
Honestly I definitely wouldn't sign a contract. Even more so if you are new to BJJ and are unfamiliar with the school. Too many things could happen such as injuries, work pressures, moving to a different city, don't like the instructor, have issues with some other students. Dare I say it, you might not even like BJJ.
I've seen too many threads where people have trouble getting out of contracts that I wouldn't risk it.
Contracts too long you're likely to be injured within your 1st 3 months and even more likely to quit after 6 
Baroquen Record - Contracts too long you're likely to be injured within your 1st 3 months and even more likely to quit after 6
1
get a cc that you use only for bjj
sign up for the 2 year deal
want to quit before 2 years up?
cancel cc
grapplingwithzen - Honestly I definitely wouldn't sign a contract. Even more so if you are new to BJJ and are unfamiliar with the school. Too many things could happen such as injuries, work pressures, moving to a different city, don't like the instructor, have issues with some other students. Dare I say it, you might not even like BJJ.
I've seen too many threads where people have trouble getting out of contracts that I wouldn't risk it.
This. See if you can pay month to month. It might be a big difference in price but at least you'll have that peace of mind knowing your not obligated to pay. Or see if they have a 6 month or 8 month contract.
At my acadeny we don't choose when to move out of the basics and get in the advanced classes. They're both at the same time, we just have basics on one side of the mat and advanced on the other side. But here, basics = 2 stripe white belt and below. Advanced = 3 stripe white and up.
I'd recommend starting out w/o a contract & just paying by the month. If you're still hooked after a month or 2, then sign up for the year contract & get the savings. You'll pay a little for the first 1-2 months, but you won't risk getting screwed by paying for 10 months you won't use.
The turnover rate in BJJ is astronomical. Only a few guys out of every 10 even make it to the 2nd month. Make sure you're gonna stick with it before making a big commitment.
Gwhite - At my acadeny we don't choose when to move out of the basics and get in the advanced classes. They're both at the same time, we just have basics on one side of the mat and advanced on the other side. But here, basics = 2 stripe white belt and below. Advanced = 3 stripe white and up. <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Just realized I said that wrong haha. Meant to say basics = 3 stripe white belt and below. Advanced = 4 strip white and up
Usually beginners can attend the advanced class when they start to understand the basics. If they jump right into the advanced class they might not understand anything, slow the rest of the class when they can't do anything and need correction on every move, and are likely to get hurt in the sparring. Beginner classes have more controled sparring against other white belts, situation drills somethimes without submissions, only to pass the guard or sweep, etc.
I would say if the school have a set curriculum, when the student covers all the basics and the instructor think he will not be killed in the advanced, not win, just not be a liability. He goes and tell the guy to show up in that class. I would guess six months, twice a week is enough for most people. Not that once you can hang in the advanced class you can't go and attend both classes. It is always good to review the basics.
Now on the advanced class maybe another six months to a year before getting close to blue, maybe compete. Of course all depends on the person ability to grapple.
bbyslvrbk - Beginner classes are basics. Basics are the foundation of your grappling. Never stray from them
This.
Generally beginner classes are fundamentals even the elite in bjj still train fundamentals.
Gus77 - I would guess six months, twice a week is enough for most people.
Thanks everybody. This is basically what I was looking for. Just a couple opinions on how long the fundamentals usually take someone to learn, on average.
I can now see a long contract off the bat is a bad idea. I'll just pay the extra $40/month to stay out of a contract.