upon graduating

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon graduating" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it when talking about someone who has recently completed an educational program, such as graduating from high school or college. For example: "Upon graduating from college, he got a job as a software engineer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Upon graduating from West Point, McMaster joined the armored cavalry.

The New Yorker

Upon graduating in 1958, Stella moved to New York City.

The Guardian - Arts

Upon graduating he joined THC Systems where he and his brother Eugene revolutionized the tabletop industry.

The New York Times

Upon graduating from high school, he began working at the Isaacs Center.

The New York Times

Upon graduating Mr. Fleischer moved in the late 1990s to San Francisco and bused tables.

The New York Times

Upon graduating from the academy, he entered Harvard University in 1833.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Upon graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy, he served in the army from 1945 to 1946.

The New York Times

Mr. Windham, upon graduating from high school, found a job at the Coca-Cola barrel factory.

The New York Times

Upon graduating from university, he got a job at Time magazine before meeting his German wife.

Independent

Upon graduating with the class of '67, Mr. White volunteered to go to Vietnam.

The New York Times

He starred with the Seals upon graduating and joined the Athletics in 1947.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon graduating" to clearly indicate that an action occurred immediately after graduation, creating a sense of direct consequence or transition.

Common error

Avoid using future tenses after "upon graduating". Instead, use past simple or present perfect to describe actions that have already occurred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon graduating" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing an adverbial clause of time. It modifies the main clause by specifying when the action in the main clause occurred, immediately following the act of graduating. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Encyclopedias

12%

Science

12%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon graduating" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that establishes a temporal link between graduation and a subsequent action. Ludwig confirms its versatile application across diverse contexts, primarily in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Scientific sources. While "upon graduating" conveys a formal tone, alternatives like "after graduating" provide more common and less formal options. Remember to use the correct tense and ensure the subsequent action directly follows graduation for clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after graduating

More common and slightly less formal alternative using "after" instead of "upon".

following graduation

Slightly more formal alternative focusing on the event of graduation.

having graduated

Uses a perfect participle to indicate completion of graduation.

post-graduation

More concise, often used in academic or professional contexts.

on graduation

More concise, focusing on the specific date or ceremony.

freshly graduated

Emphasizes the recentness of graduation.

as a graduate

Focuses on the status of being a graduate at a point in time.

after completion of studies

More formal and emphasizes the completion of studies.

with degree in hand

More figurative, emphasizing the achievement of graduation.

subsequent to graduation

Highly formal and emphasizes the sequence of events.

FAQs

How can I use "upon graduating" in a sentence?

Use "upon graduating" to describe an action that immediately follows the completion of a degree or program. For example, "Upon graduating, she received a job offer from a tech company".

Is it better to say "upon graduating" or "after graduating"?

Both "upon graduating" and "after graduating" are correct, but "upon graduating" suggests that the subsequent action happened immediately. "After graduating" can imply a longer period of time passed before the next action.

What are some formal alternatives to "upon graduating"?

Formal alternatives include "subsequent to graduation" or "following graduation", which are suitable for academic or professional writing.

Can I use "upon graduating" when talking about high school?

Yes, "upon graduating" can be used whether someone is graduating from high school, college, or any other educational program.