$50 deposit for a daycare waiting list?!

californiafrog7905

Is this typical??  I'm looking at this place called StarChild Academy in Orlando (they have 5 locations, independently operated, apparently, as franchises), and one place put us on a really loooooong waiting list for free, but the other one wants money and paperwork.  Didn't expect that.  But the place overall (at least online) looks decent enough (trying not to let the word "Academy" sway my judgment...trying very, very hard...), so is it worth it?  I don't know what our chances are of getting in to this place by this summer, but I figured I needed to start hunting now.  Ugggghhhhhh....

MelissaS79

I am not sure if this would be considered the same but we paid $125 for an application fee for our son's daycare...and that basically reserved us a spot. However, if there had been a waiting list, we still would have had to pay $125 to put him on there. So I guess all in all that would be the same. My sister thought I was nuts. haha.

 Melissa
 

GTLawGirl

I paid $75 (non-refundable) deposit (aka 'processing fee') for my daycare waiting list spot.

It seems to be typical, at least for in-town daycares.

UGAbride

I can see that, otherwise people are just going to put their name in all over town.  Why does the word academy bother you?

californiafrog7905

Thanks everyone; got more information and I'm going to hold off on the place that wants $50 for the waiting list for now.  I'm not bothered by the word academy at all; quite the opposite!  Just trying not to let that word skew my judgment into thinking the places are nicer than they might really be, just b/c that's part of the name. 

slwprincess

Don't pay anything until you see it in person, just my opinion.

Daisy22

We paid $50-75 for all three waitlists that we're on here in midtown. So to me that doesn't sound odd at all.

hthomas02

yeah we paid $100 for an application fee for a place that had a lottery drawing for 2 open spots and like 1,000 applicants, ha!  but yeah, we've paid a good bit of money on application fees alone for places we never got into.

kat1221

Well, I think it is TOTAL BS!  I went to several schools that wanted anywhere from $50-$100 for an "application fee".  I think it's a racket. 

As far as people putting their names on lists all over town...who cares...there are waiting lists EVERYWHERE so if your family doesn't take the open slot then someone else will.

 

I mean, I don't mind paying an "application fee" if I know there is actually going to have a space for my kid.

 

Can you tell this really bothers me?

almostanO

We paid $40, $100 $125 for our daycare wait lists.  There was one we are on that was free but most of them had deposits.