<p>^^lol rutgersmama In our case we’re throwing son a grad party, so the invite IS the announcement. Unless you’re having a party, I really don’t see the point in a formal announcement, for many of the reasons listed above. The people that need/want to know, will know.</p>
<p>Magna cum laude was an option on S’s grad announcements, so I included it. He wasn’t nominated for Phi Beta Kappa until after I ordered the announcements… and I figured I’d already “bragged” enough!</p>
<p>We’re trying to figure out what to do for my graduation. For high school graduation here, a huge party and announcements is standard (gifts optional, though families do get offended if relatives don’t at least send a (empty) card). For college graduation, nobody knows because no one in my neighborhood has ever finished college before, and only one of my relatives have. We are going to throw a small barbecue at my parents’ house with the grandparents, maybe a friend of mine or two, and my boyfriend and his parents. And we are thinking about doing announcements. Most of the family is pretty disjointed so they may not hear through the grapevine that I graduated but would like to know and would appreciate that we thought to tell them one way or the other. I don’t know them but they’ll be interested to know that my dad is the father of a college grad now. I am hoping that will be sufficient and not too over the top, since I’m really the first person in the area doing this it seems like doing ANYTHING that we did for hs graduation would be gaudy and too over the top for college. Originally my mom wasn’t going to allow for anything.</p>
<p>Live in the south, sons attended college in NE. We sent announcements to close relatives, with a “just wanted you to know” hand-written note. No gifts expected or received. Son wrote personal notes to high school teachers and guidance counselors who wrote letters of recs, etc.; people who helped him along the way. Also sent to a few other adults who wrote him letters for summer programs, etc., as well as his church league basketball coach who was important in his life. No gifts received, but he got some very meaningful notes and cards from a lot of these people, who were truly glad to hear from him.</p>
<p>Youngest son graduates in June and we/he will do the same.</p>
<p>Received an announcement containing the honors distinction mentioned in a previous post…This family member included a hand-written note indicating she wanted to share their good news with us, implying but not specifically saying gifts were not expected…</p>
<p>Her wording: “Joe Smith will graduate from XYZ College Magna Cume Laude with Bachelor of Arts Degree in Basketweaving and Phi Beta Kappa Distinction May 15, 2011”</p>
<p>Presumably, this is “proper” wording. She is from the South, where they seem to have a handle on such things!</p>
<p>Hope this helps…</p>
<p>I have never sent or received a graduation announcement for HS, college, or graduate school. I agree with those that say it feels like a gift request. If there is someone who wants to be there but can’t, like a grandparent, send a snapshot or a copy of the program. We bought the official video of S’s HS graduation because my parents could not be there. (Moreover, the principal mentioned him by name in his speech. 
) They enjoyed watching it.</p>
<p>shyanne, I was surprised when a couple of close relatives other than his grandparents and godfather DID give him a gift. It’s a matter of differing expectations/norms, I guess.</p>
<p>I ordered a couple - we will send one to the grandparents and one to a woman who is the daughter of a benefactor who gave our daughter a scholarship. I want this woman )who of course we have never met) know that we appreciate her father’s generosity. I will have my daughter write a note that makes it clear that this a thank-you for an amazing gift. Just for the record, D has written a letter each year to provide an update.</p>