December 3, 2014

Graduation Tams: How to Wear and Choose One

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Graduation Product Instructions

How to Wear a Graduation Tam and Which to Choose

You’re probably thinking to yourself “Do I really need instructions on how to wear a tam?” Yes, despite the graduation tam being a mark of higher education. Moreover, the choosing of the correct type of tam isn’t nearly as straightforward.

What are tams? Tams are high-quality graduation cap used in place of the standard mortarboard. They are made of a high-end black velvet material with a soft poof-like top. The standard mortarboard is a polyester encased cardboard square that sits on top of the head. Mortarboards are traditionally used for primary and secondary school graduations. Tams, on the other hand, are typically used for higher level graduations such as masters and doctorate ceremonies (occasionally for bachelors).

GraduationSource offers two types of tams, one with and another without a bullion tassel. Graduation tams are most commonly known to have a gold bullion tassel permanently attached to them. The tams we offer without the pre-affixed bullion, give you the option to select your own jumbo tassel, allowing you to select one that matches your degree type.

Choosing the Correct Graduation Tam

Should I choose a 4, 6, or 8-sided tam?

Faculty members wear tams to differentiate them from their students, especially at primary through bachelors level graduation ceremonies. Students from Bachelors up through Doctoral programs wear tams alongside their school’s faculty. The different number of sides a tam possesses denotes the level of education the wearer of the tam earned.

Four-sided tams are most often used to denote a Bachelors level of educational attainment but can be used for Masters Degrees. Often the school decides which should be used, so always double-check before purchasing. Six-sided tams should be used for masters as well as EdD programs and eight-sided tams should be used for Doctoral programs.

After deciding how many sides your tam should have, the first thing you need to do before ordering is to choose the correct size.

Items You Need to Measure

A Measuring Tape OR a String and Ruler
That Head on Your Shoulders

As you can see in the image, you have to measure your head using a tape measure. If you didn’t have a measuring tape on hand, you can use a string to wrap around the head then measure it with a ruler afterward. Tams have a stretchy elastic band that has some give and take but do come in three sizes; Small, Medium, and Large.