https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 13:32:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748657 Sat, 17 Jun 2017 07:58:59 +0000 lawbee11 2748657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We toured in January, registration was in March, she started in August. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748655 Sat, 17 Jun 2017 07:44:54 +0000 Corduroy 2748655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Registration here happens in Jan/Feb. I planned to keep DD in daycare until 4 and then do a year of preschool but I changed my mind in August. I called about a dozen places. Two had opening for that fall. Some had waiting lists so long I could put my son (18 mo at the time) on the list and he'd be on the older side when he'd get in. Some waiting lists had expensive fees with no timelines for openings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748575 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 20:48:21 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2748575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I feel like I'm way behind by just beginning to think about preschool with my 2yo! Mil just sent me some info about 2 co-op preschools nearer her, and we'll probably go to their open house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748561 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 20:06:50 +0000 raspberries 2748561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: Our daycare has a preschool in the same building, but it's a separate program - they don't give preference to kids who attended the daycare, unfortunately.</p> <p>@Foodnerd81: Ha, I emailed them today just in case, but I'm fully expecting a reply that's like, "Yeeeahhh... let's set up a tour in three or four months." And aside from personal recommendations from a couple of people who know and love it, the main reason why this particular preschool is in our top spot right now is it's super convenient location in Belmont, directly on both DH and my route to work. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748549 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:17:51 +0000 SweetiePie 2748549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In NYC you apply a full year before. So for this year Sept 2017 applications started in I think October or Nov 2016. You find out in March whether they got in.<br /> That being said, I don't think the whole process is as crazy as it used to be, thanks to technology. At least it wasn't for us. And I've heard from several people that despite missing deadlines they were still able to get into some great schools by asking once they had an idea of how many accepted and were actually attending the school. So I would say all hope isn't lost, unless you are in a town that literally has like 1 preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748548 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:11:55 +0000 Foodnerd81 2748548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: also in MA! And yeah most places I have seen have the 2 years 9 months and potty trained requirement. It seems like if it is a school year start then you are probably ok waiting until the fall to be serious, but if you have a first choice it can't hurt to look! We were seriously looking at your town before we moved but ended up a little further south of you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748546 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:09:07 +0000 ShootingStar 2748546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pachamama: In MA all the preschools start at 2 years, 9 months because that's how the state laws define "preschooler". </p> <p>We send our kids to daycare so we don't have to worry about preschool admissions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748543 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:00:22 +0000 tysonja 2748543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>in our area applications open around october of the year before. if you wait until the new year it doesn't mean you won't get in, but better chances earlier :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748514 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 17:54:31 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2748514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: we decided to start earlier than planned and by stroke of luck got in. Now for the same school there is a waitlist for sure! </p> <p>The second time we had to look (although we ended up registering for public school TK instead) we started in the late winter for the following fall. Got in off the wait list in May for the fall but turned down the spot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748403 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:56:15 +0000 caterw 2748403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jape14: Our experience here is similar- preschool registration is December or January for the upcoming year and all of them have a ranking system based on if you have a sibling who has attended and the order of your application (church preschools have an added ranking of whether or not you belong to the church). I would advise applying the morning of the registration opening date if you are looking at a competitive school- we applied my daughter via email exactly at 9 am on the first registration date and a friend who applied the following day got wait listed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748397 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:51:47 +0000 pachamama 2748397@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: yeah 3 around here is full preschool. 2.9?! what does that even mean? would a few weeks of age matter? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748385 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:38:02 +0000 MrsF 2748385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: I think we started in February for a September spot (I'm really not sure when they fill up but I know that our preschool does fill in advance). I'm in MA too - a bit further outside of Boston than you are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748380 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:22:30 +0000 raspberries 2748380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pachamama: I'm in Massachusetts, and I think of "preschools" as starting at 3 years old (or I guess some places say 2.9 or whatever.) Most of the places I'm looking at have a requirement for being potty trained before starting though, so I guess I'll just hope we get to that point before he has to start?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748370 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:08:53 +0000 pachamama 2748370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd say around here we start looking 6m in advance </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748369 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:08:24 +0000 pachamama 2748369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raspberries: I don't understand the difference between preschools and daycares for 18m/ 2 year olds honestly (we starting looking now, at 17 months) which is when my area starts offering some nice options.... I know NY says kids can only go to "preschool" 2 hours a day and the structure is more... structured. But I don't get the semantics I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748348 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 12:34:47 +0000 dolphin 2748348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are a few preschools where I put her name on the waiting list as soon as she is born. As for touring the schools, usually one year ahead of time and then enroll in the Spring so she can start in the Fall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748342 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 12:28:17 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2748342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will start looking this fall when my daughter turns 2, so that she can have a spot somewhere next fall when she's turning 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748316 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:41:45 +0000 raspberries 2748316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ahh, this is terrifying! I'm emailing our first choice now. :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748309 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:30:16 +0000 Foodnerd81 2748309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my area, it seems like most parents start looking in the fall before the kids will start- open houses and such seem to be October and November. Then applications go in January-ish. I think some schools and specific classes are more and less selective. </p> <p>What I did was buy a house in early August and immediately contact the preschools in the area to see who had an opening for a newly 3 year old. I totally lucked out and there was one opening due to a cancellation over the summer at the school that had been recommended by a few different people. She actually started school a few days before we moved in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748283 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:05:27 +0000 gingerbebe 2748283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The preschool we had originally wanted to send DS1 to is not like some crazy prestigious place - it's at a church - but even so their application situation was intense! They accept them on a certain day in February, first come, first served, so parents were literally camped out in the parking lot in freezing temps starting at 2am. The office didn't open until 7! By 630am they had 40 applications and were done. DH called it toddler thunder dome.</p> <p>We ended up elsewhere and will likely just send our kids to our current daycare through pre-K, partially because we are already in here (it was a paid waitlist situation on a rolling basis and DS1 waited 10 months to get into his 2's program and DS2 didn't get into the infant room until he was 11 months old - and we put him on the list when I was 12 weeks pregnant!!!). Again, not a prestigious crazy school, just a local church program!</p> <p>Basically, look into it now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748279 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:56:09 +0000 hellobeeboston 2748279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found it to be school dependent. We ended up with a private Nature Preschool and they have a rolling admissions depending on space, BUT they hold their open houses in the winter and all spaces were filled by April.</p> <p>The school-based one I looked into had open houses in February and began admissions then... I think it just really depends on space and what kind of timing you want. I think preference is often given to "full time" over part time.</p> <p>If you want her in preschool for Fall of 2018, I would look this winter to apply. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748275 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:38:40 +0000 looch 2748275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, we had a rather turbulent enrollment process because of some forces outside of our control. I was able to get my son a spot for September in late spring, but it wasn't my first choice of the session (morning vs afternoon). That then gave my son priority for registration the following year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748272 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:32:59 +0000 Freckles 2748272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For DD's preschool, they let parents know in February if their child is admitted for the September school year. We put our names down 1 year ahead of time. In our area, you typically need to put names down 1-1.5 years before the start date. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748269 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:30:50 +0000 jape14 2748269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This probably depends on your area, but where I live, preschool registration seems to be in January for most schools. There's generally a priority ranking of current students, siblings of current students, members of the church (if applicable), then general public, etc. Most schools will probably have the registration details from last year on their websites, so that can help with planning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748268 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:24:42 +0000 LBee 2748268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would think it was school dependent. Our school is incredibly competitive to get into and if you want to be considered you have to actually call on a certain morning (usually in January), leave a voicemail, and then they call back and say if you got in or not. It's kind of insane. They also have to already have your application in and payment. </p> <p>We were lucky that we already went there for Mother's Day Out so he was automatically "in," but if he wasn't I would have started reaching out in September the year before he was supposed to start to different schools. I would have then made a spreadsheet concerning what each school's protocol was for applying and toured / acted accordingly.</p> <p>ETA: If you have 1 or 2 top choices, I would email and just ask if there is an existing list. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-looking-at-preschools#post-2748267 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:18:24 +0000 raspberries 2748267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How early do you start looking at preschools? Are they like daycares where you need to start as early as possible, or is there a general time when everyone is shopping around and you're more or less likely to get into the one you want?</p> <p>I know most preschools run on a school-year basis, so if the school year starts in September, do you start looking the spring before? My LO turns 2 at the end of July, so we've still got a while to go, but I overheard some coworkers talking about not getting into their first choices for this fall and now I'm nervous! </p>