Dear Parent,

Welcome to Hampden-Sydney College.  Knowing that the next few months will be both busy and exciting as you and your son prepare for College; I wanted to acquaint you with some of the Bookstore’s services, which may ease your son’s transition to collegiate life.  I know from experience that most parents worry about their children’s eating and studying habits at college, and while you cannot actually be there to make certain that they do these things correctly, you can provide them with every opportunity to do so with a Prepaid Declining Balance Account.
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A Prepaid Declining Balance Account can be used at the Bookstore, Tiger Inn and Coffee Shop, or to purchase tickets for admission to the College Activity Committee’s various events.  Your son can use his Prepaid Account to purchase his textbooks online, via the Tiger Web.  All that is required is a valid student ID number, PIN number, and course schedule. You have complete flexibility and maximum control with the Declining Balance Account, you determine how much and how often to deposit.  There is no fee to establish the account and no minimum balance to maintain.  Any unused balance is carried forward to the next semester.  This method of payment is fast, convenient, and safe.  Although amounts vary widely, based on academic major and other factors, we find that our students spend an average of $600.00 on textbooks and $100.00 on supplies and snacks in any given semester.  Establish a Prepaid Declining Balance Account for your son or add funds to an existing account online.  Parents may also add funds to the account by check (made payable to the H-SC Bookstore) or telephone with their credit card (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover) and the student’s ID number.

The account is activated by the student’s ID card.  The cashier scans the student’s card at the point of sale, allowing him to purchase textbooks, food, supplies, coffee, gifts, or clothing.  The credit balance is instantly reduced by the amount of the purchase, and the remaining balance is printed on the receipt.  Parents and students are responsible for determining and enforcing any purchasing restrictions on the account.  Cash withdrawals from the account are not permitted, and money deposited to the account will be refunded only upon graduation, withdrawal, or dismissal from the college.  Statements are mailed out the first business day of the month for prior month’s activity.  Should you have a question, please feel free to call or email us for more information. 
  
The Bookstore also extends check-cashing privileges to our students up to $250.00 per day.  Hampden-Sydney students may also take advantage of ATM services 24 hours a day, courtesy of Wachovia Bank.  For more information, please call Wachovia’s Farmville office at (434) 392-6121.
 
The Hampden-Sydney Bookstore stocks a wide variety of College merchandise, including clothing, gifts, and even some furniture items.  We are able to order practically any special book or software program that your son may need.  The Bookstore also offers our students a fax service, which permits them to either send or receive a facsimile transmission. There is no fee for sending a fax apart from the cost of a prepaid phone card for long distance transmissions.  Prepaid phone cards are available in the Bookstore starting at $1.70 and up.  If you send a fax to your son, please indicate his post office box number on the transmission so that we can ensure he receives the information promptly.  If you should like to purchase a gift for your son, we will gladly take your order by phone, email, fax, or online.  Any purchases made at the Bookstore are wrapped free of charge and can be delivered to your son’s campus post office box for pick-up.  Gift cards are also available starting at $10.00.  To review some of the gift items we stock, simply visit our online store.

My staff and I would again like to extend our welcome and best wishes for you and your son in the upcoming year.  If you have any questions, or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us

Sincerely,
Hazel Baldwin                          
Bookstore Manager                
Phone: (434) 223-6117            
Fax: (434) 223-6345
hbaldwin@hsc.edu