When to start interviewing for next AP

[Anonymous]

We are about three months in with our first AP (with CCAP), and she's really great but I don't think she will extend for an additional year. How far in advance should I be looking/interviewing for the next AP? We were in a hurry to get an AP here once we decided to commit to the program, and I recall feeling like there wasn't a huge pool of qualified candidates at the time. When would be good to start looking for someone who can start Aug/Sept 2017? I don't want to get into the same situation where I feel like I don't have a lot of options, but I don't want to commit too early.

[Anonymous]

We usually match in Feb for late August arrival. Only this past year, when I made a mistake with our match and ended up in rematch, do I think I did it too early. Other years I have thought it was the right time to match and that the selection was good. We are on year 10, FWIW, and most of our matches have been great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We usually match in Feb for late August arrival. Only this past year, when I made a mistake with our match and ended up in rematch, do I think I did it too early. Other years I have thought it was the right time to match and that the selection was good. We are on year 10, FWIW, and most of our matches have been great.

Does this mean that you've made the decision on whether to offer an extension before month 6? I sometimes see people recommend not to offer this before month 7 or 8. We usually make the offer by month 4 or 5. I've always wondered if it's too early. So far it's worked out for us, but I'm not sure if that means it's generally a good practice or if we are just lucky.

[Anonymous]

PP here - we do not extend.

[Anonymous]

For a Aug/Sept match, I'd start in March-April.

I start in Jan-Feb for a July arrival...and that seems the right time.

[Anonymous]

Like poster above, I like to start in february for my Labor Day arrival. I have matched as early as Feb and as late as Memorial Day. I'm very picky so I might be weeks without interviewing anyone, so I like to give myself as much time as possible. I sometimes register with multiple agencies to cast a wider net. We never extend either... I am alway eager for a clean fresh start.

[Anonymous]

Early May arrival here. Should I start looking soon? We traditionally matched in July and would start looking in January but last AP left early and we took an extension AP which has pushed our matching time to May (which I feel is not ideal but what can we do?)...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early May arrival here. Should I start looking soon? We traditionally matched in July and would start looking in January but last AP left early and we took an extension AP which has pushed our matching time to May (which I feel is not ideal but what can we do?)...

Can you afford a college-aged kid as a fill-in until at least June? May is not an easy arrival for anyone graduating from school.

[Anonymous]

We have had terrible luck finding back up care so I don’t think pushing the arrival back will work, sadly.

[Anonymous]

I would start looking in January. By then, you already have a decent candidate pool. I agree, May is not ideal, but at the same time, you have fewer competing families. Good luck, OP!