Kelly,
I suspect you may well be right and if it continues unabated then I think it's incredibly sad. Hopefully - HOPEFULLY - at some point the pilot body will take a stand and say no more....we will see.
However, I personally think we're already at the point where us newbies need to accept that we will be paying for that first rating one way or another.....
Once the first rating is done, you may or may not be required to pay or contribute to subsequent ratings - but if you've had the first I think you've probably got a fighting chance of getting your own way if you take the moral high ground and refuse to pay!
Such a shame. I really honestly hope it stops before there is nothing left...