gym membership for AP?

IMO, if a candidate insists on a gym membership, she's not a good candidate. I refuse to engage in the arms race. Our AP gets room and board, free use of our car, a reasonable workload with three school-aged kids, inclusion in family recreational activities to the extent she wants, plenty of flexibility to go out with friends whenever she wants. She can budget and save her $195/week stipend for travel or spend it on clothes and gym memberships, but she is a young adult and should not expect to get everything for free. If she is a princess she can go AP for someone else. We have had zero trouble finding great candidates who are perfectly willing to spend $10/month for Planet Fitness on their own dime if it's a priority for them.

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09/08/2015 12:12

Subject: gym membership for AP?

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Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:IMO, if a candidate insists on a gym membership, she's not a good candidate. I refuse to engage in the arms race. Our AP gets room and board, free use of our car, a reasonable workload with three school-aged kids, inclusion in family recreational activities to the extent she wants, plenty of flexibility to go out with friends whenever she wants. She can budget and save her $195/week stipend for travel or spend it on clothes and gym memberships, but she is a young adult and should not expect to get everything for free. If she is a princess she can go AP for someone else. We have had zero trouble finding great candidates who are perfectly willing to spend $10/month for Planet Fitness on their own dime if it's a priority for them.

15:51 above, and I agree. While we have and do pay for a gym for our AP, we would not do this if someone insisted. In fact, if someone ASKED us to do this, I'm not sure I would. I am happy to give to an AP who is appreciative and isn't grabby, but I have no patience for an AP who is only after whatever she can get. The AP for whom we paid for the expensive gym was amazing and a total joy to have around AND totally appreciative of the gift. Our current AP (arrived 1.5 weeks ago) will likely also get his gym membership paid for because he is also a joy - totally helpful, kind, interested, caring, etc. But I would never respond to an AP who insisted on this during matching. That AP would be moved back to the matching pool right away.