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What Should You Give as a Graduation Gift?

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What should you give as a graduation gift
‘Tis the season to begin contemplating gifts for graduates. More people tend to give cash than presents –53% of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation said they’re giving money.

This trend applies to graduations at all levels — high school, college and even graduate school — as people are all too aware of the student loan repayment burden that lies ahead for new graduates.

If you decide to give money, but are unsure how much, you might appreciate the fact that Miss Manners says there’s no formula for the correct amount to give in any particular situation.

Those who opine on specific amounts to give tend to agree that you should let your closeness to the new graduate dictate the extent of your generosity. That said, opinions are mixed as to whether you ought to give more to someone graduating from a higher level of education.

What Should You Give as a Graduation Gift?

Interestingly, the National Retail Federation found that the prevalence of cash gifting has dropped about 10 percent from highs recorded in 2007 and 2009.

Meanwhile, about 41 percent of those buying things for graduates buy greeting cards to put the money in; another 33 percent are getting gift cards; 16 percent are getting apparel and 11 percent are springing for apparel.

Speaking of which, if you’re going to spring for a present, look for something that might help the new graduate in their next stage of life.

What Level Graduate?

For a graduation from middle school, you might not need to do more than get a card unless you’re a close relative — in which case you might buy something he or she might use for extracurricular activities.

A nice gift for middle school and high school graduates includes summer workshops, tickets to events, books, music and gift certificates toward these items, suggests Education.com.

In the case of someone graduating from high school, think of gifts for use in college — or that would suit a dorm room, like a desk lamp, alarm clock, fan, bookcase or hotpot.

College Graduates

For graduates from college, trade or graduate school, think of gifts that might help them find a job or keep one. For instance, you could get a gift certificate that could go toward the purchase of an interview suit or briefcase, for instance.

More ideas for the latter type of gift recipient might include things for their first home outside of the dorm — basic housewares that they don’t already have.

Another nice touch that might benefit any level graduate: a savings account, savings bond or certificate of deposit — especially when the giver is a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle.

But just because someone you know is graduating doesn’t mean you’re expected to give a gift — even if you receive an announcement about the occasion, it probably doesn’t mean you’re expected to give something.

Readers, what are you planning to give those who you know are graduating in May or June?Graduation gift spending

Read More About Gifting

9 Ways to Maximize Time in College

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One of the major costs of college is the amount of time you stay there. By being able to graduate in a shorter period of time, students can not only save on tuition, but also college related expenses such as room and board. So what can college students do to ensure they spend no more time in college than they need to?

1. Pick a major early on and stick with it: I understand picking a major can be difficult. Personally, I changed majors three times. In my first semester.

After that, I stuck with my bio major and got out of undergrad with a biology degree in 3 years.

Don’t be afraid to switch out of a major that won’t work, just do it by the end of freshman year.

2. Know graduation requirements: Once the major is selected, tackle the specifics. Write out possible schedules to fit in all the courses. Just for kicks, make up possible scenarios for 5, 6 or 7 semester college careers. Colleges are also constantly changing their curriculum. Keep up with new classes that could count for a requirement.

3. Take a community college class over the summer: When planning possible schedules, if a student is a class shy of being able to break through to the next level of classes, consider a community college class during a break. Nowhere do colleges state “thou shalt never ever attend another institution while thou art going to ours.” Talk to an advisor about the possibility of taking a class back home and transferring it to your primary institution. Not to mention the community college class may be cheaper per credit that the regular school.

4. Never take the minimum credits to be full-time: Always be over the minimum by at least a credit or two. The difference between the minimum and a little over will add up to an extra semester over the college career.

5. Take advantage of off semesters: At the University of Maryland, the month of January is winter term. Students can take the month off or get ahead. Most colleges offer summer classes also. Many times these classes are more relaxed than during the normal semester because there aren’t as many students. This can be a nice time to check off some more requirements.

6. Finish prerequisites early: Prereqs can really hold students back from tackling their majors. Once the major is set, take prereqs as soon as possible. The first semester even. Many students aren’t sure of what they are doing when they first start, so a student with a plan can really move ahead by knocking out prereq courses their first semester or two.

7. Make friends with college advisors: Advisors know things that students don’t. They can waive a student from taking a prerequisite, they can add a student to a needed class that is full, and they can also count a similar class as fulfilling credit for another required class. Make friends with these people. Let them be an ally to help with an early graduation. If they understand the goal, they can keep an eye out for options to get students there.

8. Find fun classes to fill requirements: At my college, biology majors had a variety of upper level courses to choose from to fulfill their advance requirements. Instead of taking something intense like advanced cell biology or histology I took Bioethics. It was the best class I ever took in undergrad because we talked about all sorts of ethical issues not covered in standard biology classes, like banning evolution in public-schools, when to take someone off life support, and stem cell research. The class was fascinating and I got myself closer to graduation with it.

9. Take double whammy classes: You know what I mean. Classes that fulfill two requirements. Sometimes a class can fulfill two GE requirements or a major and a GE requirement. These classes are golden because students essentially get two for the price of one.

Hopefully these tips and strategies elucidate exactly how a student can save on student loans by being strategic. Graduating early can set a student ahead of their peers financially and also in the real world. Many professional schools I applied to were very impressed with my drive to finish school so quickly and assumed I was an extremely hard worker. That’s really not entirely true. I did work hard, but I’d say it was also working smart.

Image courtesy of Jonnny