Below are some of the Frequently Asked Questions for graduation and commencement:
What do I wear for graduation?
- Students are required to wear caps, gowns and tassels when participating in the Phoenix College Commencement Ceremony as well as any college convocation ceremony and most special interest convocation events.
How do I get tickets for graduation ceremonies?
- Tickets will not be required for the Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremony at Desert Financial Arena.
Will my name be read at the ceremony?
- Graduates names will be called as they walk across the stage. The degrees and certificates will be recognized on the live screen as the graduate walks across the stage.
What happens if I show up late for any ceremony?
- It is recommended that you arrive 45 minutes before your ceremony is scheduled to begin. Most ceremonies require that students check-in and receive their reader card. This is the card that you hand to the reader before you cross the stage. If you arrive as the ceremony is beginning or after the event begins, you are not guaranteed a seat or that your name will be called.
How long is the ceremony?
What is a program book?
- A program book has all the information about the commencement ceremony and list ALL graduates with their name, degree/certificate earned, distinction, honors, PTK.
When will I receive information about the ceremony?
- All students who submitted their application will receive an e-mail and a letter with all details about the ceremony. They will receive a “Fact Sheet” when they pick up the cap and gown. All information is on our commencement page on our Phoenix College website.
Can certificate holders participate?
- YES!! :) They go through the same process as degree holders.
Are there professional photographic services offered?
- Yes, we will have GradImages there to take pictures. The students will be given directions on how to order with when they pick up the cap and gown.
Where is the ceremony located?
- Desert Financial Arena
- Arizona State University
What time is the ceremony?
Will there be a fee for parking or other charges outside of the $25 for ceremony?
- No, there should not be any additional charges outside of the $25. Free parking will be provided at the Arena.
How many people can a student invite to the ceremony and do guest need tickets?
- Tickets are NOT required for friends and family.
Do I need to have invitations for my family?
- If the students wish to send out announcements they can purchase those at the Bookstore.
Can I still participate even if I have more classes to take? (Summer in-progress classes)
- Yes, students can participate in ANY spring semester they want. They will not receive their diploma until ALL courses and ALL grades are posted.
If I don’t want to participate in the commencement ceremony, how much would a graduation fee be?
- If a student does not wish to participate, it is no cost to them to receive their diploma in the mail.
- If a student wishes to have their diploma mailed with a diploma cover, it is a cost of $5 paid to the cashier's office.
I do not want to participate in commencement, but I would like to have a program book.
- The program book is also available on our website located under commencement. Program books are only given out to students who participate in the commencement ceremony.
Do students get a special cord for GPA?
- Students will receive a distinction cord if they earned a 3.5 GPA or higher.
- (CORDS will be picked up on the day of Commencement, at ASU) ** GPA for the ceremony/cords will be calculated based on the previous semester.GPA is calculated by the grades for the students degree. Transfer credits are also included.
- The final GPA will be calculated when grades are posted and will be reflected on the student’s diploma/transcript.
Do students receive tassels or stoles for PTK or honors?
- Phoenix College does not provide PTK tassels or stoles. The student will need to purchase these items on the PTK website. If they have any questions they can speak to our PTK rep, in the honors department.
- Students in the Honors Program can connect with Safia Sampson in regards to graduation regalia.
Do any extra steps need to be completed to receive such honors?
- PTK- Students sign up for PTK on the website. I believe there is a deadline to be apart of PTK and the student would need to check on the website. Also, the minimum GPA to withhold PTK is 3.25.
- Honors- Honors students would need to complete 15 credit hours of honors classes to be an eligible honor student. Students need to connect with Elaine P. for any information regarding honors. Also, students would need to maintain at least a 3.5 for their degree.
When can I pick up my cap and gown?
When is the last day to pick up my cap and gown?
- April 17, 2020- This date is set to make sure all students complete the survey in the Bookstore. The information gathered from the survey is used for the reader cards at the ceremony.
What is included in my $25 dollar commencement payment?
- Cap, gown, tassel, diploma cover, program book
Can I purchase just the tassel?
- Yes, it is a $5 payment with the cashier’s department. Extra tassels will be at the Student Businesses Services office for students just wanting the tassel.
I want a copy of my diploma/ certificate sent to me, what do I need to do?
- Students who are in need of a copy of their diploma will need to submit a graduation application and pay the $5 reorder fee with the Student Businesses Services office. Processing time for a reorder is about 7-10 business days.
Do students really need to have a check sheet to turn in a degree application?
- Yes, providing a check sheet makes the graduation process faster. It also states on the application to attach a check sheet.
Are the degree applications online?
How late can a student submit the application?
- Students NOT participating in commencement- these students can submit their application at any time; however, sooner than later.
- Students participating in commencement- these students need to submit their application before March 1st to have their name printed in the commencement program book. If they submit after March 2nd, their name may or may not appear in the program book.
- Also, students who participate in the ceremony will definitely need to submit their application and pick up their cap and gown before April 17th. If they submit after April 17th, their name and degree will not appear on the big screen at the ceremony.