Deposit Before Admission

CrazyHorse

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
67
Hello,
I see there is a non refundable deposit of $2,000.00 (YIKES) before R-Day.
Does anyone know when this is due?
 
from Instructions for Applicants Offered Admission on bottom of page 8:

...should send their deposit prior to July 1, 2012.
 
what is it for?

If things are the same as for when I was a cadet (C/O 2001), it is to offset the cost of all the uniforms, equipment, books, and stuff you get. Not paying won't adversely affect your admittance, you will just get less per month in your stipend.
 
That's good to hear, because my parents aren't paying squat and I dont exactly have $2000 on hand :rolleyes:
 
To quote:

At the U.S. Military Academy, cadets are not charged
for tuition, room, board, medical and dental expenses.
Cadets are responsible for certain costs, including academic
supplies, required equipment, a personal computer, personal
services, and laundry and dry cleaning.

To help a cadet meet these expenses, a cadet earns a
monthly paycheck and receives a $5,060 pay advance.
This pay advance is necessary because cadet expenses
accrue faster than cadet pay during the first few months
at the Academy. In addition, the cadet or cadet’s family
should make an initial deposit of $2,900.00 prior to his or
her arrival to pay for expenses incurred before receiving
the first paycheck. If you are unable to make the deposit,
please contact the Treasurer, USMA prior to arrival. This
deposit is nonrefundable after the cadet reports to USMA
on Reception Day. Questions may be addressed to the
Treasurer, USMA at (845) 938-4262, or write the Treasurer,
USMA, Official Mail and Distribution Center, 646 Swift
Road, West Point, NY 10996-1905.

Two accounts are used to help cadets manage their
funds. One is their own personal checking account and the
other is known as the “Cadet Account” managed by the
Treasurer, USMA.

The Cadet Account is opened upon receipt of the initial
deposit. In addition to the initial deposit, the $5,060 pay
advance and a monthly portion of the cadet’s pay are
credited to the account. One of the primary purposes of
the Cadet Account is to assist the cadet in saving for future
expenses. The funds in the Cadet Account will be used
to pay for textbooks, uniforms, Academy fees, a personal
computer, academic supplies, equipment, and some
optional purchases made available to cadets.

From c/o 2011 Information for New Cadets and Parents

Out of date, but probably still good information.
 
To quote:

At the U.S. Military Academy, cadets are not charged
for tuition, room, board, medical and dental expenses.
Cadets are responsible for certain costs, including academic
supplies, required equipment, a personal computer, personal
services, and laundry and dry cleaning.

To help a cadet meet these expenses, a cadet earns a
monthly paycheck and receives a $5,060 pay advance.
This pay advance is necessary because cadet expenses
accrue faster than cadet pay during the first few months
at the Academy. In addition, the cadet or cadet’s family
should make an initial deposit of $2,900.00 prior to his or
her arrival to pay for expenses incurred before receiving
the first paycheck. If you are unable to make the deposit,
please contact the Treasurer, USMA prior to arrival. This
deposit is nonrefundable after the cadet reports to USMA
on Reception Day. Questions may be addressed to the
Treasurer, USMA at (845) 938-4262, or write the Treasurer,
USMA, Official Mail and Distribution Center, 646 Swift
Road, West Point, NY 10996-1905.

Two accounts are used to help cadets manage their
funds. One is their own personal checking account and the
other is known as the “Cadet Account” managed by the
Treasurer, USMA.

The Cadet Account is opened upon receipt of the initial
deposit. In addition to the initial deposit, the $5,060 pay
advance and a monthly portion of the cadet’s pay are
credited to the account. One of the primary purposes of
the Cadet Account is to assist the cadet in saving for future
expenses. The funds in the Cadet Account will be used
to pay for textbooks, uniforms, Academy fees, a personal
computer, academic supplies, equipment, and some
optional purchases made available to cadets.

From c/o 2011 Information for New Cadets and Parents

Out of date, but probably still good information.

The updated (class of 2016) instruction packet cites a $7,200 pay advance, with a $2,000 initial deposit :)
 
Serious question: If you planned on your Plan B happening in the event of not receiving an appointment to the Academy, wouldn't you have $2-3k saved up at a minimum to attend a "regular" school?
 
Serious question: If you planned on your Plan B happening in the event of not receiving an appointment to the Academy, wouldn't you have $2-3k saved up at a minimum to attend a "regular" school?

Not if your plan B involves a full ride
 
Call admissions, tell them you do not have the deposit, they will help you work something out for it. My son's plebe year an old grad paid his for him.
 
Not if your plan B involves a full ride

As stated above, lack of the $2000 does not seem to put you in any jeopardy, they'll just take more from your monthly stipend. But even with a full ride at your Plan B school you probably would need to show up with some money to buy pens and books and incidentals for your room, or even an occasional slice of pizza at the local townie pizza joint. :wink:

Also, and this is just a thought that occurred to me based on your concern about cash, so I may be way off base: I sincerely hope that you didn't end up applying to WP primarily because it is (and here comes the word that makes me shudder whenever someone uses it in their response to me mentioning that I am going to WP) a "FREE" education. From your other posts on here, I think not, since you seem to have a good perspective on what WP involves, but figured I'd point out the obvious downside of that thought process if it is one of the main things that put USMA on your map (or your parents' map) to begin with.

Congrats on making it to new cadet and see you in the mud!

- James
 
Good post Simpleman & Violin,
Reading Cadets previous responses, I felt they were a little "cheeky"! By obtaining an appointment you are given an opportunity thousands would walk on fire for. You didn't get to where you are now by being a dumb bunny! If you are required to pony up @ $2000 (up front costs of uniforms, computer...) then prepare to come up with it! Find a job, save your graduation money, sell your car.... You have plenty of time to raise that money! If your dream is to become an officer in the US Army and in the process get a first rate West Point education, raising 2 grand should not stand in your way!
PS- Don't throw your other "full boat" out there! It just doesn't sound good.
 
This is NOT a big deal for the treasurer's office. Many cadets come from home situations where $2k is not a possibility-- they come to USMA with the clothes on their backs and that's about it -- and have to send a poriton of their cadet pay home. It's OK to say you don't have it; your stipend is reduced, so not so much pizza plebe year, but please, pleaes try to enjoy the rest of senior year. This is a problem that can be solved easily,
 
Maybe you should get a job! There are still several months until R day.

I've actually had a job since I was 11 years old as a paper carrier, it is what made me so independent. I can promise you I have plenty of money, its just nothing I can touch. I started a Roth IRA way back and put virtually everything into it except when I bought my own car at the age of 15. And we all know WP isn't "free" because 1. it's priceless, and 2. you owe them virtually 8+ years of your life. If i have to get it taken out of my stipend then that's what I will do. I do have one more question, however. If you won $2000 scholarship (i.e. an essay contest) awarded to you for use at any college, could that cover the cost?
 
I've actually had a job since I was 11 years old as a paper carrier, it is what made me so independent. I can promise you I have plenty of money, its just nothing I can touch. I started a Roth IRA way back and put virtually everything into it except when I bought my own car at the age of 15. And we all know WP isn't "free" because 1. it's priceless, and 2. you owe them virtually 8+ years of your life. If i have to get it taken out of my stipend then that's what I will do. I do have one more question, however. If you won $2000 scholarship (i.e. an essay contest) awarded to you for use at any college, could that cover the cost?

From what I understand (I think I saw it from the "Instructions" pdf on the portal?), any scholarships you receive can be signed over and into your account at WP, as long as the scholarship does not have any restrictions of any kind (e.g. "Must be applied to tuition, room & board" or "Student must maintain a minmum GPA of 3.2", etc). As long as the scholarship is a "free and clear" award, then I think you should be all set. Of course the best scholarships are the ones (usually local or from outside groups) where they just hand you a check and you can use it for whatever you want. There are other threads on here where this is discussed but I didn't have the time to search for them. Good luck!
 
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