7 Mistakes People Make When Ordering a Novelty Degree

28
FEB

Most problems with a novelty degree are made on the order form or at the proof, not at the printer. Here are the seven mistakes that come up when people order a replica — the Perfect Match Diploma on this site — and how each one is avoided. A replica is a display document for the wall, a gift or a prop; the eighth mistake, expecting it to be anything else, is covered at the end.

Seven mistakes, and the fix for each

1. Entering the wrong degree title

“Bachelor's degree” is not a title; “Bachelor of Science” is. The school's wording for that exact degree is what the design carries, so enter the complete title as the school confers it.

2. A name that does not match the frame it is going in

A graduation gift with a nickname, or a replacement copy with a middle initial the original never had, looks wrong next to the real thing. The diploma prints the name exactly as entered.

3. A date in the wrong format or the wrong term

Schools confer in spring, summer and winter and write the date their own way. Enter the conferral date, not the last day of class, and check its format on the proof.

4. Skipping the proof

A free digital proof follows every order and changes at the proof stage are free; a document approved unread is printed as it stands. Read every field, then the seal position and the signature lines, before you approve.

5. Choosing a size for the document instead of the frame

8.5×11, 11×14 or A4 are the options. If the frame already exists, measure it; if the replica will hang next to a real diploma, match that one.

6. Ordering the transcript separately, later, from somewhere else

A transcript laid out by a different seller will not match the diploma's school wording, name or dates. Transcripts here are USD 109 to 190 by level, and the diploma-and-transcripts package (USD 289 to 349) is laid out as one set.

7. Buying from a seller that promises verification

That promise cannot be kept: degrees are verified through the school or the National Student Clearinghouse, and no replica is in those records. A seller that says otherwise is the one the Federal Trade Commission's degree-scam guidance, in the Sources, is written about. Look instead for a proof stage, listed options and a page like Things We Can't Do.

The eighth mistake: expecting more than a display copy

Is this a real diploma? No. It looks real, but it is a novelty replica for display, gifts and props; the maker is not affiliated with any institution and does not make documents intended for misrepresentation. Only the school can issue the document itself. It belongs on a wall while a reissue is in the post, in a gift frame, or on a set — ethical uses of novelty diplomas draws the line — and if the document you actually need is the school's, lost diploma replacement options covers the records-office route.

The production facts behind all of this — seal in color, gold-foil or embossed; made-up in-house signatures or blank lines; 3 business days standard or 1 business day rush; UPS or PDF — are the same at every level, and the diploma is USD 190 at every level. Six checks for choosing a novelty degree or diploma is the companion checklist.

A two-minute check before you approve

Read the proof in this order: school name and spelling; degree title; your name; major; date and its format; honors line; seal position and finish; signature lines; size. Then compare it with a photo of the real diploma if you have one, or with the seven elements in what a college diploma looks like. Anything wrong is fixed free at this stage.

Frequently asked questions

What if I approve the proof and then spot an error?

The guarantee is a rework promise — “If you're not happy with your document, we'll revise it until you are” — but the proof stage is where changes are free, so read it there.