Just curious if any suggestions for a Collage graduation present for my 22 year old Daughter?
In grade school she struggled and when I finally put my ego on the side and got her help it was all good from there.
She will graduate with honors without any drama from Ferris State U in MI with a degree in Marketing and has signed with Hersheys

I want to do something that will be special, to fit her doesnt need to be over the top but...

I really dont know what to do,but someone here will

Hank

Budget?

And her interests.

Can't help with the gift, but congrats!

I think a "JOB" would be the best graduation present.

I agree

The big guy asked budget (Thanks for reading my post)
I really dont know Honestly if I could think of something really special I would do my best to make it happen

For here 16th Birthday we both got Taurus 22 revolvers I wanted a revolver and a 617 seemed a bit much at the time
for her 21st we both got Ruger Pac Lites
I thought of a Colt 1911 (someday she will get a few anyway) but I also thought maybe something more practical

Not really sure
Honestly she has been such a good kid if I can do it I will

Since she already has a job promised, maybe the first couple of months rent on her apartment, help her get on her feet.

A nice set of engraved pens?


Frame her diploma (expensive)

Hmmm. Help her open up an IRA and make the first deposit as her gift. That would be a helluva next step on the right path for a recent college grad savvy enough to already have a job lined up.

I swear I was chomping at the bit, thinking "No, not a gun!" and couldn't wait to finish reading to the end, and...Rick beat me to it!

An investment that she can watch grow and be encouraged to continually add to.

My daughter graduated last year, and I had promised to buy her a new car AFTER Graduation and getting a job, which she did. So I made good on my promise. I also started a Roth IRA for her, and she is already contributing to it on her own. Since a lot of companies don't have IRA's for their employees, that would be a perfect gift.

This along with something material (small) just as a reminder.

I would buy a marlin 1894 in 357 and a matching pistol in a ruger.

+1. That's a great suggestion.

I'd start with a deceptively wrapped Hershey candy bar.

This is a tough one without knowing her personality. My first thought was to take her on a trip to someplace exotic she wouldn't pay to see herself. Artsy fartsy = the Louve? Castles in Scotland? Rome?

A piece of jewelry is never wrong.

X2. Teach her to invest wisely and she'll buy you a gun

One of the nicest graduation presents there is.

This and the rent thing sound good too.

If she has the auto, if she has the apt. money, the business attire then a brand new bible would be good, along with the
"Roth IRA".

Hersheys is a good strong company to work for.

Call the bookstore and see if they have a framing service for their degrees. They usually offer an archive quality frame / plaque with a campus landmark above or below the degree itself. You can also have any certificates she has for honorary organizations matted and framed at a framing store. If she is in Beta Gamma Sigma that would be the really big one to do; only the top 10% or so of business students get in. Also...as the parent of a fairly successful young lady...you can't go wrong with simple diamond stud earrings of any size. They will always be the ones 'daddy gave me when I graduated...' She'll show up wearing them on various occasions and that will be something special for the two of you. If you want, you could give them to her graduation morning and she might be able to wear them when she walks.

Not knowing her or her interests, I always say you can't go wrong with a quality watch as a graduation present. Especially since she is going into corporate America with a job already (congrat's to her on graduation and job by the way).

I work in corporate world and I have to say people who don't wear watches and are always checking their phone for the time gets annoying when I'm in meetings with them.

250 Pistol course at Gunsite Academy

The IRA gift is a great idea.
Other possibilities are a trip to someplace she's interested in, like Ireland, or the Mediterranean. Maybe just whale watching in Mexico...
Does she have a reliable car?

Is this your only child or are you starting something you will want to do again down the road?

My daughter had quit school to marry and help her husband graduate. When she finally graduated she was 26, with a husband and child, planning for a second child.

She had sold her kayak, which she considered her freedom machine, shortly after she married.
She got an 18' family canoe for graduation...

Does your daughter have any particular sport interest or activity that she participates in?

enough money to live on until she gets started with her new job

THIS!

I like the way that you think.

I would only add the idea that experiences are forever. What I mean by that is that you could buy her a trip somewhere she's always wanted to go. Or, take her along on a trip that you've always wanted to do.

She'll always remember either event. Either she gets alone time in a dream location alone with her thoughts before she steps out into the world or she gets to go be a part of daddy's dream with his little girl before he lets go of the woman she's become.

A quality binocular would also be a possibility, but the IRA & Bible are top contenders......................

My oldest daughter wanted diamonds and my youngest wanted a guided antelope hunt. Far be it from me to deny either of them.

Most modern corporations have investment counselors on board that will help them with the IRA/Roth/401K. The youngest daughter is now 30 and figures she and her husband have another 15 years before retirement and changing careers to consulting. They assume that we will get rid of the current clowns in Washington that seem to want to tax anything that generates wealth.

Buy her a six month gift certificate supply of fried chicken from Popeye's!!

take her on a trip. Things come and go, but memories with family will always be with her. (and you as well) just my 2 cents.

My daughter is graduating this May, with high honors as well. She expressed a nice SLR digital camera with a good lens. We have been looking at the Nikon 5200.

Any chance you could swing allowing her the opportunity to enter "the world" debt free?

A car

plane tickets to Key West fantasy fest in October

Lifetime hunting lisc

Funny you should say that quite a few years ago I got married to a crazy lady it lasted a month .It concerned me enough that I immediatly paid he collage off with a plan they had here in MI, so she has no debt

Thanks for all the advice and sharing the personal experiances
I am going to do a piece of Jewerly and
an IRA account start and a brokerage account that she will be able to grow
She has been talking about the IRA for a while but as a student not much to fund it
Thanks again to all
Hank

Here is the PS


Thanks for good advice
What I did was went to a very reputable jewler locally and bought some Diamong Stud earings (Thanks Miss Lynn)

and I started a Roth IRA and a brokerage account. It was great she liked the earing of course but was very excited about getting the accounts added to and growing

But I really wanted to share my favorite Graduation picture




Hockey fans may feel like they heard this name before, Ferris State played for the National Championship against Boston Collage last year.
Each year they field very good teams and its Ferris #1 sport

So there is the Zambonie how cool

Hank

My daughter graduated college in 1991. After 6 years she obtained her art degree. At her graduation party I gave her a check for 1,000 bucks. We were both very happy.

She left Iowa after graduation and stone cold, landed a job as an Account Exec at a major Missouri newspaper. Today she is VP, Advertising, for that newspaper. That present I gave her paid for gas, room and board for a month, or so. Money does help.

Congratulations, Hank! I know you (and her) are beaucoup proud right now.

You know your daughter better than anyone here, so you probably already have an idea of what would be meaningful to her.

For my kids, I have bought them memories over stuff. My son got a BC bear hunt for his HS graduation. My daughter is getting a trophy deer hunt for her HS graduation this year. An Africa hunt will probably be her college grad present.

Find something meaningful for her that she will remember.

Edited to add: Just saw where you got her something really nice. I'm sure she was very happy. Congratulations

Just did the same here. Mine graduates later this week. Gave her the car a couple years ago, but paid it off earlier this year. She also got a Ruger LCR from me on the promise she gets her CCW permit.

Buy her 4 new tires for her car.

My parents got me a custom .257 Roberts for college graduation. Everytime I use it for the rest of my life I will think of my parents.

An IRA is practical but gifts should have meaning in my opinion. Not saying you have to go all out and get a custom rifle.

Just sent my daughter to Front Sight for firearms training as her gift (her request). She completed the 4 day class yesterday and will receive a "graduation" certificate. Today she will do her 30 state CCW course and applications. I couldn't think of a more satisfying gift for my daughter who about to begin her career.

Congrats on raising a fine young lady wish her every success.

I'm sure she loved the earrings, and will value the IRA over time.

but as she gets older, she'll realize the greatest gift you ever gave her was your support and love to give her the foundation and confidence for her own successes.

Well done, really appreciate you sharing this with us. Love to hear about squared away young folks, just love it.

Way to go, Hank! I'm happy for you and your graduate.