21 High School Grad Gifts They'll Actually Use

Kelly R said:  One of my favorite practical graduation gift ideas is a gift card to the bookstore at their future college. They're going to want to stock up on school gear, and this lets them pick what they want!

Kelly R said:  We all know that the king of all high school grad gifts is money! It's what they really want most, and generally the best call when you don't know the kid all that well. You can make it a little more meaningful by giving a check in the amount of their graduation year...$20.22, for example.

Alexandra F. said:  My dad left one of these for me when he dropped me off at college, and boy did it ever come in handy. 18-year-old me had no clue that I might need any tools, until, of course, I found myself needing them! These simple basics are really all you need in a dorm room; throw in a roll of duct tape and they’ll be ready to handle any minor fixes or improvements that come their way!

Alexandra F. said:  Treat the soon-to-be college student to their first few late-night pizzas, or even to a nice dinner at a local restaurant, for a break from dining hall fare.

Beth Wood said:  Give your high school graduate a keepsake representing their future school. Each pillow collage shows colors, mascots, landmarks, and stadiums representative of their specific school. If your budget is a bit lower, handy zip pouches are also available for corralling pencils, lip balm, keys and other essentials.

Kelly R said:  I love monogrammed bath towels as high school grad gifts. They will definitely get used, and the monogram feels special and will keep the towel situation from getting confused when they have roommates. Plus, it's no problem if this is a duplicate gift!