5 High School Graduation Gifts That Make Sense

In the next few weeks, millions of high school students across the country will be graduating. Of these students, 65% of them will enroll in college (whether they finish or not is another story). Graduating from high school, and subsequently moving out of their parents’ house, is a huge step, one that should be acknowledged with more than just a card (of course the value of the gift will depend on how well you know the person). Assuming that you can’t afford a huge gift, like a car, here are the top five high school graduation gifts to give.

5 High School Graduation Gifts

New Phone

You will most likely want to keep in touch with this young man or woman while they are away expanding their mind. And you know that you can’t do that on the old flip phone you handed down to them when you upgraded to a smartphone. So now is the time to get them the latest technology in order to help keep tabs on them. The cost for the phone is fairly minimal, with many available for free by signing a new contract. Where this gift gets expensive is the extra data plan.

Laptop

While you can get through college without a computer, studying is so much easier if you do not have to run to the computer lab every day. Combine that with the fact that most college students are writing their papers at 2 or 3 in the morning when the lab is closed, they need a good solid computer that will go from the dorm room to the classroom, to the coffee shop with them. Nothing fancy is needed; let them buy that with their own money after they finish college. A nice laptop starts around $300 and can run up to $3,000.

Dorm Survival Kit

Students rarely think twice about paying for a movie, coffee, eating out, or other frivolous purchases. But you would be hard-pressed to find one (especially a male) that will pay for the necessities of life. A dorm survival kit not only entails a great gift, but you can also customize it and personalize it to the student. Items you may want to enclose: shower caddy with flip flops, towels, hot plate, medication and first aid, and basically anything else you would need if you were living out of a glorified hotel room for the next 9 months. Alternatively, you can make a just-for-fun kit that includes video games, shot glasses (for measuring flavoring syrups of course), iTunes gift cards, and anything else non-essential.

Housewares

Every dorm room needs a microwave, and it doesn’t have to be expensive; I bought mine in 2002 for $20 at a thrift store.   I am still using that microwave. And what dorm room would be complete without a dumpy couch, or maybe some of that incredibly uncomfortable, easily popped blowup furniture? A few bowls and plates and some knives and forks are a must, as well as a hunk of carpet remnant to pad the concrete floor. You could go crazy at Goodwill getting everything, and still keep your total under $100.

Cash

Getting gifts is great, most students won’t complain if you get them a new computer. But nothing beats cash. A cash gift (or gift card) allows the student to customize his or her gift to their personal style. It can also be hoarded so that the first year of college can be completed without worrying about getting a job. Nothing says “I Love You” to a graduating high school student louder than a stack of $20 bills.

Final Thought

Obviously, most of these gifts are assuming the graduating high school student is going off to college. If that’s not the case, then a housewarming gift for their new apartment may be in order or using some of your connections to help them find a job. The one thing to keep in mind when picking out gifts for a student: don’t go cheap. This is a pivotal time of their life, so dig deep and make the gift count. But seriously: cash.

What was your favorite gift when you graduated?