You're standing in front of the mirror with your cap and gown, a cultural stole or Greek sash, and several cords spread across the bed. The question seems simple, but it quickly becomes confusing: which ASU honor cord do you receive, where do you pick it up, and how should it sit with the rest of your graduation regalia?
Arizona State University treats undergraduate honor cords as formal academic recognition, not as decorative accessories. Your GPA, ASU resident credit hours, cord color, distribution method, and regalia order all matter. This guide explains the system in plain language so you can prepare your cords, graduation stole, and sash before commencement day.
Understanding ASU Honor Cords and What They Represent
A graduating ASU student may have earned several forms of recognition. Academic honors can be represented by an honor cord, while a cultural organization, fraternity, sorority, department, or personal achievement may be represented by a stole or sash. These pieces can appear together, but they don't communicate the same thing.
ASU honor cords identify university Latin honors for eligible undergraduate students. The university connects each cord color to an academic honor level and requires both a GPA threshold and a minimum number of resident credit hours. That makes the cord a standardized marker of academic performance across commencement ceremonies, rather than a general accessory anyone can select.
Consider a student who has earned a cultural graduation stole and belongs to a campus organization. The stole may express heritage or membership, while the ASU cord recognizes a specific academic standing. The two items can tell different parts of the same story, but the cord still needs to be the official color associated with the student's highest eligible Latin honor.
Why the distinction matters
Students often assume that all graduation cords have the same status. They don't. A cord issued for an honor society or organization may follow that group's own rules, while an ASU university honor cord follows the registrar's eligibility process. Color alone doesn't prove that two cords represent the same award.
ASU's published commencement guidance also establishes how the pieces should be worn. Honor cords go on top of the stole, which keeps the academic recognition visible in photographs and during stage processing. A sash or second stole may be meaningful, but it shouldn't hide the cord or make the regalia difficult to manage.
Practical rule: Treat the official ASU honor cord as the academic recognition layer, and treat stoles or sashes as additional expressions of identity, membership, or achievement.
The most useful preparation starts with verification. Confirm your honor level through ASU's graduation information, identify where your cord will be distributed, and try on your complete regalia before the ceremony. That simple rehearsal can reveal tangled cords, crowded layers, or a stole that needs repositioning.
Official ASU Honor Cord Colors and Their Meanings
ASU uses three undergraduate Latin honor levels. The university assigns maroon cords to cum laude, gold cords to magna cum laude, and maroon-and-gold cords to summa cum laude. Each level depends on a GPA band and the university's resident credit-hour requirement, so students should read the color together with the eligibility rules rather than treating it as an informal color preference.
ASU's three color bands
| Honor Level | Cord Color | GPA Range | Credit Hour Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cum laude | Maroon | 3.40–3.59 | At least 56 resident credit hours |
| Magna cum laude | Gold | 3.60–3.79 | At least 56 resident credit hours |
| Summa cum laude | Maroon-and-gold | 3.80–4.00 | At least 56 resident credit hours |
These GPA ranges and colors come from ASU's graduation ceremony guidance. The 56 resident credit hours requirement applies across the three bands, so a GPA by itself doesn't establish eligibility.
The color structure also prevents a common misunderstanding. A gold cord at ASU identifies magna cum laude, while the highest honor, summa cum laude, uses a maroon-and-gold combination. A maroon cord identifies cum laude. Students should rely on ASU's published standards and their eligibility notice rather than copying a cord color seen at another university.
Honor cords versus stoles and sashes
A graduation stole or sash serves a different visual purpose. A cultural stole might represent heritage, an international flag stole might honor family roots, and a Greek stole might identify fraternity or sorority membership. A custom honor stole may recognize an organization or achievement that isn't the same as ASU's university-wide Latin honors.
You can explore broader color symbolism in this guide to graduation honor cord color meaning, but don't use general color charts to override ASU's official assignment. The university's own color coding controls the meaning of ASU Latin honor cords.
Wearing the highest eligible honor
Qualifying for a higher band doesn't mean wearing every cord beneath it. The cleanest and most accurate presentation is the single cord associated with your highest confirmed ASU Latin honor. Other organization cords may have separate rules, so students should verify those requirements independently and avoid presenting multiple cords as if each one represented a different ASU Latin honor.
Eligibility Requirements for ASU Honor Cords
ASU's system has two gates. You must meet the GPA requirement for an honor level and complete at least 56 resident credit hours at ASU. Meeting only one condition doesn't establish eligibility for an official university honor cord.
Start with resident credit hours
Resident credit hours are credits completed at ASU, not all credits appearing in your degree progress. This distinction matters most for transfer students. Transfer coursework may contribute to degree completion or academic records, but ASU's stated honor-cord requirement focuses on resident credit hours completed at the university.
A student can therefore have a strong overall academic record and still need to confirm whether enough of the required credits were completed in residence at ASU. Don't estimate from total degree credits alone. Review your academic record and contact the appropriate ASU office if the resident-credit calculation isn't clear.
Then compare your GPA with the bands
ASU identifies the three GPA ranges as follows:
- Cum laude: A GPA from 3.40 to 3.59.
- Magna cum laude: A GPA from 3.60 to 3.79.
- Summa cum laude: A GPA from 3.80 to 4.00.
The university states that honor cords are distributed using the student's current GPA at verification, while the diploma and transcript reflect the final cumulative ASU GPA. That timing difference can produce an unsettling situation. A student might receive a cord based on the verified standing available before final grades are recorded, while the final academic documents reflect the completed cumulative record.
Before ordering matching accessories, verify your official cord status. A custom stole can complement an honor cord, but it can't establish ASU eligibility.
What students near a cutoff should do
If your GPA is close to an honor boundary, don't assume that a small change will automatically be reflected in the cord you receive. Ask ASU about the verification date, the GPA used for distribution, and how final grades affect the diploma and transcript designation.
Keep any eligibility communication and check the pickup instructions carefully. The registrar's process exists because cord color must correspond to an institutionally verified status, not a student's informal estimate.
How to Wear Honor Cords with Graduation Stoles and Sashes
ASU's published regalia guidance places honor cords on top of the stole. That order gives the cord the visibility it needs and helps keep its ends from disappearing beneath a broad fabric layer during commencement photography.
For a student wearing more than one recognition item, use a simple fitting sequence:
- Put on the gown and place the primary stole over it. Center the stole at the back of your neck and let both sides fall evenly.
- Add a sash only if it fits comfortably and complies with ceremony guidance. Position it so it doesn't cover the stole's key design or twist around the neckline.
- Place the ASU honor cord last. Set the center portion at the back of your neck, then check that both ends hang at a similar length over the front layers.
Examples of practical combinations
A student with a maroon cum laude cord and a cultural stole can place the stole over the gown, then lay the cord across the front of the stole. The maroon cord remains visible without competing with the stole's central design.
A student with a gold magna cum laude cord and a Greek sash should check whether the sash is narrow enough to sit beneath the cord. If the sash shifts toward the neckline, the cord may slide with it, so a private fitting before the event is useful.
A student with a maroon-and-gold summa cum laude cord and a custom graduation stole may want the stole's lettering or emblem positioned below the cord's hanging ends. That keeps both recognition elements readable instead of allowing one to cover the other.
ASU's guidance addresses the cord's position on top of the stole, but students with several items should also review their ceremony-specific instructions. Rules can differ among ceremonies and organizations, and a crowded arrangement may be uncomfortable even when each individual item is permitted.
Keep the layers stable
Lay the pieces flat before putting on the gown. Untangle the cord, smooth the stole, and check the arrangement in a mirror from the front and side. For photographs, carry the accessories carefully and avoid placing a heavy bag over the cords, which can pull them out of alignment.
Afterward, coil each cord loosely and store it away from moisture and direct sunlight. If you plan to display it with your diploma, keep the tassels straight and avoid tight folding that can leave permanent bends.
Graduation creates memories quickly, especially when family and friends are recording the day from different places. A shared collection for graduation event memories can help gather those photos and videos in one place.
For a visual refresher on placement, see this guide to how to wear graduation honor cords.
Where and When to Get Your ASU Honor Cords
The official distribution route depends on how you attend ASU. On-campus students pick up eligible honor cords from University Registrar Services, while ASU Online students receive eligible cords by mail, according to ASU's commencement materials.
That distinction affects your preparation. A campus student needs to plan a pickup visit and confirm the location and operating details. An online student needs to watch for delivery and allow time to inspect the cord before commencement. ASU's published graduation information should be your authority for the current ceremony's dates and instructions.
Official distribution and custom ordering are different
| Option | Main purpose | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Official ASU cord | University-recognized Latin honors | Eligibility, pickup or mailing instructions, color |
| Custom honor cord | An additional or replacement accessory | Whether it represents an organization or personal design |
| Custom graduation stole or sash | Cultural, organizational, or personal recognition | Ceremony rules, fit, layering, delivery time |
Official ASU cords connect directly to the registrar's verification process. A custom item can help coordinate your graduation look or serve as a keepsake, but it shouldn't be presented as an official ASU Latin honor cord unless ASU has issued or approved it for that purpose.
The graduation honor cords collection offers an option for students seeking additional cords or coordinating accessories, but the university-issued item remains the relevant credential for ASU academic honors.
If something goes wrong
Open the package as soon as it arrives. Check the cord color, length, tassels, and general condition, then compare it with your eligibility communication. If you don't receive an expected cord, receive the wrong item, or miss a pickup opportunity, contact University Registrar Services promptly and explain your student type and ceremony.
Don't wait until you're in line for commencement. Ceremony staff may not be the office that controls academic-honor distribution, and ASU materials indicate that some cords aren't available directly at the ceremony. Students who commute or attend online should make a backup plan for storing, transporting, and collecting regalia.
Coordinating Honor Cords with Custom Graduation Stoles
A polished graduation outfit doesn't require every item to match. It needs a clear visual order. ASU's maroon, gold, and maroon-and-gold honor cords already provide a strong color foundation, so your stole or sash can either complement those colors or intentionally represent something different, such as heritage or organization membership.
Choose a relationship between the colors
A maroon cord works naturally with a neutral stole, a maroon-accented cultural design, or a fabric that uses restrained gold details. A gold cord can stand out against darker fabric, while a maroon-and-gold cord can connect with a stole that includes either school-color element without duplicating the entire pattern.
The goal isn't to erase contrast. Contrast improves readability when the cord and stole remain visually distinct. If a stole has dense embroidery near the chest, place the cord so its ends fall outside the most detailed area.
Match the item to its meaning
A custom graduation stole can carry information that an ASU academic cord can't:
- Cultural or international identity: A Kente-inspired design or international flag stole can honor heritage and family history.
- Greek affiliation: A Greek stole can identify fraternity or sorority membership without changing the meaning of the university cord.
- Personal achievement: A custom stole may include a name, graduation year, organization, or meaningful design, provided the final design follows ceremony expectations.
- Academic organization: An honor stole can recognize a club or society separately from ASU's Latin honors.
Fabric weight and length also affect the result. A stiff or heavily decorated stole may push the cord outward, while a lightweight sash can twist underneath it. Try the complete combination with the gown before the event, then photograph the front and back to check centering.
If the ensemble looks crowded, prioritize legibility. Keep the ASU cord visible, place the most meaningful stole in the primary position, and remove any item that obscures lettering or creates a tripping hazard. A coordinated look should help relatives and classmates understand your achievements, not force them to untangle the symbolism.
Common Questions About ASU Honor Cords Answered
Can I wear multiple ASU Latin honor cords?
No. ASU's color bands represent different levels of the same university honor system. Wear the cord for your highest eligible honor level rather than stacking multiple ASU Latin-honor cords.
Are honor cords required?
Honor cords are recognition items, not a substitute for the academic regalia required to participate in commencement. If you're eligible, you can wear the cord, but follow ASU's ceremony guidance for placement and distribution.
What if my GPA changes after verification?
ASU distributes cords according to the GPA available at verification, while the diploma and transcript use the final cumulative ASU GPA. Contact the university if your final standing differs from the cord you received.
Do graduate students receive these ASU cords?
The verified ASU policy described here applies to undergraduates. Graduate students should ask their program or college about its recognition practices.
Do transfer credits count toward the resident requirement?
ASU requires at least 56 resident credit hours at the university, so transfer credits aren't a replacement for that resident-credit condition. Ask ASU to review your record if you're unsure how many qualifying hours you have.
Can part-time students qualify?
Enrollment status isn't the stated basis of the system. Eligibility depends on the required resident credit hours and GPA band, so part-time students should confirm their individual records with ASU.
What should I do if a cord breaks or gets lost?
Contact University Registrar Services about an official ASU cord as soon as possible. Don't assume a ceremony vendor can provide the correct university recognition color.
How should I preserve the cord afterward?
Coil it loosely, keep it dry and away from direct sunlight, and store it with other graduation keepsakes. A display box can protect the cord while keeping the achievement visible.
Stoles.com® offers graduation honor cords along with customizable graduation stoles, international flag stoles, Greek stoles, and honor stoles for students who want to coordinate official academic recognition with personal identity or organizational achievements. Visit Stoles.com® to review options for your ASU graduation ensemble and plan your accessories before commencement day.