Entrance Deposit Dropped

Objee

Former USCGA Admissions Staff
15-Year Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
763
The Superintendent has approved dropping the entrance deposit requirement for the Class of 2015. The Statement of Acceptance and Obligation (which is included in the full appointment package) has been updated, but it will take a while to strike all references to the entrance deposit from our website and publications. As always, please feel free to post questions here or ask your Admissions Officer directly.
 
Thanks for that info, Objee.

I think this is a tremendous thing for the Academy to do. In the current economy even middle-class families can find the deposit a hardship.

Hopefully this will also encourage underrepresented groups to apply in greater numbers.

A very positive step IMHO. :thumb:
 
USNA did this several years ago. Overall, it's very helpful. However, please note that the money still has to come from somewhere . . . that somewhere is the first year's stipend. With no money at the outset, more money is pulled from the cadet's paychecks.

The one downside . . . if the cadet leaves early, he/she will have a lot more money to pay back for initial uniform issue, etc. Hopefully, that won't be an issue for anyone here.
 
What about the monies already being collected from the CGAS Cadets at MMI and NMMI? Will that be reimbursed?
 
However, please note that the money still has to come from somewhere . . . that somewhere is the first year's stipend. With no money at the outset, more money is pulled from the cadet's paychecks.

You're correct that the money does have to come from somewhere, but CGA has decided it will come from our budget and not from the cadet's pockets. I'm not sure how USNA does it, maybe you're more familiar with their policy than ours, but the monthly "stipend" that our cadets currently receive will not change next year:

4/c - $150
3/c - $250
2/c - $350
1/c - $450
 
What about the monies already being collected from the CGAS Cadets at MMI and NMMI? Will that be reimbursed?

This issue is still being discussed within Admissions...the policy change was just approved yesterday, so it will take a while to fully implement and update associated policies like the CGAS monthly allotments. I'm guessing that each CGAS graduate would have the option of either getting the money reimbursed or keeping the funds in their Cadet Guardian Account...either way it's their money, but do they want it now or later?
 
I like the change. Amazing, with a shrinking budget they can afford to do that. I wonder which program has less money to work with now.

Guess we'll see less Coast Guard Band trips in the coming years.
 
You're correct that the money does have to come from somewhere, but CGA has decided it will come from our budget and not from the cadet's pockets. I'm not sure how USNA does it, maybe you're more familiar with their policy than ours, but the monthly "stipend" that our cadets currently receive will not change next year:

4/c - $150
3/c - $250
2/c - $350
1/c - $450

I should have been a bit more clear. For USNA, it doesn't come out of what the mids see each month but it does come from the amount they are paid. USNA puts the amount each money a mid "earns" in an account. Most of that pays for uniforms, books, etc. And, mids get the stipend, which is similar to the amounts cited above and represents the portion of their earnings that they actually see in "cash" each month. Whatever is left in the account at the end is given to the mid upon graduation. Now, they still get the same monthly stipend (that they see) but get less at graduation than they did in my day. Or at least that is how it was explained to the BGOs.

If USCGA is covering this cost, good for them!:thumb:
 
I wonder if this has any connection to the newly installed wireless in Chase hall. I recall that a good portion of the entrance fee (about 3000 dollars) went to the computer (a dell Precision M4300....and for later classes some type of apple computer...). Unless I'm mistaken on what the entrance fee was for, I think it was for the computers and all the different initial uniforms etc.

Soon to be completed, the cadet barracks will now have wireless internet access. Previously, cadets could only use imaged laptops that met certain requirements and following a modified DHS internet usage policy. However, with this new internet, you can now use any type of computer and even use the wifi with your phones or game systems. I guess this will mean that you don't need to purchased a required laptop, which would mean that the fee wouldn't be nearly as high = ability for academy to take out of budget.
 
The USCGA is following suit with USNA which dropped its deposit a couple of years ago. Mids are still issued computer equipment and I imagine there will still be very strict protocols that cadets will have to follow.
I'm sure Objee can confirm this but I'm sure it just means that the cadet begins with a higher white card balance that will be paid off through the years.
The laptop that was issued for the Class of 14 was an MacBook Pro 15" and a VERY nice computer! (Our cadet didn't was us touching it when they were home at T'Giving :eek:)
 
I'm sure Objee can confirm this but I'm sure it just means that the cadet begins with a higher white card balance that will be paid off through the years.

Correct...I wasn't involved in the working group that studied whether the entrance deposit could be dropped (or at least lowered) for the Class of 2015, but I believe they found almost all our graduates during the past 5-10 years have had $4,000-$5,000 in their Cadet "guardian" checking accounts at graduation. So dropping the entrance deposit will still allow graduates a little "bonus" of $1,000-$2,000 at graduation while saving themselves (or their parents) the $3,000 up front.
 
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