The plebe year, or first year, at West Point offers only a few weekends free; the cadets live in the barracks and are engaged in core engineering, chemistry, physics and leadership classes from the beginning. They have 26 credits of core classes before taking the remaining 40 hours of electives. Buy her a gift that will help organize her busy life, such as a PDA or smart phone. Consider buying an external hard drive for her to back up important projects or a high-quality sports watch that will help her stay on time.
The athletic program at West Point is tough, to prepare the cadets for leadership and train them for possible combat. The Department of Physical Education "Develops warrior leaders of character who are physically and mentally tough by engaging cadets in activities that promote and enhance a healthy lifestyle, physical fitness, movement behavior and psychomotor performance," says the Department of Physical Education's website. Buy the cadet-to-be quality exercise clothes or shoes. Workout gear will be used regularly, if not daily, and he will appreciate having a several pairs of clothes or an extra pair of running shoes to work out in.
West Point boasts over 100 extracurricular clubs. Find out what the high school graduate intends to participate in and buy her something appropriate. If she's interested in music -- the glee club, brass band or marching band -- she will enjoy a CD of music made by one of the groups. If the students is a sports fan, buy her a jersey or sweatshirt bearing the West Point logo.
The dorms at West Point are shared by two or more cadets, leaving little personal space. The Cadet Life website states, "There are some space restrictions that may limit the number of printers in each room." Choose some space-saving gifts that will help the new cadet feel comfortable. Hanging shelves that can attach to the closet rods in his closet will help organize his clothes; a lap desk can give a comfortable option for him to sit in bed (the only soft area in the room) while he types or reads. Consider buying him an e-reader -- many of the heavy textbooks are available in electronic form -- a much lighter option.