Adult High School & High School Equivalency Programs Graduation

To be eligible for the College & Career Readiness graduation ceremony, you must meet one of the follow criteria:

  • Taken your official HSE tests at Wake Tech. You must take at least at least one test at Wake Tech
  • Enrolled in courses at Wake Tech within the program year

If you are unsure if you meet this criteria, email [email protected] to confirm your eligibility. For those who qualify, invitations to register for the ceremony will be sent to the personal email you provided to our office, so watch for an email from [email protected].

Students must reply to the registration email to participate. Wake Tech has partnered with the Marching Order company to provide a more streamlined graduation ceremony. During the registration process, you need to complete the name recording procedure to ensure your name is pronounced correctly during the ceremony. The deadline to complete registration is April 14.

Regalia

Regalia (cap, gown and tassel) is required to participate in the ceremony.

Regalia may be purchased at the Wake Tech Bookstore on either Southern Wake Campus or Scott Northern Wake Campus. The bookstores are open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. Cap and gown cost $49.43, including tax.

NOTE: When purchasing your cap and gown, please specify your program with the sales associate. The Adult High School tassel is white, while the high school equivalency (GED® or HiSET®) tassel is gold.

Ceremony

You must arrive on time to participate. Anyone arriving after 4:45 p.m. will not be permitted to participate. Graduate check in will begin at 4 p.m., and the ceremony will begin promptly at 5 p.m.

Dress
Dress appropriately in dressy or business casual clothing underneath your regalia. Graduates without proper attire will not be allowed to participate. Graduate line-up is on a different level than the ceremony, so flat footwear is advised, as you will be standing for periods of time as well as navigating stairs during the processional.

Parking
Graduates and guests can park near Building K, where the gymnasium is located. Additional parking is available in nearby parking decks.

GradPasses
Each graduate who registers before the deadline will receive a GradPass, a special QR code from Marching Order to scan in as they cross the stage.
Graduates are encouraged to print the GradPass and bring it to the ceremony to avoid technical difficulties. Graduates can choose to have the GradPass on their phone rather than a printed version, but those with screen protectors or cracked phone screens will need to print out their GradPasses to avoid technical difficulties.
When you arrive, you will check in at the reception desk as you enter Building K. You will scan your GradPass to check in and be directed to an assigned room on the second floor.
Do not bring any items other than your regalia and GradPass, as there is no place to store other items during the ceremony. Your GradPass must be taken to the stage with you, do not leave it in your chair. When you approach the stage, your GradPass will be scanned, and you will be directed to the stage as your name is announced.

Seating
Tickets are not required to attend the ceremony, and there is no limit on the number of guests a graduate can invite. But seating is first-come, first-served.

Photographs
As each graduate crosses the stage, photos will be taken by a professional photographer. Each student will receive an email from the photographer with a link to the photographer's website and instructions to view their graduation photographs.
A free color proof also will be mailed to the permanent address on record, and students will have the opportunity to purchase color prints and/or products. If you do not receive a proof within 10 days of the ceremony, email [email protected] or call 919-967-9576. To preregister to receive proofs, visit the Photo Specialties website.

Noise
To be respectful of all graduates as they walk across the stage, we ask that family and friends do not make excessive noise that might prevent names from being heard.

Certificates
When the ceremony is over, you need to stop by the reception desk to pick up your certificate of recognition before you leave the building.

High School Equivalency transcript and diploma

To order your transcript and/or diploma, contact DiplomaSender.