I teach seniors at a school that uses Jostens. Here's what I tell my kids every year:
That Jostens form is misleading. They IMPLY that you have three choices -- three "packages", which range from about $180 - $250. They IMPLY that you have to choose from one of those three packages. You don't.
Look at all those packages include. It's a cap and gown, announcements and name cards, "11" stickers for announcement envelopes, thank you notes, a keychain, a tee-shirt and a hoodie sweatshirt, some sweatpants, a piece of costume jewelry, picture frames, a scrapbook . . . really, are you in the market for those extras? If you didn't want them before you read the catalog/form, do you really want them now? I doubt it.
You probably want a cap and gown and some announcements.
I can tell you from years of working with seniors, at least 50% of the seniors will order those huge packages. And when they come in, they'll all say, "Why'd my mama order all this stuff?" They don't really pay attention to what's in those packages. They just figure they're supposed to choose Option 1, 2, or 3. They don't realize that they had the option to JUST order the items they wanted.
Also, note that those clothing items aren't specific to your child's school -- they're generic "Senior 11" items that Jostens sells to everyone. I'd be willing to pay for a tee /sweatshirt from the school . . . that is, one with all the senior names printed on the shirt. But just the word "Senior"?
Keep reading down the form. You have the option to buy items INDIVIDUALLY, and when you look at it that way, the cost isn't bad at all. The individually priced options are in tiny black letters, whereas the packages are printed large and bold in colored boxes.
Of course you need to order the cap, gown, and tassel set. For our school, that's just under $10. Add in the shipping/handling fee, and you're still under $15. That's all you really NEED to order from Jostens.
You probably want some invitations as well. Jostens sells them at our school for .60 or .65-ish each. Name cards are something like $12 for a package of 100. MANY PEOPLE these days are getting their announcements elsewhere because the ones we sell at school are butt-ugly. A quick internet search'll show you loads of options, and if you do your own, you can include your own wording. Lots of people are including a graduation party or an Open House on the same invitation. You'll probably spend MORE for custom-made invitations on the internet, but I'd do it -- they're nicer! Try ebay; you'll find good options there.
When my daughter's a senior, I'm pretty sure we'll buy JUST the cap, gown, tassle set (and probably an extra souvenier tassle for her to hang in her car), but that's it. Oh, her daddy did mention the other day when she was looking through a Jostens catalog that he likes the beer-stein type mugs with all the seniors names on them. He said he wants one of those with each girls' graduation class for himself. But keychains, scrapbooks, and costume jewelry . . . no thanks, we may buy some of those things, but it won't be from this source.
One last thing . . . you're familiar with the concept of a loss leader at the grocery store. Josten's cap and gown set is the same thing. You're going to place an order so you can get the cap and gown, and they sell that dirt cheap, but they're hoping that you'll also buy their other products, which are expensive. You've gone to the grocery store JUST for the chicken that's an excellent price, haven't you? This is the same thing.
. It was an expensive month!
