I know I've done this before but here I go again for the benefit of any parent of a first-time college student out there.
You will most probably receive a letter in the mail soon that looks something like this......
Note that they mark on the outside of the envelope "FINAL EXAMS INFORMATION ENCLOSED" just so you are compelled to open it up asap.
Inside you'll see something like this......
A letter wanting you to buy your student a Final Exams CARE Package.
After my heart stops racing when I think this is an IMPORTANT letter from my son's school informing me that he is about to flunk out, I get angry......very angry!
First off, using scare tactics and MISLEADING things like "Final Exams Information Enclosed" on the envelope pisses me off.
No, it has nothing to do with your child's academic progress(or lack thereof), it's a sales pitch to get you to buy some overpriced, pre-boxed set of snack foods, for which you KNOW some entity at their school gets a kickback or a piece of the money collected by this scheme.
You already send thousands of dollars into the pockets of the college your kid goes to, why participate in a scheme between the college and a company that makes premade care packages that the college gives that business assess to YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION in order to get another few dollars out of your wallet?!?
Let me say this again.......the school your child attends is sharing your information with businesses.
If not this care package flim flam, then a company that sells bedding sets, etc.
How is this ok???
And don't get me started on how colleges allow parents to pay thousands of dollars to them for their children's college experience yet these same parents have NO access to see their children's GRADES unless the child allows the access?!?
Let's go through each of these Great Deals you can buy, shall we?
The CUP OF INSPIRATION includes--
A fine selection of Maxwell House Coffees(it's probably those flavored International coffees)
Swiss Miss hot cocoa packets
Gourmet teas in a thermal mug with a matching burlap bag
You have to buy this pack with one of the other packages........
The SUPPORT BASKET PACK includes---
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats
Popped Corn Chips (wtf?)
Kellogg's Pop-Tarts
Nabisco Wheat Thins
Welch's Fruit Snacks (what 18 yr. old still eats fruit snacks?)
Planter's Salted Peanuts
Ramen Noodles
Hunts' Snack size Pudding Cup
Nutella Hazelnut Spread
Oreo Cookies
Ritz bite sized Sandwich Crackers
Planters Cheese PB Crackers
Dum Dum Lollipops
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar
Strawberry Twizzlers
Laffy Taffy
Golden Graham Cereal on-the-Go
Instant Oatmeal packet
Haribo Gummie Bears
Chiclets Gum
Pretzels
All this can be yours for the low low price of $25.
I love how they tout this as "tasty and wholesome foods" in their description.
Since when is any of this wholesome foods....and some of it isn't even FOOD?! lol
Then the EXAM SURVIVAL KIT includes---
M&M's
Cheez-Its
Microwave Popcorn
Mini Chips Ahoy Cookies
Skittles
Keebler grahams crackers
M&M's peanut
Chex Snack Mix
Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies
Jolly Rancher candy
Nutella Hazelnut Spread
Animal Crackers
Bugles
Slim Jim
Crunch 'n Munch
Mike & Ike candy
Smarties candy
Dum Dum Lollipops
Kettlecorn microwave Popcorn
All this sugary crap can be yours for the low low price of $20.
OR
You can buy both packs contents AND the drink pack for the mere price of $55.
Now if I go to the store and buy this stuff here is an estimate of what it would cost.......
The Drink package--around $8.
The Support Basket--around $13.
The Exam Survival Kit--around $10.
Again I am sure you only get 1 or small sizes of all these items and not boxes with multiple units in it and my estimates include more than 1 per item.
Even with shipping I'd spend way less than $55 to send all this junk to #2 Son.
Here's some advise from a parent that's been getting these care package letters for 5 years now.......
Save your money and don't buy into this!
Go bake your kid a batch of his/her favorite cookies, buy a bag of their favorite candy/gum/candy bars/chips/etc. and send them that.
Or go to one of the many sites online to see what they recommend for including in a self-built care package.
They'll like it better and you'll save enough money to buy them a bus ticket home for Winter break.
Sluggy
You will most probably receive a letter in the mail soon that looks something like this......
Note that they mark on the outside of the envelope "FINAL EXAMS INFORMATION ENCLOSED" just so you are compelled to open it up asap.
Inside you'll see something like this......
A letter wanting you to buy your student a Final Exams CARE Package.
After my heart stops racing when I think this is an IMPORTANT letter from my son's school informing me that he is about to flunk out, I get angry......very angry!
First off, using scare tactics and MISLEADING things like "Final Exams Information Enclosed" on the envelope pisses me off.
No, it has nothing to do with your child's academic progress(or lack thereof), it's a sales pitch to get you to buy some overpriced, pre-boxed set of snack foods, for which you KNOW some entity at their school gets a kickback or a piece of the money collected by this scheme.
You already send thousands of dollars into the pockets of the college your kid goes to, why participate in a scheme between the college and a company that makes premade care packages that the college gives that business assess to YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION in order to get another few dollars out of your wallet?!?
Let me say this again.......the school your child attends is sharing your information with businesses.
If not this care package flim flam, then a company that sells bedding sets, etc.
How is this ok???
And don't get me started on how colleges allow parents to pay thousands of dollars to them for their children's college experience yet these same parents have NO access to see their children's GRADES unless the child allows the access?!?
Let's go through each of these Great Deals you can buy, shall we?
The CUP OF INSPIRATION includes--
A fine selection of Maxwell House Coffees(it's probably those flavored International coffees)
Swiss Miss hot cocoa packets
Gourmet teas in a thermal mug with a matching burlap bag
You have to buy this pack with one of the other packages........
The SUPPORT BASKET PACK includes---
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats
Popped Corn Chips (wtf?)
Kellogg's Pop-Tarts
Nabisco Wheat Thins
Welch's Fruit Snacks (what 18 yr. old still eats fruit snacks?)
Planter's Salted Peanuts
Ramen Noodles
Hunts' Snack size Pudding Cup
Nutella Hazelnut Spread
Oreo Cookies
Ritz bite sized Sandwich Crackers
Planters Cheese PB Crackers
Dum Dum Lollipops
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar
Strawberry Twizzlers
Laffy Taffy
Golden Graham Cereal on-the-Go
Instant Oatmeal packet
Haribo Gummie Bears
Chiclets Gum
Pretzels
All this can be yours for the low low price of $25.
I love how they tout this as "tasty and wholesome foods" in their description.
Since when is any of this wholesome foods....and some of it isn't even FOOD?! lol
Then the EXAM SURVIVAL KIT includes---
M&M's
Cheez-Its
Microwave Popcorn
Mini Chips Ahoy Cookies
Skittles
Keebler grahams crackers
M&M's peanut
Chex Snack Mix
Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies
Jolly Rancher candy
Nutella Hazelnut Spread
Animal Crackers
Bugles
Slim Jim
Crunch 'n Munch
Mike & Ike candy
Smarties candy
Dum Dum Lollipops
Kettlecorn microwave Popcorn
All this sugary crap can be yours for the low low price of $20.
OR
You can buy both packs contents AND the drink pack for the mere price of $55.
Now if I go to the store and buy this stuff here is an estimate of what it would cost.......
The Drink package--around $8.
The Support Basket--around $13.
The Exam Survival Kit--around $10.
Again I am sure you only get 1 or small sizes of all these items and not boxes with multiple units in it and my estimates include more than 1 per item.
Even with shipping I'd spend way less than $55 to send all this junk to #2 Son.
Here's some advise from a parent that's been getting these care package letters for 5 years now.......
Save your money and don't buy into this!
Go bake your kid a batch of his/her favorite cookies, buy a bag of their favorite candy/gum/candy bars/chips/etc. and send them that.
Or go to one of the many sites online to see what they recommend for including in a self-built care package.
They'll like it better and you'll save enough money to buy them a bus ticket home for Winter break.
Sluggy
I believe I would send out multiple letters of complaint about selling my personal information and that of my child, a minor, to a company. Maybe the attorneys-general in both states might be interested. If I were sending "nutritious" food to a college student, these items would not be on the list. That is just way too much junk for one exam session. I wonder how many parents buy these packages in fear or about of obligation the child.
ReplyDeleteThose packs are probably just the mini-snack packs, you know, the kind that has six mini cookies, not even just small package.
I got one of those too, a few weeks ago. Tossed it straight to the garbage (after I opened it, of course!). I just sent her my own care package on Monday :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Slugmama this is Chris. I say Amen, sister. Those letters went into the trash here, too.
ReplyDeleteNever have gotten one of these but I am sure it is coming!
ReplyDeleteI did not know.
ReplyDeleteIs this so for all colleges?
I guess that's where the "Freshman 15" comes from. (weight gain).
ReplyDeleteI got one of those yesterday. I guess my kids won't survive final exams. I sent Anna a care package for final exams the first year and then said take a $20 & buy a bunch of crap to eat. And you know what, she has survived.
ReplyDeletewow..no diet coke?!
ReplyDeleteSusanna
OMG! I cannot believe I survived college without my parents buying me all that crap.
ReplyDelete