McCool Y-DNA Testing Subsidies and Donations

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: McCool McCoole

Please consider donating to the 2024 McCool Y-DNA Test Campaign. Y-DNA tests, especially Big Y-700 tests, are fairly expensive (even though Big Y tests cost $200 less than they did two years ago). But since a single male McCool's Y-DNA test results apply to extended family members (out to second or third cousins), some relatives may be willing to contribute to the test cost.

Contents 1 Donation Scenarios 2 How to Make a Donation 3 Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) 3.1 How much does a Y-DNA test cost?

Donation Scenarios

This campaign formalizes a method for McCools to contribute small or medium amounts of money to ensure there's at least one Y-DNA test in their extended family.

All donations are made directly to the testing vendor, FamilyTreeDNA. No group members ever handle or have access to your funds. Donations of any size, such as $10, $25, $50, or more, are all very helpful. Specify how you want your donation applied, and we will do our best to meet your wishes.

Understand that Y-DNA tests are somewhat pricey, only a male McCool can take a Y-DNA test, and test results for a single McCool male will apply closely to his extended family members. For this reason, family members often share the costs of a single Y-DNA test. Our group provides several ways for McCools to do that:

1. Find a male McCool who is willing to take a Y-DNA test. Then get a couple of close relatives (perhaps a sibling or two and a cousin) to contribute to the cost of the test.
2. Consider making a donation to test a descendant of one of your McCool ancestors born prior to 1820 or so. We will help you determine who those ancestors are (never a charge) and try to identify a suitable male McCool descendant who is willing to test.
3. Support a general McCool test. We'll use information you provide about your ancestors to try to match your donation to a test candidate whom we think descends from your early McCool line.

How to Make a Donation

1. Message Kevin Ireland on WikiTree or Kevin Ireland on Facebook to discuss how you want your donation applied.
2. Read the FAQ section below before submitting your donation.
3. Visit the Make a McCool Y-DNA test donation page at FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA). FTDNA accepts donations via PayPal or most major credit cards. Your money is paid directly to them, not to any group member.
4. To avoid any confusion, be sure to describe how you want your money applied in the "Notes" section of the donation page.

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Q: Who can test? A: We need Y-DNA tests from male McCool or McCooles (must be the biological son of a male McCool(e), grandson of a male McCool, and so on.) Note that if the tester is the descendant of a female McCool (or a male non-McCool) anywhere in his paternal line, his Y-DNA test will show matches to his non-McCool's male line and won't help our McCool research.
2. Q: Which Y-DNA test will be purchased? A: Our primary goal is to increase the number of McCool Big Y-700 tests. This will improve our understanding of the different McCool lines of descent. However, we will purchase Y-37 tests upon request that will simply verify that a tester is or is not a match to a previously-tested McCool.
3. Q: When will the test be purchased? A: After we've identified a suitable tester and test level, we will typically wait until the next FTDNA sale to purchase a test. There are usually 4-5 sales across the calendar year. Any excess funds after purchase will be applied to other McCool tests.
4. Q: How will my donation be spent? A: We will make every effort to apply your donation as you direct. Please contact us in advance to ensure that we understand your research goals. If we haven't been able to find a suitable tester by the end of the calendar year, we will apply your donation to test an individual as closely aligned to your request as possible.
5. Q: Can I simply buy my own Y-DNA test? A: Absolutely. It helps a lot when people can pay the entire cost of their test. Purchase the test directly from FamilyTreeDNA at https://www.familytreedna.com/. Please buy a Big Y-700 test if you can justify the cost, otherwise the Y-37 is a great entry-level test. Important: Please let Kevin Ireland know if you buy a test so we can minimize the purchase of unneeded overlapping tests. He can also inform you of any coupon codes that provide a purchase discount.

How much does a Y-DNA test cost?

FamilyTreeDNA sells the tests year-round at a "regular" price, and then usually holds 4 to 5 sales per year. Historically, the best prices are found during the Nov/Dec holiday sale and during the RootsTech Conference in March (coupon code required). Other sales are slightly higher. Contact Kevin Ireland for the current coupon codes (if any).

While there's no guarantee of future sale prices, here's what we're likely to see:

Test Level	Regular Price	Usual Sale Price	Holiday Sale or March
Y-37	$119	$109	$79 to $99
Y-111	$249	$219	$199
Big Y-700	$449	$399	$379

Regular and sales prices are in US dollars. Customers anywhere in the world can purchase at the same price (unless legally restricted by their home country).

Testers who take a lower-level test such as Y-37 can upgrade to Big Y-700 later and get a partial credit for their initial purchase. No shipping charge is levied on upgrades.