<p>Okay, I just got home from my Senior Distribution Day (where we’re SUPPOSED to get everything we need for graduation…cap and gown, tickets, medallions, etc.).</p>
<p>So Josten’s (who does our Caps & Gowns and like half of everything else) didn’t show up until 10 minutes after Distribution was supposed to start, and only had half of the caps and gowns. So about half the senior class has to pick ours up tomorrow at Senior Picnic.</p>
<p>I mean I’m going to be there anyway, but seriously…how very un-professional.</p>
<p>Silly Josten’s and their caps and gowns. <em>mutters</em></p>
<p>On the fun side, I did get a gold stole and tassel for graduating with high honors. ^_^</p>
<p>Kids are responsibe for their orders at our school. Son ordered invitations, but not those little name cards that go inside. They were extra plus the minimum order was 50. When the invitations came, there were little slits cut into it where the name cards were supposed to go. I had to scramble to get them so my invitations went out late. The Jostens rep apologized, saying he usually catches that mistake when the kids order. He waived the $20 shipping charge on the little box of 50 name cards.</p>
<p>Really? Wow. Josten’s was very easy to deal with where I live. Everyone had to pick up their caps and gowns during lunch periods at the beginning of April. I know in the fall, there was some issues with clothing orders not arriving, but the caps and gowns arrived with no trouble.</p>
<p>In my mind they always came across as a kind of sleazy company… perhaps it was the whole monopoly thing and them always trying to sell you overpriced stuff.</p>
<p>Hint to anyone with more than one child of the same gender…reuse that ridiculously expensive stuff. After S1 graduated in 2005, I carefully put away his cap and gown in the back of the closet. </p>
<p>S2 graduates on Sat. He will be wearing S1’s cap and gown. We only had to purchase the tassel and medallion. Saved me about $50.</p>
<p>A neighbor kid is borrowing cap and gown from a friend who graduated last year.<br>
The kids I know don’t have any big sentimental attachment to the caps and gowns and could not care less that they are wearing a borrowed gown for a whopping 2 hours.<br>
How do ya like that Josten’s?</p>
<p>Someone needs to start a business – probably just within each town or school – to “recycle” these. Jostens probably changes the gowns slightly each year, just to make people feel they need to buy the latest one.</p>
<p>Had to say, Jostens came thru with flying colors at my D’s school…haven’t heard of any mix ups (other than the kid who forgot to turn in!)…Yes, they do have competitor in Balfour (sp?) but that outfit had fewer options/choices/colors for kids…</p>
<p>D planning on taking her cap & gown to college to get additional use out of it: her Halloween costume!</p>
<p>Having been bombarded with all senior year expenses recently (Prom, Grad Night, teacher/counselor/graduation gifts, etc.) and statement for first semester of college just arriving…
the $50 cap and gown kinda seems like a bargain right now…</p>
<p>I was a sucker and bought the announcements when my oldest boy graduated and then saw that my creative co-worker made a much nicer personal one for her son. It had the same information on it plus an invitation for the grad party and she put his senior picture in the corner and had a nice quote. I will be doing that for kid #3. I never thought about re-using the cap and gown. #3 will have to grow about 8" for that to work, but it’s a possibility!</p>
<p>I can’t believe some of you folks are having to pay for HS graduation cap and gowns. Our school took care of everything… they took the measurements one day in school and then they had them all ready for the event… we didn’t have to pay anything. What exactly are you local schools using their tax money for if they’re charing people $50 for a cap and gown… what’s next charging students for school sports uniforms? ;-)</p>
<p>The school did of course pass out the Jostens adverts for overpriced graduation announcements. Seriously, just go to your local print shop… they can probably produce something just as nice for a tiny fraction of the cost.</p>
<p>It has been my experience both as a parent and a teacher, that Jostens take great (too great) advantage of exclusivity to schools. They’re sales people do not seem to be terribly kid friendly to me at all.</p>
<p>I have three sons but had to order the cap and gown for each because the tassel, cords, cap and medal around the neck (with the year on it) couldn’t be sold seperately. Jostens has a definite monopoly. I even mentioned it to the principal after the first son. I wasn’t necessarily even upset about the cost, since I can’t imagine that cheap gown was the greater cost of the package, but the waste of owning three gowns. He said he’d do something about it for future years but didn’t.</p>