Yearbook cost

[Tink888]

Just paid 65.00 for my DS15's yearbook. No nameplate.

They are expensive but nice to have. I still pull out my old yearbooks and go through them every once in awhile.

 

[MrsPete]

$65, includes free name engraving on the front cover if ordered before January. The name engraving is worth a couple dollars because it prevents the book from being stolen (or at least lessens the chances).

I looked at each class and there was list of over 30 students for each one that were "not pictured". You would think there was a problem with that many students not having a picture.

Not really. Every year about 10% of our students simply refuse to have their pictures made. Some don't plan to purchase pictures/yearbooks and just don't see the point in taking a picture for other people's yearbooks. A few disenfranchized types see themselves as way too cool for all that stuff. And some don't want their pictures to be in books that the police can use to identify them so easily.

Those of us who have a bit of school spirit (and no desire to commit crimes) would never consider these things, this doesn't make much sense. We'd say, "Even if you're not buying a book or the pictures, go have a picture made so you'll be in the book!" We don't all think the same way.

 

[Ceila]

For our middle school it's a hard-back book, very similar to what I got in high school way back when. Including the student's name on the cover, a couple of icons next to the name, plus autograph pages (those were all extra), it came out to around $65, I think.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I just ordered DD's yearbook for next year and it was $73.50 and that was without the name plate. Seems a little pricey to me. What are yearbooks going for in your neighborhood?

While I agree $73.50 is a little pricey, I'd love to only pay that price - we've paid $100+ per year for each of our 3 kids over the past 9 years.

 

[tvguy]

Free.

Well, not really. The Catholic schools here include the yearbook cost in the tuition. They don't break down the cost, and you can't opt out.

 

[MichelleVW]

I got the notice for my son's yearbook (he's a freshman) the other day, and it's "just" $75. After I had come to, and then finished laughing myself right out of my chair, I told him he could have one when he's a senior. $75 for a yearbook is, frankly, insane.

$75 if preordered. No extras though. DS is a freshman, and I won't spend the cash on the extra things until he's a senior.

I think my DD's were usually 50-80ish every year. Thankfully I only have one in high school now so I only have to pay for one.

I can't imagine telling my child that they couldn't have a yearbook. I don't really consider that an extra...just part of high school.

 

[allison443]

I think my DD's were usually 50-80ish every year. Thankfully I only have one in high school now so I only have to pay for one.

I can't imagine telling my child that they couldn't have a yearbook. I don't really consider that an extra...just part of high school.

I agree Michelle, I have bought the yearbook every year in high school for each of our girls. The books have individual pics of each student, plus really nice team photos of every team, club pictures, activities, etc. Even when my kids weren't seniors they had pics in the book because they were involved in various things in school.

 

[agnes!]

$75 with no extras. We refuse to get any extra junk since the year DD's yearbook never was delivered and we had to accept a regular one or go without.

$65, includes free name engraving on the front cover if ordered before January. The name engraving is worth a couple dollars because it prevents the book from being stolen (or at least lessens the chances).

I looked at each class and there was list of over 30 students for each one that were "not pictured". You would think there was a problem with that many students not having a picture.

Not really. Every year about 10% of our students simply refuse to have their pictures made. Some don't plan to purchase pictures/yearbooks and just don't see the point in taking a picture for other people's yearbooks. A few disenfranchized types see themselves as way too cool for all that stuff. And some don't want their pictures to be in books that the police can use to identify them so easily.

Those of us who have a bit of school spirit (and no desire to commit crimes) would never consider these things, this doesn't make much sense. We'd say, "Even if you're not buying a book or the pictures, go have a picture made so you'll be in the book!" We don't all think the same way.

MrsPete, I love your posts about getting kids ready for college, how to apply, what to consider - you've probably saved more people than you realize a world of hurt. I think you should write a book or a newspaper/website column and get paid for your great advice *but* (and I hate to do it) I'll have to disagree about your criminal/no school-spirit point-of-view. I don't think everyone who chooses to not get a picture is an incipient criminal or should be categorized as somehow lacking in the all-important 'school-spirit'. Some kids have had whatever school-spirit they possessed basically beaten out of them (metaphorically-speaking) and truly just want to get the hell out of Dodge. They don't want to do anything to remind themselves of their time spent being forced to go to high school. And I'm not referring to kids who might not be making the best grades either...there are good, bright kids in high schools who have a simple desire...to leave.

agnes!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Our high school yearbook is $45 for a hard-bound, practically full color, 250 pg book.

 

[FINFAN]

Ours is $45 (just book, no name plate) but our H.S. is only 2 years old so not too much to fill yet, lol. It seems to go up about $5 each year tho.

 

[HM]

I just ordered DD's yearbook for next year and it was $73.50 and that was without the name plate. Seems a little pricey to me. What are yearbooks going for in your neighborhood?

HS yearbook is $65.00 without extras this year. Price goes up after the Winter vacation (not sure to what price point). DDsophomore is getting plain, DSsenior is getting the "world year info" added for $5 more.

 

[Gina]

I can't imagine telling my child that they couldn't have a yearbook. I don't really consider that an extra...just part of high school.

LOL... That is so much an extra to me, it's some sub-extra or something. Luckily, my son has been raised to value a dollar enough to agree that the price is ridiculous and not worth it, and said he was fine with not having one until senior year.

I didn't just tell him "Sorry, no yearbook for you" -- I try and use every situation like this as a financial learning lesson. I told him that the cost of that yearbook is the exact cost of the online driving course he needs to take to get his learner's permit, and asked which one he preferred me to get for him. That decision took him all of, oh, .05 nanoseconds to make.

 

[Hannathy]

How is your son going to feel when everyone is in the gym signing year books? and isn't he in any extra curricular or sports that he would want the team picture or the group? How about pictures from the play or musical?

I just think it is an integral part of the High School experience and something you look at for years and years and years.

IMO that was kinda an unfair choice.

 

[elgerber]

$68 here for just the basics, and it goes up quickly from there. They even charge for autograph pages. I had to buy 2 this year too!!!!!!!!!

 

[MrsPete]

MrsPete, I love your posts about getting kids ready for college, how to apply, what to consider - you've probably saved more people than you realize a world of hurt. I think you should write a book or a newspaper/website column and get paid for your great advice *but* (and I hate to do it) I'll have to disagree about your criminal/no school-spirit point-of-view. I don't think everyone who chooses to not get a picture is an incipient criminal or should be categorized as somehow lacking in the all-important 'school-spirit'. Some kids have had whatever school-spirit they possessed basically beaten out of them (metaphorically-speaking) and truly just want to get the hell out of Dodge. They don't want to do anything to remind themselves of their time spent being forced to go to high school. And I'm not referring to kids who might not be making the best grades either...there are good, bright kids in high schools who have a simple desire...to leave.

agnes!

Yes, I know that some kids avoid yearbook pictures for that reason; however, kids have specifically told me that these things over the years. And I do have a group of three "criminals-in-training" in my class this semester who bragged about "I ain't never been in a yearbook for this high school, and I'm not going to start now." They're not the first to tell me such a thing. Kids'll tell you more than you'd ever think they would!

 

[RUDisney]

Yes, I know that some kids avoid yearbook pictures for that reason; however, kids have specifically told me that these things over the years. And I do have a group of three "criminals-in-training" in my class this semester who bragged about "I ain't never been in a yearbook for this high school, and I'm not going to start now." They're not the first to tell me such a thing. Kids'll tell you more than you'd ever think they would!

I have to believe that you know your school's students better than anyone else would. One of my book club mates is a librarian for a very tough school district. She has told us the same thing about yearbooks and some of their criminals in training.

Now, I want to ask, do you have a single photographer that takes all of the YB pictures or do you have to submit them yourself?

At my HS, now my DS's HS, they have one photographer come in to do photo sessions with all of the students. Every boy is required to be in a tuxedo and every girl is draped to make everything uniform. Many people go to other photographers so that they can have other poses to give to their friends, but the YB is standard.

It's harder to avoid having your picture in that YB because the photographer isn't there for just one day and you only have to select one of the pictures for the YB. If you don't select a pose, the YB committee will do it for you.

 

[wvjules]

It appears that it is full color so atleast there's that. lol

I won't not get her a yearbook. But I also won't fork out money for the personalization until she is a senior.

 

[tar heel]

wvjules --I have three children and no personalization until senior year has always been our policy.

I think ours is $70 something, but we've not ordered it yet.

 

[allison443]

I don't think everyone who chooses to not get a picture is an incipient criminal or should be categorized as somehow lacking in the all-important 'school-spirit'. Some kids have had whatever school-spirit they possessed basically beaten out of them (metaphorically-speaking) and truly just want to get the hell out of Dodge. They don't want to do anything to remind themselves of their time spent being forced to go to high school. And I'm not referring to kids who might not be making the best grades either...there are good, bright kids in high schools who have a simple desire...to leave.

agnes!

That is sad and I feel badly for those kids. I can't believe there was no other alternative for them....

 

[agnes!]

That is sad and I feel badly for those kids. I can't believe there was no other alternative for them....

It is sad. I know one of them *very* well. High school has not been anything that this student will look fondly back on at all, so why should they splash out a lot of money just to buy various reminders (personalized yearbook, HS ring, hoodies, etc) of how miserable the entire experience was?

agnes!