10 Perfect Gifts for Grad-School Bound Students

By Alicia Geigel on July 1, 2017

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

In your undergraduate years at college, care packages, gifts, and financial assistance from family and people alike are frequent luxuries you cherish with all your heart. Family and friends want to do everything they can to make sure you have the smoothest college experience possible and it usually works out that way! Once you enter the graduate and doctoral world, gifts and helpful aid are less frequent, which can leave you feeling like the scary pressures of adulthood are suffocating you.

Are you an incoming graduate student or do you know someone who is? Check out my list of 10 inexpensive, beneficial gifts that any grad student would love!

1. Gift cards: While gift cards may seem like a thoughtless gift, they are very much appreciated by college students! Whether the gift cards are to restaurants, stores, or even for online companies, they are definitely useful and can alleviate the stress of spending money!

Image via Pixabay

2. Coffee press/maker: College students run on coffee — I think we all can attest to this. Especially once grad school comes around and the academics become more challenging, coffee is a necessity in order to function. Perhaps their coffee maker is old and needs replacing or they just don’t have one; regardless, a coffee press/maker is a great gift for grad students. They’re inexpensive, useful, and last a while!

Image via Pixabay

3. Crockpot/slow-cooker: School tends to occupy most of our time which means that when it comes down to meals, we can get lazy about it. One of the greatest inventions of all time (besides sliced bread) is the crockpot. With the crockpot, you can prepare your meals hours in advance, and put them in and cook them slow for hours! The great thing about this? You can work or study all day and not have to worry about throwing a meal together when it’s dinner time! This can eliminate unhealthy substitutions for meals and make life so much easier!

Image via Pixabay

4. Motivational supplies: Grad school can be tough and sometimes we can get discouraged when things don’t turn out how we want them to. Sometimes, you just need a mood booster to help push you through that hard day/week/month!

Motivational supplies like sticky notes, folders, notebooks, pencils, etc. are inexpensive ways to keep you inspired and positive while in school. They will always have nice messages like “Keep Calm and Carry On” or “I Can Do This,” — things that you may already know, but a visual aid always helps!

Image via Pixabay

5. Aromatherapy oils: Not everyone gets on board with using aromatherapy oils, but I promise you they work wonders! Once you’ve used them, you’ll be convinced that they are miraculous gifts sent from the sky. A few popular oils are eucalyptus, lemon, tea tree, lavender, peppermint, and oregano.

According to Dr. Axe of draxe.com, aromatherapy oils contain unique and therapeutic benefits, which include: improving respiratory issues (eucalyptus oil), helping with relaxation and healing cuts (lavender oil), cleaning items (lemon oil), helping kick a cold (oregano oil), supporting digestion and boosting energy (peppermint oil), and containing anti-bacterial qualities (tea tree oil).

Convinced yet? You can purchase a set of these oils for less than $30.

Image via Pixabay

6. Microwavable plush warmer: Do you catch yourself slumped over your desk for hours on end? Do you feel neck and back pain as a result? One of the greatest gifts I have received was a microwavable plush warmer. It’s like a stuffed animal that you can heat up to help with aching muscles and cramping! They come in a variety of animals from owls to elephants so you can find the perfect one for the person you care about. You can get them for less than $20 at select stores!

7. Toiletries: As an adult, sometimes the things we need are the most obvious necessities but they often slip our mind! Items such as deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, toilet paper, soap, and socks are perfect gifts for any grad student because no matter what, I guarantee you they will always need these items and will be wishing they had them once they used them up!

Image via Pixabay

8. A multi-functional jacket: Whether you are freezing in the middle of winter or are caught in the rain of spring, a jacket is always a necessity. A great gift for a grad student is a multi-functional jacket, one that can be used around all seasons. Qualities to look for include water resistant, lined with fleece or another warm material, and hooded. One jacket that can last through the seasons can make commuting to class a little less discouraging!

Image via Pixabay

9. A watch: In class or at work, we can’t always check our phones to see what time it is. Either a digital or analog watch is always useful for grad students and adults in general, and the best thing is, they’re inexpensive!

Image via Pixabay

10. A new backpack: So your backpack has been through a lot. Two years ago you spilled spaghetti on it and the stain never really came out, or you used it on a camping trip and the mud tracks have stuck to it like glue. Throughout the years, backpacks can get run down but no one really wants to get a new one.

A new backpack can be a perfect gift for a grad student: it will be useful, there are ones with cool pockets for tablets and laptops, and they’re a thoughtful and inexpensive gift!

Image via Pixabay

Regardless if you are a grad student yourself or know someone who is, these 10 gifts can make the difference in the grad school experience! So good luck and happy shopping!

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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