School-sponsored dorm supply packages

hallomar · 06-28-2008, 05:56 PM

My son will be a freshman at Penn in September, and the school recently sent us a catalogue that sells bedding, towels, room accessories, etc. Their pitch for the bedding is that their sheets fit the extra long beds in the dorms. I know that Lands End sells extra long twin sheets, but my husband is really taken with the packages offered by the school.
Anyone have experience with these catalogues and how decent is the merchandise? In particular, how good are the sheets? I noticed that the catalogue did not indicate a thread count for the sheets. I have slept on <200 count sheets and they are really scratchy.

marite · 06-28-2008, 07:26 PM

X-long sheets can be bought in most stores, especially July or August. Look into Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target. My experience is that bedding sold through colleges is usually of low quality and more expensive.

abasket · 06-28-2008, 07:44 PM

I was you last year asking this same question. Most people seemed to think the packages were overpriced especially for the quality - which didn't seem to be too good. You can get the right sized sheets (XLong) at many places - including Target, BedBathBeyond, TJMaxx, etc. etc. As well as the other bed accessories. IMO, the bedding is very important - what time their heads hit the pillow needs to be well spend and comfortable. Make sure you get decent quality stuff - then if you're lucky it will last through those undergraduate years....

Singersmom07 · 06-28-2008, 10:07 PM

Our experience, 2's ordered from dorm supply and quality was not as good. S3 and DD ordered from BB & B and were much happier . .

momreads · 06-29-2008, 07:44 AM

Just got XL sheets for my son, who is doing a summer program at a college, from JC Penney. He loves them.

khsstitches · 06-29-2008, 08:03 AM

Ditto. The college packages are a waste of money. Its just a gimmick. XL sheets are easy to find.

shyanne · 06-29-2008, 08:39 AM

We bought the dorm supply package for our son last year and are perfectly happy with it. Everything held up through numerous washings. I did have to show my son that if you wash a pillow then it will fluff up again.

jude_36 · 06-29-2008, 09:33 AM

I noticed the lack of thread count too, and that scared me. There seems to be some decent stuff at Target. Plus, I was thinking D might like a full size comforter for extra coverage, and I don't want to buy the set and then buy an additional comforter. So I think I've talked myself out of the package deal.

MSMDAD · 06-29-2008, 09:47 AM

I second the other posters who said that the school-sponsored items tend to be of low quality and low thread counts. You are much better off buying from a retail store. Jude, on the issue of the comforter, I think that it depends on the heat in your DD's room. My DD did not really use the one that we got for her (a twin size, which worked for the X-L bed) because it was too hot in her room.

abasket · 06-29-2008, 09:52 AM

True about the heat in the room - my D's dorm was plenty warm and since she had a corner room, she had 2 heating vents as opposed to one. The best bed purchase we made was a "feather bed" - a extra cushy layer to put under the sheets to make the bed more comfy. She loved it.

gladmom · 06-29-2008, 10:27 AM

I'm all for buying the bedding yourself, and not getting the package deal. Besides just having better choices in the retail stores, I want to make sure the bedding is laundered and ready-to-sleep-on. You can't wash the sheets on move-in day. They have to be ready to go.

I second JCPenney online for great quality solid color and print XL sheets.

3drummersathome · 06-29-2008, 11:24 AM

I plan to pick up XL sheets at BB and B, but I'm thinking of just sending some of my older towels instead of buying new. I also think we'll probably just send his current comforter. It's being used now on his XL Full sized bed so it should work and just be long on the sides. This is for my son and he's not into things matching or anything. Anyone else have this plan?
I always seem to have extra comforters/blankets around so he'll still have something on his bed when/if he comes home

HandsAcrossTime · 06-29-2008, 01:15 PM

Does anyone have specific experience with Yale's school-sponsored bedding?

I bought it just out of sheer laziness, but now I'm worried about the quality.

shyanne · 06-29-2008, 01:21 PM

The dorm supply package was sent to our home and I washed everything before son went to college. It also had money back guarantee.

APOL · 06-29-2008, 02:34 PM

My DD's room-mate used the dorm supply packet. After seeing it, feeling the quality of sheets/comforter, I was reassured that we made the right choice by buying items separately. She bought the jersey sheets at BB & B, and towels, bath items, pillows there, too. The comforter was purchased online and shipped to the school. It was from overstock.com-down-and only $39!