Anyone feeling the crunch as (AOG) MMI approaches?

WienerDog

West Point Class of 2018
5-Year Member
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Jun 5, 2012
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Anyone have any concerns or questions about heading out to MMI? I certainly do as DS is getting himself squared away. To any former AOG's - anything we need to know prior to hitting the road?
 
Great question! Scrubbing the packing list one last time this weekend and then...well....not much more to do than wait. Is there a need for a footlocker? Outside of that...looking forward to meeting everyone on the 12th!
 
Be ready for some stuff they purposefully don't list on the packing list that amazingly are available at the bookstore. I also regretted going to the AoG dinner the night before check in, which had nothing to do with the actual AoG, but did provide an opportunity to meet some other parents at a hefty price tag.

Overall, they have a great check-in process and you and your student will be made to feel welcome. The staff is very helpful and I thought overall, the year our DS spent at MMI was very positive in his development.

As with most things, you get out of it what you put into it. Talk to other parents and start networking on check-in day. You will bounce ideas off each other the entire year and can help each other out on different issues.

It will seem a bit spartan, but they will have everything they NEED! It was a great year for our DS and he made friends that he will have for a lifetime.
 
I would also recommend making reservations at the Sleep Inn in Marion, as it is the only "chain" hotel and ask for the Marion rate when you call.

We stayed on the NW side of Montgomery for check-in weekend and the drive took away from some of our time together. For Parents Weekend and Convocation we stayed at the Sleep Inn and we had a better time.

One other piece of advice- don't limit your networking to AoG Parents. Some of our son's best friends and our best Marion pals ended up going USAFA, Coast Guard or wherever.
 
Be ready for some stuff they purposefully don't list on the packing list that amazingly are available at the bookstore.
As I have gone through the checklist, I keep feeling like I am missing something....that makes sense.
Great question! Scrubbing the packing list one last time this weekend and then...well....not much more to do than wait. Is there a need for a footlocker? Outside of that...looking forward to meeting everyone on the 12th!
I also wondered, but figured that the footlocker is one that is left off of the list. It is not worth getting and trying to fit in the car and come down with the wrong dimensions!

Looking forward to meeting everyone on the 12th!
 
I just spoke with the director of auxiliary services, who's in charge of the bookstore and uniform department, and she says (and you might be able to confirm) that there were two lists sent in the admissions packet. The one where the footlocker is listed is the Uniform Issue list. These are items that will be issued by the school (including the footlocker). This way you can see where the uniform fees are going. You do not need purchase or pack any of the items on that list.

The second is the recommended packing list. This is the one with the white tee-shirts, underwear, personal care, etc. That is the list you should definitely check against. As was stated above, though, there are places, both on and off campus, where a cadet can get personal care and hygiene items if needed.

Let me address one more thing. There are no required items that are intentionally left off. If a student brings only the items listed in the recommended packing list, they will have enough to get by. As we all know, though, sometimes a few extra items, which are not required, do make life a bit easier. For example, surge protectors and power strips are not required, but are certainly a good idea. In addition, printers are not required as we have printers on campus, but when a student is finishing up a paper late in the evening, having one in the room is certainly a convenience.

The boards are a good place for information, but if you have any questions concerning packing and items needed, please contact the Admissions Department at 1-800-664-1842. They'll be more than happy to help you out!
 
Look we can play semantics all you want.

Bottom line is that we left the bookstore on check in day with right at $200 worth of gear that was not on the list sent to our DS prior to arrival. We could have bought it cheaper at home and that was my point.

The "items of convenience" were on the list when you got to Marion, why weren't they sent to the student before arrival? All of these items were miraculously available on campus. It just seemed underhanded, IMHO.

Again, the overall experience at Marion was outstanding. This part of the experience was lacking integrity, IMHO. We lived. We moved on. Nothing wrong with giving other folks who might be on a budget the heads-up, either.
 
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I had called to order my son a few 'MMI' items for high school graduation and spoke with Ms. Meisenheimer in the bookstore. (She is also the one in charge of uniforms.) She told me she had put together her own 'needs' list over the years and sent me a copy with my order. Here it is:
Band Aids/Moleskins (for blisters), Black backpack, Black Garment bag, bookends, CAT 5 cable, Command hooks, hand sanitizer, Iron/ironing board, laundry supplies (soap, fabric softener, starch), lighter (for getting rid of threads on uniforms), lint roller, Lysol spray, shower caddy/pouch for transporting soap, etc. to shower, sun screen/after sun care, surge protector, water bottle. Also under 'School Supplies' she has listed: art supplies if taking art classes, dry erase board and markers, highlighters, index cards, lab kit for chemistry classes (get from MMI), notebooks, paper, pencils/mechanical pencils, pens, printer/paper/ink, ruler, stapler/staples, TI-30 calculator for all math and science courses.

She also suggests contacting MMI to get your roommate info so you can coordinate and have one bring an iron/ironing board and one bring a printer.

Hope this helps! (My DS is doing the SAP program - USAFA).

Good luck to everyone.
 
I had a question about the calculator though - does anyone know if it has to be a TI-30?

Also I forgot to mention that most of the items on that list are available for purchase at the bookstore.
 
I had a question about the calculator though - does anyone know if it has to be a TI-30?

Also I forgot to mention that most of the items on that list are available for purchase at the bookstore.

I can answer that one. It has to be a scientific calculator, but not a graphing one. The TI-30 is just the most common one I've seen in class, but anything else that way fits the bill.

Phones are not allowed in class, and iPads and tablets can't be used on tests, so a standalone calculator is needed.
 
A little hint for people that do not know. MMI has a thrift store on campus in the bottom of Murfee Hall which is the Band Company barracks. The prices are not as low as they should be because it is all donated items in the first place but it is still a little cheaper then the uniform department if you do not mind slightly used.

I am a former cadet and more than willing to honestly answer questions anyone may have.
 
dhabs, thank you so much for passing along that list! I am getting everything ready to ship everything down to MMI today so it was perfect timing! Very helpful...

Nicole
 
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You're very welcome Nigel and thanks physicsguru for the calculator info!
 
I just wanted to issue a good luck to all the new recruits! It may sound silly, but honestly, my year at MMI has been the best one of my life so far. It is what you make it. Whenever I see someone on campus here at USAFA from MMI we all just have that bond, even if I didn't know them particularly well. You will have hard times and you will have great times- and you'll have a family that will be right there with you. I hope you all enjoy your prep year and realize what an opportunity it is.
 
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