# MBA graduation gift? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 14, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117 "2010-12-14T15:03:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/1 "2010-12-14T15:03:12Z")
My cousin just graduated from his MBA program. He’ll be in town for an interview, we’re going to meet for breakfast, and I’m considering whether I should pick up a gift for him or not…and if so, what? If it’s important to answering the question, we’re not really more than, call it “4th of July family acquaintances”. I’m really bad at gift-buying for anyone besides my wife, so I wouldn’t mind getting suggestions anyway, as they might be helpful for another occasion… Any advice or suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/2 "2010-12-14T15:17:20Z")
I say buy him breakfast and say “congrats!”. Keep it simple. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/3 "2010-12-14T16:40:15Z")
I’ve graduated with a BS, a BA, an MA, and Ph.D. I never got any graduation presents for any of them. I’m with otternell. Breakfast is probably more than he expects. I’d hope. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/4 "2010-12-14T16:52:35Z")
Personally I don’t think it’s necessary for grad school graduation, it’s more a professional accomplishment than a family event. Buying breakfast would be a nice way to show you’re happy to see him. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/5 "2010-12-14T19:08:27Z")
Yeah, I had thought about just picking up the meal. His parents, with whom I’m a bit closer, are also going to be there – as a matter of fact, I’m meeting them while he’s interviewing, then we’ll all go out. What with the group setting, I thought it might be a nice gesture to put the focus on him a bit more by bringing a (small) gift. Maybe not…if only this were MPSIMS, I could’ve added a poll. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/6 "2010-12-14T21:23:37Z")
Ditto that gifts are not common for grad school graduation. If your cousin is anything like the MBA students I knew in grad school, he’s probably already got all the useful accoutrements that a businessperson needs (briefcase, suits, etc.) because he had to have them for his internship and interviews. A congratulations is really all that’s in order. If you really want to get him something, maybe a nice tie? As lame as that sounds, he probably will have reason to use it. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/7 "2010-12-14T21:46:20Z")
I concur that paying for a nice breakfast out is the way to go here - there’s no point in a throwaway sentimental gift for a “4th of July” kind of cousin, and there probably isn’t really a utilitarian gift you could give that would be useful and not redundant or extravagant. If you must get him something, therefore, go for the silly. For example, give him a basketball, followed by a confused look and “oh, you said _M_ BA, didn’t you? Drat this AT&T cell phone service.” ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/8 "2010-12-14T22:02:10Z")
[Managing Debt for Dummies](http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Debt-Dummies-John-Ventura/dp/0470084863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292364033&sr=8-1) It’s both useful and a gag gift at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/9 "2010-12-14T23:11:24Z")
I’d buy a nice pen-possibly engraved. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mba-graduation-gift/564117/10 "2010-12-14T23:38:53Z")
Yeah a nice Mont Blanc pen