Great gifts for grads

Jun 19, 2009 6:00 AM

graduation day presents gifts buying guide grads gift ideas

Celebrate your grad's recent success with an appropriate gift, such as a digital camera. Read our post for other ideas.
[ Photo courtesy of: Harrison Keely ]

I can still recall my college graduation fondly. Well, it was only two years ago. Everyone wanted to have their photo taken with me, which was a first, and I got lots of gifts—mostly cash that disappeared rather quickly into my gas tank or my stomach, plus a few gag books.

In hindsight, there are a few things I would have liked to receive as I made the transition from college dorm to real world. If you're shopping for a college grad, here are my suggestions for a gift that is both practical and enjoyable:

Microsoft Office (or equivalent software): No more pencils, no more books…and no more access to school labs with all the software a student needs to get by. Give your grad the tools he or she will need to write a résumé; see our recent post Software Savings: Microsoft Office on the cheap on the best deals in word processing software.

Printer: Once the résumé is letter-perfect, a good printer and quality paper can really come in handy.

Smart phone: A cell phone your grad can use to field incoming calls and e-mails from prospective employers (you can only hope) would be nice. Two popular smart phones are the Palm Pre and Apple's iPhone 3G. (And an ever faster version, the Apple iPhone 3G S, is due out today.) But there are other choices in our cell phone Ratings, available to subscribers. (And don't forget to check our Ratings of cellular service companies, also available to subscribers, to find the best wireless carriers.)

MP3 player: Apple’s iPod is by far the most popular digital music player around because of its ease of use and the hard-to-beat iTunes store. But it's not the only game in town. For more options that provide the same functions, and may even save you some money, check our Ratings of MP3 and other media devices. (But make sure whatever you buy is returnable in case your grad has other ideas.)

iTunes/App Store gift card: If the graduate in question is already in the iPod or iPhone camp, an iTunes gift card is a sure winner. Or consider one of Apple's new App Store Gift Cards so they can download applications that let them track finances, read the latest news, play games, or even get directions in a strange city. (And don't forget to check out: Advice for gift-card givers and receivers.)

Netflix subscription: So your graduate has a lot of free time on their hands this summer? Try a gift subscription to Netflix. When you get home from work, they can shove over on the couch, and you can watch the movies together.

Digital camera: If there's a trip abroad on the agenda, a digital camera is bound to be a hit. Nothing like the ability to instantly reminisce with a point-and-shoot sporting a big display (so they can see just how close that bull was in Pamplona). Check out our digital camera buying guide and digital camera Ratings (available to subscribers). —Will Dilella