{"id":1198,"date":"2012-05-27T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2012-05-27T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=1198"},"modified":"2014-08-05T16:51:47","modified_gmt":"2014-08-05T20:51:47","slug":"graduation-traditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/graduation-traditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduation Traditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is college graduation season in the United States.\u00a0 (High school graduation season will be coming up in June.)\u00a0 As many of you already know, graduation is the ceremony associated with receiving an academic degree.\u00a0 In a previous post I spoke about the various college degrees<\/a> that are conferred* in the United States, which you may be interested in reading as well.\u00a0 Today I thought I would briefly discuss what a typical graduation ceremony in the United States consists of and introduce some vocabulary associated with graduation that will be helpful for you to know.<\/p>\n

Graduation vocabulary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

a diploma<\/strong>: A document issued by an educational institution, such as a university, stating that the recipient has earned a degree, when the degree was earned, and in what area the person studied.
\na cap<\/strong>: A stiff flat hat with a tassel hanging down from the center.
\na hood<\/strong>: An academic hood is a symbolic garment, which is worn draped around the neck (not on the head like a normal hood) and over the shoulders, and displayed down the back with the lining exposed.
\na robe<\/strong>: A long loose flowing outer garment worn over clothing on formal occasions.\u00a0 Graduation robes are usually one solid color (sometimes two colors) with the colors being associated with the graduate’s university or the degree being earned.
\na tassel<\/strong>: A bunch of loose threads or cords bound at one end and hanging free at the other, used as an ornament, attached to the center of the graduation cap.\u00a0 Tassels often come in the college\/university’s colors and with the year of graduation on them.
\nthe valedictorian<\/strong>: The student with the highest academic rank in the graduating class.<\/p>\n

A typical college graduation ceremony in the United States includes a procession of both academic staff (i.e. professors) and candidates (graduates<\/em> are called candidates<\/em> until they officially graduate).\u00a0 Professors and candidates enter into a designated area with a stage where academic staff will sit during the ceremony.\u00a0 Students will often walk across this stage when receiving their diploma.\u00a0 At many large college institutions, where many hundreds of degrees are being granted at once, the main ceremony (sometimes called commencement<\/em>) involving hundreds or even thousands of graduates is often held in a sports stadium, amphitheater, or other large outdoor venue.\u00a0 During a college graduation ceremony, the candidates and professors will almost always wear formal academic dress, which includes caps and gowns.\u00a0 The formal graduation ceremony usually begins with opening comments by an official of the university; this is often done by the university president.\u00a0 Then there is an invited keynote speaker (often someone famous) who gives a talk to the candidates.\u00a0 Then there is usually a speech by the valedictorian.\u00a0 The invited speaker is usually conferred an “honorary” degree for coming to the college to speak.\u00a0 Then the person conducting the graduation ceremony (i.e. the college president) confers degrees upon the candidates, either individually (by having them come forward when their name is called and walk across the stage) or en masse (by having everyone stand up together and have them move their tassels from one side of their cap to the other).\u00a0 In the United States it is common for graduates to not<\/em> receive their actual diploma at the graduation ceremony, but instead to receive a certificate indicating that the person participated in the ceremony or a portfolio to hold the diploma in, that they will receive later.\u00a0 For students receiving an advanced degree, like a Masters or Doctorate, the graduation ceremony will likely include a ‘Hooding Ceremony’.\u00a0 In a Hooding Ceremony the candidates traditionally have a hood placed upon them (over their robe), on stage, by their mentor.\u00a0 Finally at the end of the graduation ceremony it is common for students to throw their caps in the air in celebration.<\/p>\n

Are you hoping to graduate from a university in the United States some day?\u00a0 If you need help getting your English ready to study in an English-speaking country, check out all the resources available to you at: www.transparent.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

It is college graduation season in the United States.\u00a0 (High school graduation season will be coming up in June.)\u00a0 As many of you already know, graduation is the ceremony associated with receiving an academic degree.\u00a0 In a previous post I spoke about the various college degrees that are conferred* in the United States, which you…<\/p>\n

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