What to bring to Swift academy in Texas

Hey, this is for the students thinking of going to the Swift academy in San Antonio. I just got back from the first two days there.
Here's my initial experience and hopefully I can head off a HUGE headache for someone.
Ok so I took the free bus ticket to San Antonio, That was easy. The last shuttle to the motel comes at 9 p.m. A taxi ride from the Greyhound station to the Days Inn will run you just under 15 dollars. Money well spent as far as I was concerned.

You will check in at the front desk at the Days Inn and be given the run down from the desk jockey. Don't lose your key they will charge you if you do. 5 bucks I think... might be 10, either way its a rip off.
Next you probably won't get a room with a fridge or microwave. Not until Thursday when people graduate. Since they want you to get to the Days Inn on Tuesday your on your own as far as dinner goes. There is a BBQ joint a short walk east called Grady's. The prices are fair but the food and sauce is lacking. I give it 2 stars, Its nothing to write home about (trust me I know BBQ). There is nothing else to eat within walking distance so beware. The motel does provides a shuttle to the local H.E.B. grocery store. Its just a super duper nice place and a joy to shop at. They will take you to that pit of hate Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6 PM to stock up on Raman noodles or whatever. Bonn appetite.

Ok now your checked into your room and you may want to relax at the pool right?... wrong! Not unless you think pool water is supposed to be cloudy and hot as...well, urine. Do yourself a favor and skip the "pool".
Go to sleep. Wake up. Its Wednesday.

Time for breakfast, the motel throws out food at 5:30 am. All it is is bananas, mini powdered dough-nuts, mini muffins, two kinds of cereal and waffle batter so that you can cook your own waffles (I liked that), Milk, OJ, coffee and water to round it off.
Anyway chew your food if you wish and at 6:30 you will be led into the conference room at the motel. Two Swift people will take roll call, make sure your contact info is upd and you'll sign a few things. This is where the warnings about drugs, alcohol and background start. Done. You'll now walk over to the medical clinic.

Ok time for the DOT physical. First off that nice breakfast I was telling you about. You might think about skipping it or keeping it to a minimum. Reason being you will give a urine donation and they will check your blood sugar. IF IT IS HIGH YOU WILL GO HOME. You will also have your blood pressure taken. YOU MUST NOT BE HIGHER THAN 140/90 WITHOUT MEDICATION OR YOU WILL GO HOME. If you take BP medication you CAN BE OVER 140/90 I'm just not sure how high. BUT your DOT physical will only be good for 1 year instead of 2. So you may want to skip the free coffee and the cheap smokes. If you are high they will take it your BP 3 separate times before you get the boot.
You'll take the drug test, and you will see the doctor and go over your medical history. The Doc will have you squat down then stand up, lay down and lift both legs up, it's absolutely nothing strenuous. The time at the medical clinic will last all morning and you'll be released to walk back to the motel as you get done.
At roughly 12 o'clock a Swift bus will show up to whisk you away to the Academy. On your way the surly driver will kindly stop at the nearby Valero station. Here you can grab a lunch to go. They have a Subway inside but being as its lunch time everyone and their dog is in line to get a sandwich. I got the hot pocket things and got out quick. Anyway chew your food if you wish and finish your ride to the Academy.

Here you are! The Academy. It is actually some kind of active shipping/distribution center for someone... I'm not sure but it is a fairly active place. I regress. You'll get into the class room and now we get to my main point of my post.
You will start your paper work. Going over the school contracts. What you WILL pay what you MAY NOT pay and what you won't pay. I know "what!?"
Here it is. You hand over 150 bones for your registration. This is with a money order or credit card. IF YOU USE A MONEY ORDER KEEP THE STUB IT COMES WITH!!! Because if you get sent home in the first 72 hours they give you back the money order. You'll only be able to return it in when it is already filled out, with the stub or receipt. Don't lose it! You may need that money later on.

Reasons you will get sent home for are MANY!
Documents you need to take are few but very important!
Take with you your original Birth Certificate or certified copy. Take your Unlaminated Social Security card DO NOT take a receipt from the Social Security office. Of course bring your Drivers license. Now here's the part no one tells you about. Ready? Make sure they ALL match each other!! I say again be sure they ALL MATCH each other. I mean down to the letter. If your name is misspelled by one letter on anyone document you'll go home The only exception to this may be if you already have a Texas license. But if your from out of state and everything doesn't match, you'll go home. :smt039 And they will not automaticly pay your way home, although you can call your recruiter and they may hook you up.
Bring your High School diploma, GED or certified copy. A DD-214 with the box checked "graduated high school, YES" will not work. If you don't have any of these you will be taking a SLE (scholastic level exam) You have to get 13 questions right in 12 minutes. There are 50 questions and passing the test is not a given. It is NOT multiple choice! Several people failed... and no I was not one. If you fail You will get sent home. There is no retesting. They will pay your way back home though.
If you have unpaid tickets, tickets that are paid but not told to Swift, upcoming court dates. You will go home! You will be warned multiple times about this. If your sent home it will be on your dime. After 72 hours you will not get your 150 buck back. On top of that if your sent home on the 4th day you'll owe the school 680 bones: 5th day 850.00 and up and up until if your let go after the 11th day you will owe the whole 3900 quid. So don't go to the Academy if you have a trickle of a thought of a background problem. Also keep in mind they apparently do another background check while your there and in class, on top of the one the recruiters did when you first fill out the application. So just be sure your ducks are all lined up before you end up stranded in the middle of Texas with no way home. :smt039

This is not a bash on the school at all I just want to keep someone from getting sent home for something that could be avoided. I plan on returning after I get things straightened out. If I can help answer questions just ask and I'll let you know what I know.

 

Well as far as the lamination of the SS card and the name matching. I was told that this was all for the State of Texas and was for their requirements. Not Swift itself.

As far as the maiden name and being married, I don't know we did not have any females in the class. I would suggest bringing the marriage certificate with you to show that it was legally changed.