High School Graduation costs

[Mickeyluver37]

I have my daughter's gown hanging in her former closet right now, and they are actually about the same size. But cap, gown, and tassel are required purchases. The school must get a cut of what is sold.

Agreed. They will say because the coloring could be slightly off if it's a different ream of fabric, etc, but it's a fundraiser for the school. I've never been involved enough to know if it's true- but the money supposedly goes back into the class fund for prom and graduation costs.

 

[kymom99]

My son is a junior so I'm not sure about the gown thing yet. I do know he hasn't bought a ring and will not be buying one. Also does not have a letterman's jacket even though he has a varsity letter. I do know senior pictures will be modest. I also agree with those who say the announcements are a gift grab. I never know what to do with them and typically throw them away shortly after I get them. An inexpensive personally made announcement sounds like a great idea sent to those who may be invited to a party.

 

[Chelley00]

We've only bought the required cap, gown and tassel for graduation both times. We did our own announcements in Shutterly.

 

[indimom]

We aren't doing any of it either.

The Jostens offers we received were for 20 invitations (with another five free, plus a Grad t-shirt and other assorted crap we don't need) and the cap, gown, etc for $400... YIKES!
We have WAYYY more family than that. And I wouldn't pay that even if we only needed 25 invites. Crazy.
We're making our own invites online using a couple of her senior picture poses.
We just bought the cap/gown/tassel for $40.

We took our own senior pics. So, just the printing costs.

We didn't buy a class ring.

We ARE having a large party for the entire family,it's tradition. I'm spending my money to have the party catered. I hate to cook. I hate coordinating with family when they volunteer to help. And I just want to enjoy the day with our family. So, that's where I'm going overboard. In my own selfish best intersts. lol.

 

[vikster1]

I had a daughter graduate HS 2015 and my son ig graduating HS this June. Senior year spending:

Senior pic/yearbook photo. 5 dollar sitting fee. Picture packages were crazy in the 100's. I settled for the 8x10 at 60.00
Yearbook 95.00
Senior trip to Disney. 1100.00
Prom tickets/dress/flowers/limo 300.00
Project graduation 25.00
Cap and gown rental 20.00
Gradparty invitations 40.00/25 at costco. They were card stock doubled sided. Info on one side, grad pic on the other.
Grad Party 1500.00 venue rental/catered food/decorations/beverages
Thank you cards 25.00

 

[scrapquitler]

My youngest child is graduating high school next spring, and the costs involved are ridiculous. We just have a small amount of family/friends to invite to the graduation, and my son is definitely very low key, so I'm thinking of either simply email invitations or using some other kind of invitation instead of buying ones from the school's company.

Just buying the required cap, gown, and tassel is $102! That's nuts!

Are expensive paper invitations with the tissue paper and namecards still done, or are more families dragging this tradition into the digital age? Thanks for your help!

My daughter graduated two years ago. Cap, gown an tassel ordered thru the school was $17. They said that was a hardship, let them know, and it could be waived.

There were no formal invitations or announcements. We were only allotted 6 tickets anyway. If you wanted to do that sort of thing, it was optional and on your own. We didn't do any of that. We also didn't have a big graduation party. Mom Dad, sibling, DD and grandparents went out to dinner instead.

My daughter chose not to go to the prom. Project graduation was free.

Yearbook pictures are definitely expensive, but at our local school, if you don't want to pay $$ the yearbook advisor/photography teacher will do a yearbook shot for you for FREE. We bought the smallest package from the photographer we used, it cost us about $125. Our yearbook cost $60, and we did buy that.

The vast majority of the expenses are OPTIONAL, at least here.

 

[crisi]

....

I also view the graduation announcements as a hint for a gift. I'd get a cheap but nice looking announcement to save in a scrapbook or something, but I wouldn't give it to anyone except grandparents.

Most of what arrives at our house are Open House invitations rather than graduation announcements (and yes, it is appropriate to bring a gift - if you don't feel like you know the graduate well enough or think its just a shake down, RSVP in the negative and write a nice note - my husband are on the "shakedown" list for apparently every shirt tail friend or relative getting married - I'm an expert at the congratulatory note that does not contain cash, but merely sincere and heartfelt wishes for a wonderful life together).

And most of the ones arriving are for the kids of family or friends - where we fully anticipate sending them a similar invitation in a few years.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I guess I got lucky with my twins. They're graduating this year. Ordered the cap, gown and tassel for DS and it cost $28. DD doesn't want to walk in the ceremony and we told her that was ok with us. Neither kid wants a party, so no invitations or announcements need to be sent. My kids hate all the "stuff" that was offered through Joston's. DH is doing their senior pictures because the cheapest package would have cost $200 per kid-that was ridiculous!! Both kids never wanted year books, so no purchases there. DS got a class ring, but picked the least expensive option. DD never wanted one. Lastly, both my kids don't go to the dances, so no $$ to lay out for prom. They're pretty easy to please. They'd rather have us use the money to furnish their dorms. And, I have to give a shout out to both my kids. DS is going to be a Northern Illinois Huskie and DD is a De Paul Blue Demon. They both got great scholarship offers! Way to go, DH and I are beyond proud of both of them!!!

 

[mustlovecats]

I went to a private high school and from what I can recall everything but the class ring was included in our tuition and fees so I don't know how much it actually cost. I graduated the same time as my cousin so my aunt threw a party for both of us but we never sent out invitations, just called people to invite them.

I think my graduation fee in college was $60. I paid that because it was required, but I skipped the 6 hour ceremony. I didn't have a party of any sort for this as I was getting married 6 months later and that was enough for one year. Invitations for that are an entirely different story though...

 

[PlaneJoy1]

The school must get a cut of what is sold.

In my area (and I assume many areas) schools do get money back from the company that sells the caps & gowns. My daughter graduated last year and I am the senior class sponsor at my school. We cannot use educational funds to pay for graduation expenses (and it is VERY expensive). Instead of collecting a graduation fee, like colleges do, we include a small amount with the cap and gown. I fund raise throughout the year, but graduation fees help us put on a nice ceremony for our students. Each school has the ability to decide how much to include with their cap and gown price.

Senior year is so expensive! I try to prepare students ahead of time and let them know there are other options besides ordering everything through Josten's (or whomever the vendor is). They can also get their senior photo's done privately and only do the yearbook sitting or order their announcements online or at another local store.

Graduation is really big business!

 

[LovesTimone]

My youngest child is graduating high school next spring, and the costs involved are ridiculous. We just have a small amount of family/friends to invite to the graduation, and my son is definitely very low key, so I'm thinking of either simply email invitations or using some other kind of invitation instead of buying ones from the school's company.

Just buying the required cap, gown, and tassel is $102! That's nuts!

Are expensive paper invitations with the tissue paper and namecards still done, or are more families dragging this tradition into the digital age? Thanks for your help!

When our DD graduated from High School, she thought that the announcements and invitations offered by the school were ugly and not cool. The school limited the amount of guests each student could invite to the actual ceremony, so hence the announcements and invitations. The cost was unbelievable and could only be order in amount of 50. We ended up buying a invitation kit online (50), and doing them at home. I took some pictures of her in cap and gown (which the cap and gown had to be ordered and paid for the 1st month of senior year and were delivered right after Christmas break 140.00 were our cost) outside of our house, then sifted thru all the other pictures we had, homecoming, prom, team pictures, we decide on a few pictures, and went to Walgreens and made a 4x6 collage to put into the announcements and invite's for family and friends. The kit was around 50.00 dollars, the pictures at Walgreens in which I had a coupon for, we got 40 copies for about 20.00ish dollars. So we were all in at about 70.00 dollars. They turned out really well, much better than the ones the school offered. Everyone really liked them, and DD was happy.

 

[Imanonymous]

Agreed. They will say because the coloring could be slightly off if it's a different ream of fabric, etc, but it's a fundraiser for the school. I've never been involved enough to know if it's true- but the money supposedly goes back into the class fund for prom and graduation costs.

I'd rather give money directly to the school. Just like all the junk that students sell for fundraisers, a much better use of the money would be if it ALL went to the school, and not to the company's that are making money off the students!

 

[kathy884]

Our total cost was under $40 to rent the gown and get the hat. We didn't send out any announcements or buy any of the extra stuff. We invited my parents to come to the ceremony with us and that was it. After the ceremony our son had about five friends come over for some cookie cake and ice cream from the local super market. // lots of people do it up big -- We did it very low key.

*******************************
Not related to graduation but:
We did get a 10K class ring that my son loves -- almost $800 or so
Prom tux rental, tickets, flowers etc., dinner, and tip for friend's uncle who is a limo driver and gave limo as gift came out to about $300

 

[dsanner106]

If your school uses Balfour, they offer a photo invite option where you upload your picture online. It was actually cheaper going that route rather than buying invites and printing and inserting photos. Many schools have tried rentals, but they are a HUGE problem. I worked in a college store that rented and tracking down the grads after graduation was a hassle, half threw their hat in the air and couldn't find theirs. quite a few spilled on or tore their gown and everybody sweated a LOT in them. Generally purchasing a cap, gown and tassel is about 50.00, renting was about 40.00 so not a big difference

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

That's a ton! My college cap/gown/tassel PLUS extra tassel only cost under $50 total, shipped. To buy, not rent.

I'd look into somewhere like shutterfly for invitations/announcements. Stacking coupon codes can get you really good deals!

 

[Kae]

You guys have some great ideas! I will definitely look into photo invitations. Thanks so much!

I have to recommend zazzle.com. Great service

 

[Kae]

I think I just paid 39 for cap, gown & tassel. I did buy 25 regular invites with the cards for like 35. I they old relatives who like getting the announcements. the colors can change each year the class votes on the gown color. Sometimes its all dark blue, white(girls)e & blue or lt blue(girls) and dark blue

 

[sk!mom]

DD graduated in May '14 and I've had nieces and nephews graduating every year for 4 or 5 now. None of them sent the school announcements or invitations. Everyone does Shutterfly or Snapfish or Tiny Prints photo announcements. They are reasonably priced especially with the always available discount codes.

 

[dsanner106]

GRADUATION NFO-
I have worked with this stuff for years, so thought I would give the facts on this.
Schools make their own deal with a grad company. The grad company may charge 30.00 for a cap and gown and anything the school charges above goes to pay for the graduation. Same deal with announcements. The school may offer a package, but if you do not want it, you may be able to go to the website for the supplier, Balfour, Josten, Herff Jones are the 3 main ones, and order different quantities etc. Announcements are not invitations, they are sent to family and friends to inform them of graduation, people normally directly invite those they want to attend. You can insert photos in them yourself and save money. You can make your own and save money, jus be aware the difference in cost is the money the school is getting to pay for graduation. Rings are optional, I would not get one if you are sending your child off to college, the college ring is the one they will wear for life. Rings can be purchased later online from whichever company the school contracts with.

 

[dsanner106]

GRADUATION NFO-
I have worked with this stuff for years, so thought I would give the facts on this.
Schools make their own deal with a grad company. The grad company may charge 30.00 for a cap and gown and anything the school charges above goes to pay for the graduation. Same deal with announcements. The school may offer a package, but if you do not want it, you may be able to go to the website for the supplier, Balfour, Josten, Herff Jones are the 3 main ones, and order different quantities etc. Announcements are not invitations, they are sent to family and friends to inform them of graduation, people normally directly invite those they want to attend. You can insert photos in them yourself and save money. You can make your own and save money, jus be aware the difference in cost is the money the school is getting to pay for graduation. Rings are optional, I would not get one if you are sending your child off to college, the college ring is the one they will wear for life. Rings can be purchased later online from whichever company the school contracts with.