<p>Does anyone have gift ideas for people who helped with the college process? What is the the minimum and maximum to spend? Our school has fairly involved GCs, so they actually do a lot for the students.</p>
<p>Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Books might be appropriate for English teachers, and possibility History and other humanities teachers as well. Just make sure they're personal and maybe are about a topic of shared interest?</p>
<p>The most important thing is a thank you letter. Besides that, it's good to keep these people informed throughout the admissions process and even into college. No gift is necessary, though a lot of people give homemade baked goods. A small item that you think the individual would like would also be fine. The only material gifts I've really seen are daily calendars (usually going with the class subject) or a poster for the classroom, though your favorite book or a book you think the teacher would like would surely be appreciated. No need to go with the new $40 hardcover though.</p>
<p>I baked brownies for S to take to the GC and teachers who wrote recs. They were accompanied by a handwritten note of appreciation written by my S. I think that simple gift was appreciated just as much as one that would have cost more money, maybe even more.</p>
<p>He followed it up with a mug from the college he ended up going to - GC collects them and didn't have one from his college yet, so it was a nice little bonus :)</p>
<p>edit: cross posted with Corranged. Nice to see we think alike!</p>
<p>We got the teachers Thank You notes with Barnes & Noble gift cards inside for $25.</p>
<p>One teacher who loves tea got a basket with teas from around the world, and a giant mug.</p>
<p>S gave a box of nice holiday cards. This seemed appropriate for the season.</p>
<p>I like the idea of homemade baked goods plus a thank you letter from the student. And the college mug is brilliant. Just not sure my poor tired D has much prose left in her to write thank you notes after all the application essays.</p>
<p>i wrote very personal thank you letters to those that wrote my rec letters and have put a concerted effort into staying in touch with them. i updated them when ever i got into a school or program they wrote me a rec for and if i was in their class always offered to help in any way that i could. they could tell that i was very appreciative!</p>
<p>as for something more tangible, my ap chem and advanced physics teacher retired after my senior year, so i gave him a book of the 100 most beautiful golf courses. i work at a golf course, and he loves to golf and really enjoyed the book of beautiful places--and the long note in silver sharpie inside the front cover made him feel quite proud too.</p>
<p>i'd say if it's something personal that your kid can tie in like my golf book, then go for it. if it would just be a generic gift, a letter or perhaps a framed picture of the two of them at graduation for teacher's desk might be more appropriate.</p>
<p>Handmade cookies and a note : )</p>
<p>When is the right time to give a gift to letter writers? Before the holidays or in the spring?</p>
<p>I did in the winter after my applications had all been sent. In the spring the "thank you" seems to symbolize "thank you because I got into college." In the fall or winter right after they write the letter, I think it's more of a "thank you for writing a recommendation," which is what you really want to say. That's nit-picky, though. Either is fine.</p>
<p>We did it right before December break. (Did not want to link it to getting accepted or not)</p>
<p>Maybe baking cookies and presenting them in some kind of nice container . . . I love this issue. So much more fun to think about then pep talking my D through her remaining apps.</p>
<p>Last winter, I drove daughter to a weekend scholarship competition. That weekend, she decided to enroll at that school. We went to the bookstore and found coffee mugs printed with the school's name. We filled them with candy and wrapped them in pretty celophane and ribbon with the school colors. We also tied on thank you notes.</p>
<p>You are all so nice!</p>
<p>We're just past this by a year, but I think given the task and the teacher's practical needs, I might give a roll of pretty first-class stamps (to a first class teacher, of course), coupled with the student's Thank You note, of course. I admire the cooks and those who mug, also :) Teachers definitely read all the time, so the gift card or focussed choice of book title are wonderful. </p>
<p>I still keep my collection of chipped Christmas ornaments that my First Grade students gave me from a poor school. It's really the thought that counts!</p>
<p>For a dedicated GC, a great note to her PRINCIPAL is worth gold.</p>
<p>The guidance counselor at my son's school has been UBER helpfull to the kids throughout the years getting them accepted to different schools. About 10 years ago, one of the students gave the GC a banner from the school he got accepted to. Well, it caught on. Every student since has gotten the GC a banner from the college they are going to and the counselor helped get them into. (Simple online school bookstore or athletic department will let you order one). The GC has more walls covered in their office with banners from more schools in the country than you can think of. Each student usually signed the banner with a thank you message on it. The counselor has also commented that when other high school kids walk into their office, there's a real sense of excitement that maybe they too can go off to college. Anyway, see if your student wants to start a new trend.</p>
<p>We just got these nice little gift boxes of quality chocolates for the two teachers that wrote recommendations, and my son attached a thank you note. Things may be different here, but they seemed quite surprised to get a thank you gift at all.</p>
<p>i'm making Christmas cookies and wrapping them up really nicely. I'm excited (I like making cookies haha)</p>
<p>I think my son will give thank you gifts before the break. We now know that all the stuff has been written -- I think giving before the work is done can be misconstrued. Of course, son will still be working on apps but most of their work will be done (except mid-year reports, etc.). His teachers have been great. His EA school did not receive all his rec work (it was sent, it's somewhere on campus I'm sure) and they graciously faxed stuff, etc. They certainly deserve a nice note and gift. I hope my son can figure out something fitting -- one is a diabetic so baked goods, candies, etc. are not an option. He asks the kids never to give him sugar. Tomorrow he is taking a thank you gift bag to a supplemental rec letter someone wrote for him. Some Starbucks cocoa and a Harry and David treat plus a nice note. I don't think it needs to be a big gift. I've written lengthy letters of recommendations for people for various things and I've never received more than a verbal thank you which was all I wanted. The thanks was seeing them get what they applied for and feeling that I helped in some way. A while back someone mentioned a small gift to the assistant in the college office which I think is a great idea.</p>
<p>I like the suggestion of coffee or tea, & the college banner is terrific. One of my teacher friends says she gets overloaded with sweets. How about a cheese basket?</p>