Spring DCP Before Early May Graduation?

[ranelson38]

I am planning to apply for the DCP in the future whether it is before or after I graduate. I have the possibility of graduating a semester early (next fall) so I am considering applying for next spring, but my concern is if I would be able to come home in early may to attend my graduation and get my diploma? The reason I am considering this is so that I would have two opportunities to apply to the program before becoming ineligible to apply.
So my questions are...
-Has anyone else been in this situation?
-What are the earliest dates (beginning and end) for the Spring DCP?
-Would it be possible to ask for time off during this short period of time?

 

[softball chick]

I am a 2016 Spring Advantage Alumni who was in this exact position. I finished school a semester early but still wanted to walk with my original class so I came home for my graduation in May. I requested the days off of work as soon as I possibly could - two were approved and then I was wait listed for the other two. I talked to my leader about that and she said to see what happened as we got closer to the actual weekend. She assured me that she would help me make sure that I could get home that weekend since it was for something as big as my own college graduation.

Fast forward to the actual weekend, and I never got off the waiting list for those two days. So what I did instead was I gave away/traded shifts with people in my area to get those two days off. There were always plenty of part time CMs or other CPs who were eager to help me. To make sure that I still made rent, I worked a ton before I left (I think I remember it being 11 days straight of work leading up to my trip home). It all worked out perfectly, I had the 4 days in a row I needed, and I was able to get home for my graduation.

Now this was 4 years ago - I know the process of swapping shifts has changed for CPs a little since I was there so it might be a little different now. But from my experience, this was totally possible. To answer your dates questions, I know my program started on Jan 11th and I was the first arrival date that year. I did the advantage so my end wasn't until August, but I do remember people having end dates in May if they were just doing the Spring program - I just don't know specifics.

 

[ranelson38]

I am a 2016 Spring Advantage Alumni who was in this exact position. I finished school a semester early but still wanted to walk with my original class so I came home for my graduation in May. I requested the days off of work as soon as I possibly could - two were approved and then I was wait listed for the other two. I talked to my leader about that and she said to see what happened as we got closer to the actual weekend. She assured me that she would help me make sure that I could get home that weekend since it was for something as big as my own college graduation.

Fast forward to the actual weekend, and I never got off the waiting list for those two days. So what I did instead was I gave away/traded shifts with people in my area to get those two days off. There were always plenty of part time CMs or other CPs who were eager to help me. To make sure that I still made rent, I worked a ton before I left (I think I remember it being 11 days straight of work leading up to my trip home). It all worked out perfectly, I had the 4 days in a row I needed, and I was able to get home for my graduation.

Now this was 4 years ago - I know the process of swapping shifts has changed for CPs a little since I was there so it might be a little different now. But from my experience, this was totally possible. To answer your dates questions, I know my program started on Jan 11th and I was the first arrival date that year. I did the advantage so my end wasn't until August, but I do remember people having end dates in May if they were just doing the Spring program - I just don't know specifics.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! That is what what I was thinking I might be able to do if I could at least get two days off and a little more since graduation is only a day and a half here. Just enough time to fly home graduate and then come back all while being able to hopefully get a program in during that gap period. We will have to see if things pan out that way once we get through the next few months! Thank you again softball chick!

 

[jeneric997]

I think my daughter was given as early as April 28th for an end date. She picked May 14th, but there were earlier dates.