By Jesse Garcia
Staff Writer
The spring commencement festivities have started at California State University, Dominguez Hills for graduating seniors and with the festivities comes the pile of fees packaged together with your cap and gown.
However, what is meant to be a time of chipper and pondering faces counting down the days until graduation is actually a daunting realization that CSUDH isn’t done collecting your money. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the basic, classic, Windsor or Legacy Medallion grad packs that are plastered in front of your face as soon as you enter the campus bookstore.
By the way, congratulations! You are a graduating senior. Now, let’s take a look at what that means in money talk, that is if your vision is set on walking at commencement. Long story short: it’s entirely possible to spend over $500 on graduation.
The first step in the graduating process is to apply for graduation. Think this is free? Think again. The application fee will run you $65. Hope you applied before Oct. 1, because if you didn’t then you’ll need to add another $15 to apply.
Next up is the class gift. You might have received an email to vote for the 2018 senior gift. The majority vote chose to give towards the university’s emergency grant fund. What a nice gesture. What isn’t so nice is the small section the university labeled as “free swag” which is actually a $20.18 donation to receive an Alumni license frame or class of 2018 T-shirt. Sure, you can opt out of donating, but who wants to deal with that guilt?
This brings us to the exciting and treasured necessities that are found in the grad packs available for sale at the campus bookstore.
Let’s start with the king of the four packages available for purchase: the Legacy Medallion Grad Pack. Included in this package are the cap, gown, tassel, graduation sash, 25 CSUDH personalized announcements for your invitees, a souvenir mega DH horns tassel and the legacy suede medallion diploma frame. A perfect fit for anyone willing to cough up $377. Or $416 if you’re receiving a master’s.
Not quite for you?
Then, let’s take a look at the most affordable package of the bunch, the basic grad pack. Essentially, it has everything that is in the legacy medallion grad pack minus the diploma frame. This grad pack is going for $162. Or $201 for those receiving a master’s.
The difference between the four grad packs prices lies on the diploma frame you choose or decide not to choose.
If that doesn’t meet your budget, then you are left to buy items individually. The cap, gown and tassel are $42.50 for those receiving a bachelor’s. The graduation sash is $39. And the personalized announcements are $66.
No matter what options you decide, this is going to be one of the most memorably expensive walks you will take.
And let’s not forget the about the photos, the dress, the shoes, the balloons and the graduation party that is sure to come along with it.
But, hey Congratulations. I’m sure your student loans don’t mind a couple extra hundred dollars stacked on top.
