Do you have to BUY the cap and gown for graduation?

[mtblujeans]

Now that we are full swing into high school graduation mode, I find that we have to BUY his cap, gown, and tassle. When I graduated from HS in Southern California, we just rented our gown - we only wore it for a few hours!!

Do you have to buy your high school graduation gown where you live? Or do you have the option of renting it?

 

[Pam]

We buy ours - it's really inexpensive - less than $20.00.

 

[DoeWDW]

In 1982, when I graduated high school, we rented them.
In 1986, when I graduated college, we bought them.

Since I have a senior and a junior in high school this year, I'll be watching for the answers too.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Mine was purchased in the early 90s for high school graduation in St. Augustine, FL.

Hubby's was purchased in 1991...and he most recently had to purchase is college gown...but it was his masters, so that is understandable. (H.S. in Tampa and college in Melbourne, FL).

We both rented ours for college graduation from UF.

 

[Rex Rules]

In our home, we have a collection of about 5 various sets - cap, gown and tassles - from high school and college for both of us and a set from DD's kindergarten! Not sure why I hold onto them. You never know, they may come in handy at some point.

 

[powellrj]

I graduated in 77 and we bought them.

 

[Tracey1974]

I think for HS grad in 1992 we bought them for $15
College we bought them as well for $25, I think

I haven't heard anything about renting them though

 

[Beauty]

We rented ours. We kept our tassle but thats it. This was 90.

 

[mickeyboat]

In our home, we have a collection of about 5 various sets - cap, gown and tassles - from high school and college for both of us and a set from DD's kindergarten! Not sure why I hold onto them. You never know, they may come in handy at some point.

Use them for halloween costumes!

I bought mine from high school (88) and college (92), and rented it for law school (95).

Denae

 

[mtblujeans]

DSs will be about $60. It's not like a suit or sports jacket....he's not going to be able to wear it anywhere again!

 

[Pam]

DSs will be about $60. It's not like a suit or sports jacket....he's not going to be able to wear it anywhere again!

OUCH! That's really expensive!

I would call the school and tell them that price is way too high and see if they won't switch to a much cheaper company.

I graduated in 1979 and we bought ours. Don't know about DH. DD graduated last year and she bought hers as well. We didn't have a rental option.

 

[monarchsfan16]

When I graduated high school this June, we rented them, but kept the cap and tassle. I actually have 3 tassels, a National Honor Society one that was paid for by my dues, a class one that I bought at the start of the year (to hang in my car) and a class one that I got with my cap and gown. Renting the gown (and buying the cap) was $20. The extra tassle at the start of the year was $4. I actually wish we could have kept our caps and gowns, because we had to turn them in before we even returned to our parents after graduation. There was no opportunity for pictures with our friends in caps and gowns (cameras with the graduates were considered illegal contraband ...we were searched) or with our parents with cap, gown, and diploma. And since I live in a divorced home, I only got a picture with my mom and sister in my cap and gown, not my dad because I didn't get to see him before the ceremony.
At my mom's school the kids buy the cap and gown, and it costs roughly the same as it cost me to rent. Gee..who gets the better deal?

 

[WDWAurora]

I bought it for high school and borrowed for college graduation. DBf (at the time, now DH) is from a large family, 3 of which (plus a husband) graduated from the same school. Because they couldn't find one short enough for me, I actually borrowed one from the husband's brother (so now my BIL's brother).

Is there anyone you can borrow from? A neighbor, friend's child, etc.?

 

[disneyjunkie]

Here it varies from school to school.

My sister and I did not go to the same high school. My school rented the caps and gowns, my sister's high school had them buy the caps and gowns.
(We graduated in 1986 & 1987)

 

[Cindy's Mom]

In 1982, the school had them; we bought and kept the tassle, 2005 DD Jr. K, we had to buy it (cap gown tassle) for $12.

$60 sounds outrageous to me. I'd call the school

 

[Pooh67_68]

Had to buy mine back in '85

 

[Sandy V.]

Yes, and I am NOT happy about the cost. No offense to anyone here that may work at Jostens, but man, what a racket!!

Not only do we have to buy the cap and gown, but if we want graduation ceremony announcements, we have to buy them in "packages" that include thank you notes, return address labels, little gold seals with "Class of 2006" on them, etc. I wouldn't mind if the cost were reasonable, but the smallest package of announcements is $125.00. That's for 25 announcements. You cannot buy the announcements by themselves. I could buy very nice thank you note cards at the grocery store for much less!

With the cap and gown and 2 tassels, the cost is $60, so our grand total is $185.00. And if you have a younger sibling, they make you buy another cap and gown - you can't re-use the old one. Hogwash.

They have these ridiculous and expensive (my opinion) trinkets that you can buy as well. Don't get me wrong - my DD is enjoying high school - but she DOESN'T need a $24 ceramic beer stein with her high school crest on it!!

 

[mtblujeans]

....Is there anyone you can borrow from? A neighbor, friend's child, etc.?

That is a good suggestion. He does have friends that graduated last year. He can IM them at college and ask what they did with their gowns. That $60 fee does include the cap and tassle. I don't mind paying for the cap and tassle but I don't really want to pay for the gown if I can help it.

DS brought home a whole packet of stuff they are trying to sell for graduation; from mugs to t-shirts to keyrings and, maybe I am just feeling overwhelmed by the oversell, but it just seems like too, too much! DS will be going to college so all the high school paraphernalia just seems a bit much. Maybe I am wrong....

 

[monarchsfan16]

Yes, and I am NOT happy about the cost. No offense to anyone here that may work at Jostens, but man, what a racket!!

Not only do we have to buy the cap and gown, but if we want graduation ceremony announcements, we have to buy them in "packages" that include thank you notes, return address labels, little gold seals with "Class of 2006" on them, etc. I wouldn't mind if the cost were reasonable, but the smallest package of announcements is $125.00. That's for 25 announcements. You cannot buy the announcements by themselves. I could buy very nice thank you note cards at the grocery store for much less!

With the cap and gown and 2 tassels, the cost is $60, so our grand total is $180.00. And if you have a younger sibling, they make you buy another cap and gown - you can't re-use the old one. Hogwash.

They have these ridiculous and expensive (my opinion) trinkets that you can buy as well. Don't get me wrong - my DD is enjoying high school - but she DOESN'T need a $24 ceramic beer stein with her high school crest on it!!

We didn't have the option of graduation announcements, period. They just didn't do them. I bought my party invitations and thank you notes (really nice ones too) at I Party for about $5 a package. May have been less.
As for the beer stein, we got glass ones, with everyone's name on the back and some random design on it for paying our class dues.

 

[mtblujeans]

Yes, and I am NOT happy about the cost. No offense to anyone here that may work at Jostens, but man, what a racket!!
gown - you can't re-use the old one. Hogwash......

YES! I am looking at the Jostens packages! You have the exact same thing I am looking at!!