You’ve heard about them since you were a sophomore. You’ve seen them hanging on your older siblings’ walls. You’ve walked by posters for them all around the school. Now you’re finally a senior, and it’s time to register for them. They’re graduation cords, the honorary lengths of rope you can wear at graduation. But what are graduation cords, really? And what do they give you besides bragging rights?

Graduation cords, otherwise known as Majors for Miners, are a great way to demonstrate your achievements in high school, specifically as a focus on a subject or several you choose to excel at. Bingham teacher Mr. Barton describes them like this: “Cords provide differentiation at graduation. During commencement, you are supposed to be one class—uniform in appearance and graduation requirements.  Some students work hard to stand out in their own area of interest.  The Cords program allows the school to further recognize students who have excelled in different areas.  The cords are a chance for the school or the student to say ‘this is how I excelled.’” Students, after earning one or more graduation cords, get to have these on display during graduation, showing off their expertise or passion for a certain subject. Plus, they look pretty good on a college or career application. You can earn them at no cost, too—the school pays for graduation cords, meaning you can work hard and not even have to pay for the recognition! So now that you’re bursting to get some, what exactly do you need to do to apply?

If your heart is set on getting graduation cords, or even if it isn’t, the best place to look is the counseling website. You can get there by going to the Bingham homepage, hovering over Academics on the top right, and selecting Majors For Miners/Grad Cords. There, you’ll be taken to a website that gives you access to every application you need for their respective subjects. Or, you can look at the teachers over each subject, and pick up an application from their classroom. It’s important to at least look into graduation cords. Even if you don’t think you’re interested, you might find that you already qualify for certain cords. After that, it’s as simple as filling out an application and turning it in! All applications are due by April. 1st at 3:00 pm. 

So what about before then? Maybe you’re a junior or a sophomore, but the best time to look into graduation cords is right now, no matter your grade. Mr. Barton recommends that “Students should be aware of this program early in their sophomore year so that they can prepare, plan, and register with cords in mind.  I often hear students say that they almost completed a cord in an area, they just didn’t know about it soon enough.  The program encourages those early planning students to try new areas and find new interests.” So sophomores, it’s time to get started! Try looking into applications you might be interested in. Knowing what classes you can take in order to get a cord is essential for planning ahead. Even though graduation cords are mostly mentioned with seniors in mind, it’s you who can get started on preparing right now. 

So now that you understand what they are, it’s time to get going! There’s no limit on the amount of cords you can apply for, but it’s good to focus on what you love to do. Mr. Barton says that “High school is a time to explore many different areas—college is a time for you to finalize what direction or career you want to pursue.  High school is a time to work with teachers and get to know the vastness of their discipline.  College is a time to network and create a support system that will help you succeed professionally.  Talk to your teachers, find out what possibilities there are, and then explore other classes.” So whether you’re a sophomore, a junior, or a senior, it’s time to get ready for graduation cords!