How to Wear Graduation Cords

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 18, 2020 References

Graduation cords are long ropes worn at graduation ceremonies to acknowledge a students’ academic achievements or organizational participation. While dressing in graduation regalia can be a bit confusing, wearing graduation cords is relatively easy. Once you’ve gotten your graduation cords, you can wear them over your graduation gown to display your achievements with pride.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Putting on Your Graduation Cords

1
Get dressed in your graduation gown. Before putting on your graduation cords, you’ll first need to get dressed in your graduation gown. Your gown should come with specific instructions on how it should be worn. In most cases, however, gowns are worn by slipping your arms into the armholes and zipping the zipper up in the front.^{[1]
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2
Wrap your stole around your shoulders if you’re wearing one. If you’re wearing a stole on top of your gown to graduation, you’ll need to put it on before your cords. While the manner in which stoles are worn varies, you’ll likely put your stole on by wrapping it around your shoulders over your gown and fastening in the front under your chin.^{[2]
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- Like graduation cords, stoles are sometimes worn at graduation to signify a student’s participation in a particular organization, academic department, or activity.
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3
Drape the cord around the back of your neck. Once you’re dressed in your gown and stole (if relevant), hold the middle of the cord with both hands and lift it over your head to drape it around your neck and over your shoulders. Each end of the cord should then fall straight down in front.^{[3]
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- If your graduation gown has a collar, tuck the cord underneath the collar in the back at the base of your neck.^{[4]
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- Once it’s draped around your neck, adjust the cord so that it hangs evenly down both sides.^{[5]
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- If the cord is too long and falls below the hem of your gown, you can easily adjust the length by tying a knot in the middle. You can then tuck the knot under the collar of your gown in the back at the base of your neck, or cover it with your graduation hood.^{[6]
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4
Fasten the cord in place with a safety pin. Pin the cord in the back right underneath the base of your neck so that the safety pin won’t be visible. This will help the cord stay in place so you won’t have to keep adjusting it throughout the ceremony.^{[7]
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- While you don’t have to pin the cord in place, doing so will give you one less thing to worry about as you go through this very important and exciting day.
5
Put on the rest of your graduation day regalia. Once your cords are draped around your neck and securely in place, you can finish dressing for graduation by putting on the rest of your regalia. To do this, hook your tassel onto your graduation cap, then put the cap on your head and move the tassel to the left side.
- Once you graduate, you’ll move the tassel to the right side before tossing your cap in the air in celebration of your accomplishments.
- If you’re graduating from a doctorate or other specialized program, you may have an academic hood instead of a cap.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting Your Graduation Cords

1
Ask your department or organization leaders if you’re eligible for cords. While there are some organizations that allow all members to wear cords, others only provide cords to students who have received some kind of honor. If you’re unsure whether you are eligible to wear graduation cords, contact your department or organization’s leadership to find out for sure.^{[8]
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- In many cases, clubs, student governments, school bands, sports teams, and social organizations allow all their members to wear cords at graduation. In contrast, academic honor cords are generally only worn by students who have won an award or achieved a specific grade point average.^{[9]
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- At some colleges, cords are also given out to members of the military.^{[10]
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2
Order your cord(s) from your school or their associated retailer. Once you’ve determined which cords you are eligible to wear at graduation, you can go ahead and place an order for the appropriate cords. You may be able to order your cords on your school’s commencement website, or they may provide information about the outside retailer the school has partnered with for graduation supplies.^{[11]
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- When ordering your cords, make sure that you order the correct color to signify your specific organization or academic achievement.
- Some organizations may provide your cords to you without you having to place an order.
- Graduation cords cost anywhere from $5 USD to $50 USD.
3
Pick up your graduation cords or receive them in the mail. Once you place the order for your graduation cords, you should receive information from your school or the retailer about how you will be able to get your cords. In many cases, your cords can be picked up alongside your graduation cap and gown a few weeks or days before the graduation ceremony. Some retailers, however, may send your cords to you in the mail.
- Once you pick up or receive your cords, make sure that you hang them up so that they aren’t wrinkled when you wear them graduation day.