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College Rings

Did you get a college ring?

  • Yes/I will be getting one

    Votes: 16 21.9%

  • No/No I will not be getting one

    Votes: 17 23.3%

  • I want to but can not afford them

    Votes: 2 2.7%

  • No I think they are a waste of money

    Votes: 38 52.1%
  • Total voters
    73
Kashchei said:
I have no idea how much such rings cost, but I have a feeling they are well over $100.
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Here at Texas A&M, we only have one design, but you can get it with more or less gold content, or add a diamond, (one of two sizes) and the chepest Men's ring is just under $700. If you want 14k Gold and with a diamond, who knows? Its a LOT. I got the chepest one, and have no regrets, and I'm definitely not made of money, yet. ;)
 
Rodimus Prime said:
...I had to put myself though hell finishing my degree and to me the ring just symbolized I am done and the end of near.
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Don't you get a degree or whatever at the end of it, or an alumni card? They're actually useful, unlike rings.

You keep saying that you've worked hard for your degree. Don't you think other people with similar or higher qualifications worked hard? I got myself a £25 University of Manchester hoodie and called it a day. I've never even worn it.
 
Kashchei said:
I have no idea how much such rings cost, but I have a feeling they are well over $100. If so, I suggest you save your money and spend it instead on a night out on the town or something else lavish and fun. You will remember that event far more than you will your college ring, which may bring back memories one day, years later, when you find it at the bottom of your sock drawer after years of thinking it lost.
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I believe my ring cost some where around a little over $715. It is 14k gold and I did not get the diamonds added to it..
illicium said:
As I said, To each his Own. Its always good to find another Texan on here tho. What are your plans after graduation?

Also I will be turning my ring around too so the year and the shield face out.
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I will be working for a construction company in Dallas.

raggedjimmi said:
Don't you get a degree or whatever at the end of it, or an alumni card? They're actually useful, unlike rings.

You keep saying that you've worked hard for your degree. Don't you think other people with similar or higher qualifications worked hard? I got myself a £25 University of Manchester hoodie and called it a day. I've never even worn it.
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I know others have work hard but at the same time we each have our own things to deal with. To me it is something I am very proud of but does not mean I going to not think others have not worked hard.

The ring just is part of the the things and yes it means I finished my degree and I will get that
 
I paid $263 for my high school class ring (in white gold). I wore it a lot right around graduation and my senior year and since then, not so much. I bought it because someone told me, they regretted not having bought a ring.

I can understand what the OP is saying about having survived 4 years. My high school was a hellish 7 year school and my ring is my trophy. I actually thought college was easier and didn't buy a college ring.
 
I have some original, golden (OK, yellowish metal) cuff links from Moscow State University. Anyone want to trade his college ring for them? :D
 
I got one in Junior High and High School. I wore my Jr. High ring until I got mine for High School and I'll wear it until I get my college ring. I don't know anybody who didn't get one.
 
I have a high school ring that I couldn't even tell you where it is. Didn't bother with college rings, mostly because they were waaaaaaay over priced, in my opinion.

The only ring I wear now is my wedding ring and it often comes off during work. (Around equipment a ring can sometimes be a dangerous thing.)
 
jng said:
I paid $263 for my high school class ring (in white gold). I wore it a lot right around graduation and my senior year and since then, not so much. I bought it because someone told me, they regretted not having bought a ring.

I can understand what the OP is saying about having survived 4 years. My high school was a hellish 7 year school and my ring is my trophy. I actually thought college was easier and didn't buy a college ring.
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try upping that 4 to 6.5 years for my undergrad when it is all said and done (2 years Jr college 4.5 at Tech. The 3rd year being the hardest on me.
 
I cannot imagine spending $700 on anything like that – it seems really strange to me (although obviously it isn't part of the culture here). Especially as after going through school, college and university here things seem much less important one year, five years or ten years later than it did when I was there.

I feel as though where I am and what I've learnt is more of a memento than something I would buy to symbolise it. (Especially if it resembles those first examples that shecky posted :p – although the School of Design one is a really nice variation).
 
Rodimus Prime said:
try upping that 4 to 6.5 years for my undergrad when it is all said and done (2 years Jr college 4.5 at Tech. The 3rd year being the hardest on me.
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Yeah, so if you want to buy a ring as a trophy and you can spare the cash, go for it.

Lau, yeah it's a culture thing but it's also an elitist thing too. My friends at Harvard for example wear their rings all the time. Mine sits in a box in my sox drawer. It's just a trophy to me.
 
I bought a HS ring and wore that every day throughout my junior and senior years. I don't wear it anymore, but it's still a nice keepsake IMO.

I definitely plan on getting a college ring as well, once I'm eligible. I don't know if I'll wear it for long out of college (although I know many men do.. it's a little different for women I think), but it's still something I'll definitely want to have.

I'm actually a little shocked to read so many negative responses to the idea of college and high school rings. At Clemson, we have an entire ceremony devoted to receiving your ring, and at my high school everyone bought one and wore theirs proudly. I'm surprised there are parts of the country where this isn't the same..
 
The whole ring business struck me as one big scam. Rings are for engagements and weddings. What's the point of declaring that I graduated from a particular high school or college by wearing a ring? Money can be spent in better ways IMHO (like food, rent, and textbooks for college!).

I didn't get a ring in high school, and I don't regret it one bit. I don't plan on getting one when I graduate from college. Something tells me that there's more to the college experience than a ring...
 
I'm in high school and they are trying to push "High School Class rings" on us. what a freaking scam! why would you spend money on one of those ugly things anyway?


I can just picture it now... me, as an 85 year old man, looking down at that ring on my finger and all those beautiful memories of high school come flooding back and carry my peacefully up to heaven... ahhh, so beautiful....



I think this is what capitalism is all about: some company decides to make up some totally ridiculous "tradition" in order to sell something. But the problem is, the tradition doesn't exist... so they just run enough ads, commercials, etc. that after 20 years, it is ingrained in society and they are ensured to have a market for years to come. This is stuff like X-mass (the season of buying really expensive junk and giving them to people), those companies that sell fertilizer and herbacide (because, having a lush green lawn is the "american way"), . What BS. why do people go for it? i think i need to move to a different country...

</rant?>
 
theman said:
those companies that sell fertilizer and herbacide (because, having a lush green lawn is the "american way"), . What BS. why do people go for it? i think i need to move to a different country...

</rant?>
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Green grass is actually the British way. England started the tradition of beautiful lawns, and in an attempt to be classy like the Queen (King in days past), Americans copied the tradition. O/c, it rains a heck of a lot less in most of the US than it does in England, so grass requires more upkeep here. It is a rather foolish thing if you ask me, and your rant is quite dead on.

Class rings, whether for high school or college are a waste of money. It's merely an attempt by a handful of companies to increase demand for a product with little merit.
 
Yeah, me and my mom were just complaining about all the people around us who put that poison crap on their lawns and she said "blame it on england", but I say, blame it on these dumb companies...
 
theman said:
Yeah, me and my mom were just complaining about all the people around us who put that poison crap on their lawns and she said "blame it on england", but I say, blame it on these dumb companies...
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I would rather avoid calling them dumb, as they are quite brilliant in their marketing stratedgy. They've managed to convince millions of people that a useless, allergy-inducing weed is worthy of countless resources. That takes effort!

I think a fairer assessment is that the companies are morally lacking, and that people who fall into their traps are dumb.
 
Me = didn't buy
didn't buy = high school and college rings
high school and college rings = waste of money
therefore
me = waste of money

...

wait a minute, that ain't right...
 
theman said:
I think this is what capitalism is all about: some company decides to make up some totally ridiculous "tradition" in order to sell something. But the problem is, the tradition doesn't exist... so they just run enough ads, commercials, etc. that after 20 years, it is ingrained in society and they are ensured to have a market for years to come. This is stuff like X-mass (the season of buying really expensive junk and giving them to people), those companies that sell fertilizer and herbacide (because, having a lush green lawn is the "american way"), . What BS. why do people go for it? i think i need to move to a different country...

</rant?>
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Engagement rings also fall under that category - the "tradition" started out as nothing more than a marketing campaign by DeBeers in the 40s to boost flagging sales. Nearly 70 years on, and try telling your average girl she's not getting a shiny overpriced rock and see how fast she dumps you.

Christmas gifts, though, are a slightly different beast. That particular tradition has been around ever since the Romans painted over the festival of Saturnalia and started calling it Christmas, a couple millenia ago, give or take.

Back on topic, I never was one for my high school ring. My college ring is another story, probably because of all I went through to earn it.
 
Personally I think they are gaudy and I can't believe people wear them every day. However, when I saw the OP start to attack the Texas A&M guy I couldn't help but think.. gee.. didn't you just answer your own question?

I just graduated last Fall and I'm in Law School now. I think I'll probably get a class ring. Why? Because I'm going to start going on job interviews soon and my undergrad was one of those places with a strong tradition and closely-knit alumni network throughout the country. When I go into a job interview that I've obtained with connections through my undergraduate network, I want to walk in with that ring. Alumni like to help their own, and at those schools where the ring is important, that's one step in the right direction.
 
thank you desenso.

like i said, it's an elitist thing. it's a trophy. Yeah, not a sensible purchase (in terms of worth for $$), but no one is forcing you to buy it either. so those people are are ranting need to just walk away...
 
Nugget said:
I think they're ugly and dumb and whenever I see a grown adult wearing one I have to admit that I think a little bit less of them.
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I think thats a really blunt statement. It makes no sense, and its very judgemental. Unless your saying all guys in rings you think less of, which is just as bad.
 
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