Some announcements are designed with a deckle edge that may look torn if you're not familiar with this type of card design. With a deckle edge design, each announcement has a rough, unfinished looking edge on one side. There is nothing wrong with the announcement, it is produced the way that it was designed.

The body of the announcement text is also designed by your college administration, bookstore or student committee. All students receive the same text with the exception of their personal information (name, degree, major, optional lines). If you have received the wrong text, please contact us.

The envelope with no gum on the flap is your inner envelope. You should put your announcement into this envelope and seal it with a yeardate seal, then put it into the larger, outer envelope that has a gummed flap. The outer envelope is your mailing envelope. The year date seals should be used on the inner envelope to seal it.

Name cards are not supplied with the personalized graduation announcements because your name is printed within the body of the text. You will note that your personal information is printed inside and there are no card slots in your announcement to insert a name card.

Graduation Announcements

Most schools limit the number of visitors a student may invite to commencement. Send announcements to family, friends or associates. Announcing your graduation is not only good etiquette, it is also a useful networking tool. Announcements are intended only to spread the good news. You may write "No gifts, please" at the bottom if you wish to dispel the notion of any obligation for gift giving.

Envelopes

The outer envelope, with the gummed flap, is the mailing envelope. It should be hand addressed as legibly as you can using black or blue ink. Avoid using abbreviations in the mailing address:

Ms. Juanita C. Fassbinder

4 Hillside Avenue

Concord, NH 03301

Mr. And Mrs. Frank Whiteside

124 West 32nd Street

DeSoto, TX 75115

The inner envelope, without the gummed flap, holds the announcement. Address it informally:

Grandmother

Aunt Cindy and Uncle Frank

Fay and Steve

Mr. John Smithers

The outer envelope, with the gummed flap, is the mailing envelope. It should be hand addressed as legibly as you can using black or blue ink. Avoid using abbreviations in the mailing address.

Insert the inner envelope into the mailing envelope with its flap facing the mailing address side.

Mailing

Send your graduation announcements before or after the actual commencement ceremony. The announcement is not meant to replace an invitation, it is meant to spread the good news of your accomplishment.

Custom Seal Note Cards or Thank You Notes

A short note of thanks, written by hand, must go to everyone who has sent a gift.

This note should acknowledge the gift and should be sent as promptly as possible:

Dear Uncle Frank,

Thanks so much for the check you sent me. It will be so helpful in setting up my new apartment.

I will drive down to thank you in person as soon as possible.

With much love,

Susan

The official graduation announcement design is determined by either a student committee, the college administration or bookstore. Jostens does offer insight into selecting the best design, but the final decision is up to a decision-maker from the college. All students who order the announcement receive the same basic design.

The smaller cards with the school seal on them are your Custom Seal Notecards. These will be blank inside for you to use them as a thank you note or note card.