after graduating from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after graduating from" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about something someone did after completing a course of study, such as a degree. For example, "After graduating from college, I decided to move to a new city and start my career."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

After graduating from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After graduating from Punahou School, Pres.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They met after graduating from Stanford University.

The New York Times - Books

for Cultural Relations after graduating from Upsala University.

The New Yorker

After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.

Encyclopedia Britannica

She began acting after graduating from Cambridge.

The Guardian

After graduating from Harvard, he joined the Army.

The New York Times

After graduating from high school, he drove a truck.

The New York Times

You came out to your family after graduating from Smith.

The New York Times - Magazine

So in 1969, after graduating from Harvard, he enlisted.

The New Yorker

After graduating from Glasgow Univesity, he joined Procter & Gamble.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "after graduating from", ensure the sentence clearly indicates what action or event occurred following the graduation. For example, "After graduating from college, she began her career in finance."

Common error

Avoid using future tenses when describing actions that occurred after graduation. Instead of saying "After graduating from college, I will travel", use "After graduating from college, I traveled" or "After graduating from college, I plan to travel" depending on the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after graduating from" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the time following the completion of an academic program. It modifies a verb or clause to specify when an action occurred, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

27%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "after graduating from" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate the period following the completion of an academic program. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides numerous examples across various contexts, including news, encyclopedias, and scientific publications. The phrase functions as a prepositional phrase, establishing a chronological sequence. While generally neutral to formal, its consistent usage across reputable sources makes it a reliable choice for both academic and professional writing. Remember to use the correct tense when describing subsequent actions and consider alternatives like "upon graduating from" or "following graduation from" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

upon graduating from

Uses "upon" to indicate immediate succession after graduation.

following graduation from

Replaces "after graduating" with "following graduation", a more formal construction.

post-graduation from

Uses "post-graduation" as an adjective to describe the period after graduation.

subsequent to graduating from

A more formal and less common way of saying "after graduating from".

once I graduated from

Changes the structure to a full clause with "once" indicating the completion of graduation.

having graduated from

Uses a perfect participle to indicate completion before a subsequent action.

with a degree from

Focuses on possessing a degree rather than the act of graduating.

after completion of studies at

Emphasizes the completion of studies rather than the graduation itself.

as an alumnus of

Highlights the person's status as a graduate of the institution.

fresh out of

An informal expression meaning recently graduated from.

FAQs

How can I use "after graduating from" in a sentence?

Use "after graduating from" to describe an action or event that happened after completing a course of study. For example, "After graduating from college, I traveled to Europe."

What are some alternatives to using "after graduating from"?

You can use alternatives like "upon graduating from", "following graduation from", or "post-graduation from" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "after graduated from" instead of "after graduating from"?

No, "after graduated from" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "after graduating from", using the gerund form of the verb.

What's the difference between "after graduating from" and "after graduation from"?

"After graduating from" uses a gerund and directly links the action of graduating to a subsequent event. "After graduation from" is less common and often requires additional context to sound natural. For instance, "After graduation from Harvard, he joined a prestigious law firm" is acceptable but less fluid than "After graduating from Harvard, he joined a prestigious law firm."