How To Put The Tassel On A Graduation Cap: Step-by-Step Securing And Etiquette Guide

Attaching a tassel to a graduation cap requires securing the cord ring firmly beneath the mortarboard’s central cloth-covered button so it drapes freely over the right front quadrant prior to degree conferral. High school and undergraduate candidates position the tassel on the right side and shift it to the left upon official graduation, whereas advanced degree candidates keep the tassel on the left side throughout the entire ceremony. Master modern securing methods, exact placement angles, and troubleshooting fixes to ensure your regalia remains flawless during commencement.

Pre-Ceremony Preparation and Regalia Checklist

Properly preparing your academic attire prevents last-minute wardrobe failures on commencement day. The standard academic mortarboard consists of a stiffened square board measuring 9 by 9 inches attached to a flexible skullcap, centered by a fabric-covered metal shank button. The academic tassel features a braided loop cord (typically 8 to 9 inches long), a tightly wound neck node, a hanging fringe strand cluster, and a metallic year signet charm.

Before attaching your tassel, inspect the construction of both the cap and the tassel loop to verify that the central button has sufficient clearance underneath the fabric cap to capture and hold the braided cord loop securely.

Equipment and Protocol Checklist

• Essential Regalia Components:
  
  
  • Standard academic mortarboard cap (fitted or elasticized crown).
  • Official institutional tassel (single, dual, or multi-color silk/rayon weave).
  • Year signet charm (metal drop charm indicating the graduation year).
• Securing Accessories (Optional for High-Wind Niche Environments):
  
  
  • Two micro Bobby pins matching your hair color.
  • Clear hair elastic or a 0.5-inch strip of double-sided fabric tape.
  • Small safety pin (backup emergency attachment).
• Prerequisite Academic Standards:
  
  
  • Intercollegiate Code on Academic Costume (American Council on Education guidelines).
  • Institutional commencement attire handbook (verifying honor cord vs. main tassel placement).
• Workflow Benchmarks:
  
  
  • Estimated Duration: 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Budget Requirement: $0 (included with basic academic regalia assembly).

Step-by-Step Tassel Attachment and Protocol Workflow

Step 1: Inspect and Orient the Mortarboard Skullcap

Position the graduation cap on a flat surface with the underside facing upward. Locate the internal apex seam of the skullcap. Most mortarboard caps feature an elastic gathering band or a distinct pointed cut at the rear inside lining.

1. Turn the cap right side up so the flat square board faces horizontal to your line of sight.
2. Rotate the cap so that the internal deep point or elastic section faces toward your back, while the front apex point faces directly forward.
3. Check the central button on top of the board. Ensure the fabric covering is intact and that there is a slight structural groove between the bottom edge of the button and the board surface.

Warning: Do not attempt to force, twist, or pull off the top center button of the cap. The button is a permanent rivet designed to capture the cord loop underneath its base lip, not a removable fastener.

Step 2: Loop the Tassel Ring Over the Center Button

Take the tassel by the top loop cord, allowing the heavy fringe drop and metal year charm to hang downward naturally under gravity.

[Center Button] / \ / \ <-- Cord Loop / \ (_______) | | <-- Main Cord Strand | [ Node ] | [Fringe] + [Year Charm]

1. Hold the top loop open using your thumb and index finger, creating a clear circular opening.
2. Place the loop over the top center button of the mortarboard.
3. Pull the main strand of the tassel downward gently so the cord slides underneath the perimeter of the button shank.
4. Test the security of the attachment by tugging gently outward at a 45-degree angle. The cord should sit flush against the center of the board without slipping up over the top edge of the button.

Pro-Tip: If the loop on your tassel is stretched out or unusually wide, it may slip off the button during movement. Pass the entire tassel body back through its own cord loop after placing it over the button to create a self-tightening lark’s head knot (friction hitch) around the button base.

Step 3: Position the Tassel Based on Academic Level

The exact placement of your tassel prior to the processional depends strictly on the degree level being conferred. Align the cord so that it drapes smoothly across the surface of the cap and hangs down past the front edge of the brim without obstructing your field of vision.

1. High School, Associate, and Bachelor’s Candidates:

   
   
   
   • Slide the tassel cord to rest over the right front quadrant of the cap (positioned between 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock if viewing the cap from above).
   • The fringe should drape past the right eye line, hanging freely near the right cheekbone.

2. Master’s, Specialist, and Doctoral Candidates:

   
   
   
   • Slide the tassel cord to rest over the left front quadrant of the cap (positioned between 9 o'clock and 11 o'clock).
   • Advanced degree candidates do not participate in the tassel-flipping tradition during commencement because they have already achieved an initial academic degree.

3. Faculty and Institutional Officers:

   
   
   
   • Position the tassel—frequently made of metallic gold bullion thread for doctoral holders—on the left side permanently.

Step 4: Anchor the Cap Assembly and Verify Drape

Before stepping into the lineup line, fit the cap onto your head to confirm that the tassel maintains its proper position while in motion.

1. Place the mortarboard flat on your head so the top board runs parallel to the floor line (not tilted backward toward the nape of the neck). The front corner point should sit precisely centered between your eyebrows, roughly one inch above the eye line.
2. Confirm that the tassel cord drops cleanly over the corner of the board without catching on hairpins, ears, or glasses arms.
3. If outdoor winds exceed 10 mph, slide a bobby pin through the loop cord directly adjacent to the center button, securing the cord flat against the mortarboard fabric.

Pro-Tip: Secure the cap to your hair using bobby pins crossed in an "X" pattern through the internal skullcap fabric tabs. Never pin the outer decorative cord itself, as this prevents the smooth transition of the tassel during the ceremony.

Step 5: Execute the Ceremony Tassel Flip

During high school and undergraduate ceremonies, the university president, principal, or designated dean will announce the official conferral of degrees. This signals the collective "Turning of the Tassel."

1. Raise your right hand up to your right cheek level as the instruction is given.
2. Grasp the tassel cord gently near the neck node, right above the fringe bundle and year charm.
3. Move the tassel in a smooth, continuous arc across the front point of the cap from the right side to the left side.
4. Release the cord, letting it settle naturally into the left front quadrant (between 9 o'clock and 11 o'clock). You are now officially recognized as a graduate.

Academic Costume Standards & Tassel Protocol Matrix

The American Council on Education (ACE) sets standard regalia protocols across higher education. The following matrix outlines the correct positions, cord colors, and attachment parameters across different academic tiers.

Common Regalia Mishaps and Rapid Field Fixes

Even when attached according to standard procedures, tassels can slip, tangle, or snag during commencement operations. Use these real-world field remedies to correct issues instantly on site.

Scenario 1: Tassel Loop Slips Off the Center Button Repeatedly

• Root Cause: The plastic shank beneath the cloth-covered button lacks a deep retention lip, or the braid loop of the tassel is oversized, allowing the cord to slide upward over the button dome.
• Actionable Fix: Remove the tassel loop from the button. Wrap a small clear hair elastic twice around the button base to create a rubberized friction bumper. Place the tassel loop over the button, then add one more wrap of the clear elastic over the top of the tassel cord to clamp it tightly to the cap board.

Scenario 2: Year Charm Hangs Backward or Upside Down

• Root Cause: The metallic jump ring attaching the year signet charm to the tassel node became twisted during packaging or storage.
• Actionable Fix: Do not force or twist the thick fabric cord. Instead, take a small pair of needle-nose pliers (or firm fingernails), open the thin metal split ring at the top of the charm, rotate the charm 180 degrees so the correct year faces forward, and snap the ring shut flush against the cord node.

Scenario 3: Tassel Gets Snagged in Long Hair, Earrings, or Eyewear

• Root Cause: The tassel cord is too long, or the cap is worn tilted back on the crown of the head, dropping the drop-line of the fringe directly across the face and ear line.
• Actionable Fix: Re-level the mortarboard so the top surface is flat and horizontal to the ground. If the drape remains too long, tie a micro-knot in the tassel cord right at the base of the center button to shorten the overall hanging length by 0.5 to 1 inch.

Scenario 4: Mortarboard Board Slips Forward Under Tassel Weight

• Root Cause: The internal skullcap is sized incorrectly for the head, or the tassel cord weight pulls the front brim down over the forehead line.
• Actionable Fix: Insert two bobby pins horizontally into the back band of the cap skullcap directly behind the ears. This locks the rear elastic against your hair base, balancing the forward cantilever weight of the front board and tassel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which side does the tassel go on before you graduate?

Before your degree is officially conferred during the commencement ceremony, your tassel must sit on the right side of your graduation cap. This rule applies to all high school, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree candidates. Master's and doctoral graduates place their tassel on the left side from the start of the ceremony.

How do you attach a tassel to a graduation cap without a button?

If your cap is missing its central button due to a manufacturing defect, push a small, flat-headed brass paper fastener (brad) through the existing center hole in the top board. Place your tassel cord loop around the prongs of the brad on top of the board, push the prongs through the cap fabric, and flatten the legs out securely against the underside of the mortarboard inside the skullcap.

Do Master's and PhD graduates turn their tassel?

No, candidates receiving a Master's degree, Educational Specialist degree, or Doctorate do not participate in turning the tassel. Because these individuals have already earned a post-secondary degree, their tassel remains positioned on the left side throughout the entire processional, ceremony, and recessional.

How do I keep my graduation cap from falling off with the tassel attached?

To keep your cap secure, position the cap flat on top of your head so it sits roughly one inch above your eyebrows. Anchor the cap to your hair using bobby pins inserted diagonally through the fabric skullcap sides into your hair strands. Avoid tilting the cap backward, which causes both the cap and the hanging tassel to slip off under gravity.

What does the tassel color signify on a graduation cap?

In higher education, tassel colors represent specific academic disciplines defined by the Intercollegiate Code. For example, light blue represents Education, drab represents Business, green represents Medicine, orange represents Engineering, and white represents the Liberal Arts. High school tassels typically showcase the primary institutional colors of the graduating class.

Finalize Your Commencement Preparations

Mastering your regalia setup ensures you look sharp, confident, and photogenic throughout your commencement ceremony. Confirm your tassel attachment, test your cap alignment, and step out onto the graduation stage ready to celebrate your achievements.