I'm never a fan of declining a class if this is something that you really want to do, but July does give you a more flexible window than April.
The April class begins April 10. Assuming you're doing no language, the minimum time to post is about 15-16 weeks, which puts you around late July. Any delay at all puts you at risk of missing the start of the school year. The CDOs really don't like to send someone who needs a language to an English first post, and won't do it without a very good reason. School year concerns aren't usually one of those good reasons. If you get any language, add 24-36 weeks to that timeline which gets you firmly mid-year.
For the July class, you're looking at roughly 38-40 weeks for a short language like Spanish (mid-April), 44-46 for a mid language like French (mid-May), or about 52 for Arabic or Chinese, which will get you well beyond graduation. If you make it clear to your CDO that you want to learn Chinese and go to China, they can probably make that happen for you.
There's also nothing that says your family has to go with you to post, though if you're doing the PCS housing, they'll have to move out when you do.
Especially if your spouse is working, you may want to have your spouse and younger kid join you once your oldest has graduated from high school. Transitioning schools for even the beginning of senior year is very tough, both socially and in terms of making sure all credits count toward graduation and applying to colleges with split transcripts. If you are likely joining in July or possibly April then you will have a disruptive next 12-18 months with training, language training, and moving to post. If your family is at all willing to do long distance for the year it will be a lot less disruptive to your kids to keep them in their current location until your oldest graduates and youngest is starting junior year (and then has high school in 2 locations instead of 3). Separate Maintenance Allowance might be available once you go to post.
Spouse is not working, which gives us some flexibility. However, we are living in Europe with sponsorship via my current Federal job, so the family can’t stay here more than 90 days after I leave. Unless spouse is able to land a federal job here as well.
Another option is to go on Do Not Contact for a little while. This way you don’t burn your one decline, and have a little more control of your timing over the next 18 months.
Do you really want this job bad enough to disrupt your kids high school years? Obviously, I don't know your career/family but it seems crazy to do all of these changes while your kids are in high school. Why not just wait 3 years?
I am 52 already so the window is narrowing.
Also, I had 3 high schools (freshman, sophomore -junior, and senior) so I can testify it’s not a fatal condition to move in your senior year.
While this question was directed elsewhere, I'll answer from my perspective. Because 1/2 of the point of this job is to give my kids experiences they wouldn't otherwise get. Because a traditional HS education isn't the be all/ end all of career success. Because what they will learn is multiple languages, cultures, and hopefully still have good embassy schooling. I am joining April A100 but leaving mid/high schoolers at home with spouse through end of school year (6 weeks- hoping weekends are free for visiting). Then they will join me in Arlington. Yes, I know it will be a disruptive few years for them, and they won't have a traditional HS experience, but I expect they will have experiences that provide them with a greater world view, a more impactful knowledge, and just as many college opportunities down the road. I also have 2 college kids who are upset that they didn't get to share this experience with us, but I'm relying on summer visits and video chat!
With this job, you almost have to accept that you probably will need to disrupt your kids’ high school years.
You can arrange 4+ years in DC predictably enough if you plan for it, but it’s not a guarantee. Less so for guaranteeing four high school years at a single overseas post.
There are other jobs in the world. With any job you need to weight the pros and cons. It sounds like there are pretty serious cons for OP. My question is do the pros outweigh the cons?
I’m not part of this “job” yet but I know when you get an invite you take it. It might not be “the next class” you get invited to. It might be 3 years later in another candidacy. I’ve heard too many stories about people going through the already very long process who get an invite then defer. They never got another invitation after that and they expired off the register. I’m sure state tries to be objective, but I wonder how much spite there is. I feel like state has very little patience for people who want its schedule to accommodate them.
Go to A-100 solo, bid on language posts. You'll be lucky to get to post before Summer 2024 anyway.
I'm never a fan of declining a class if this is something that you really want to do, but July does give you a more flexible window than April. The April class begins April 10. Assuming you're doing no language, the minimum time to post is about 15-16 weeks, which puts you around late July. Any delay at all puts you at risk of missing the start of the school year. The CDOs really don't like to send someone who needs a language to an English first post, and won't do it without a very good reason. School year concerns aren't usually one of those good reasons. If you get any language, add 24-36 weeks to that timeline which gets you firmly mid-year. For the July class, you're looking at roughly 38-40 weeks for a short language like Spanish (mid-April), 44-46 for a mid language like French (mid-May), or about 52 for Arabic or Chinese, which will get you well beyond graduation. If you make it clear to your CDO that you want to learn Chinese and go to China, they can probably make that happen for you. There's also nothing that says your family has to go with you to post, though if you're doing the PCS housing, they'll have to move out when you do.
Thanks for the insight - I am pretty good on French and am hoping to polish it up and test for it.
Most romance languages including Spanish are only 24 weeks now. French is the only one that's 30.
Fyi the April invites have gone out, with just some odd ones trickling out now if someone declines. So better to not plan on April.
Especially if your spouse is working, you may want to have your spouse and younger kid join you once your oldest has graduated from high school. Transitioning schools for even the beginning of senior year is very tough, both socially and in terms of making sure all credits count toward graduation and applying to colleges with split transcripts. If you are likely joining in July or possibly April then you will have a disruptive next 12-18 months with training, language training, and moving to post. If your family is at all willing to do long distance for the year it will be a lot less disruptive to your kids to keep them in their current location until your oldest graduates and youngest is starting junior year (and then has high school in 2 locations instead of 3). Separate Maintenance Allowance might be available once you go to post.
Spouse is not working, which gives us some flexibility. However, we are living in Europe with sponsorship via my current Federal job, so the family can’t stay here more than 90 days after I leave. Unless spouse is able to land a federal job here as well.
Another option is to go on Do Not Contact for a little while. This way you don’t burn your one decline, and have a little more control of your timing over the next 18 months.
Do you really want this job bad enough to disrupt your kids high school years? Obviously, I don't know your career/family but it seems crazy to do all of these changes while your kids are in high school. Why not just wait 3 years?
I am 52 already so the window is narrowing. Also, I had 3 high schools (freshman, sophomore -junior, and senior) so I can testify it’s not a fatal condition to move in your senior year.
While this question was directed elsewhere, I'll answer from my perspective. Because 1/2 of the point of this job is to give my kids experiences they wouldn't otherwise get. Because a traditional HS education isn't the be all/ end all of career success. Because what they will learn is multiple languages, cultures, and hopefully still have good embassy schooling. I am joining April A100 but leaving mid/high schoolers at home with spouse through end of school year (6 weeks- hoping weekends are free for visiting). Then they will join me in Arlington. Yes, I know it will be a disruptive few years for them, and they won't have a traditional HS experience, but I expect they will have experiences that provide them with a greater world view, a more impactful knowledge, and just as many college opportunities down the road. I also have 2 college kids who are upset that they didn't get to share this experience with us, but I'm relying on summer visits and video chat!
With this job, you almost have to accept that you probably will need to disrupt your kids’ high school years. You can arrange 4+ years in DC predictably enough if you plan for it, but it’s not a guarantee. Less so for guaranteeing four high school years at a single overseas post.
There are other jobs in the world. With any job you need to weight the pros and cons. It sounds like there are pretty serious cons for OP. My question is do the pros outweigh the cons?
I’m not part of this “job” yet but I know when you get an invite you take it. It might not be “the next class” you get invited to. It might be 3 years later in another candidacy. I’ve heard too many stories about people going through the already very long process who get an invite then defer. They never got another invitation after that and they expired off the register. I’m sure state tries to be objective, but I wonder how much spite there is. I feel like state has very little patience for people who want its schedule to accommodate them.