Devil's advocate here.
If I were setting on the committee I would have some financial questions for you.
1. Let's assume it is 20 bucks for each, including mailing.
~~~~ Have you calculated the cost for all of the applicants admitted? What is the matriculation rate? 40%, 50%, 60%?
~~~~ How do you justify the cost for the 60, 50, 40% that do not attend, if it is 1000 that do not matriculate at the cost of 20 bucks a pop? 20K is a part time staff member. That number is just for those that don't attend.
~~~~ If 3500 are offered admittance, you are looking at a cost of 70K. a yr. A full time staff member. As a cadet is that one pretty folder you and 3500 other applicants worth one or two less staff member in admission, bursar, library, janitorial services, etc?
2. Have you looked at their operating budget? Or is this money going to come from the endowment fund?
~~~~ Citadel compared to most colleges has a small endowment fund. I.E. theirs is 200 MN, VMI is 330 MN.
~~~~ Where will you suggest to take that funding from?
3.As others have stated, isn't this more like keeping up with the Joneses?
~~~~ You obviously got the thin Congrats letter, but still matriculated. I don't know if you applied to other SMCs, but if you did, and you got the pretty folders, why did you opt the Citadel over them?
~~~~ Can you answer that question? Honestly, colleges, even SMCs are businesses too. You need to prove to them why that cost will result in gains compared to not paying that cost. I am not sure as a cadet you can sell that.
Personally, I think your idea is great, but I doubt you are the 1st to come up with it. You however, maybe the 1st to get it through if you can answer why the cost is important.
The Citadel is 40K+ a yr for an OOS cadet. Have you thought about how it could also impact the amount given for merit scholarships? As a parent of 3 college students (1 graduated 12, 1 at VT 14, and 1 2016), I would prefer that my costs due in Aug get the benefit than a folder at HS ceremony night.
OBTW, our eldest that was AFROTC scholarship. He got the pretty folder at his HS ceremony for his presentation. Don't ask me where it is at, he didn't take it off to college, and I probably pitched it last yr when he got the important blue leather folder....AF commissioning.
Not trying to be rude, but when you commission is 3 yrs. That Citadel folder will play 2nd and 3rd fiddle to your Citadel diploma, and your Army Commissioning. In 5 yrs from commissioning you won't have enough room on your I LOVE ME WALL/ROOM for that certificate. Nor will you want it to go against your PCS weight allowance.
This maybe a reason the Citadel doesn't do it. They may see it as a cost benefit analysis with no benefit for the cost.