FAQ

General Questions

Q: What is your mailing address?
Q: What are your phone numbers?
Q: How long have you been in business?
Q: We are a 501 C (3)non-profit, tax accept organization. Do you except Tax Exempt Certifications for tax deductions?
Q: Can we pick up our product at your location and avoid shipping charges?

Graduation Cap and Gown, Honor Cords – Stoles

Q: What comes in the ‘Keeper ® Package’ ?
Q: How much does one Keeper cost?
Q: How do I place an order with you?
Q: How long does it take to get my order?
Q: I am nervous about whether or not my order will arrive in time. Who do I call or email to get a time estimate on my order?
Q: I just decided that maybe I should have paid for a rush fee or faster shipping on my order. How can I do that now?
Q: How much does shipping usually cost?
Q: Do you ship outside the United States?
Q: I need my gown quicker than you can get it to me, do you have any advice?
Q: I want to add an item to my order, how do I do that?
Q: How many colors can I have in my tassel?
Q: What information do I need for the sizing?

General Questions

Q: What is your mailing address?
A: 8944 Mason Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311.

Q: What are your phone numbers?
A: Our local line in Southern California is (818) 886-8697; Our toll free line is (800) 626-5000; Our fax number is (818) 886-8743.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Academic was founded in 1946, and has remained a family company ever since.

Q: We are a 501 C (3)non-profit, tax accept organization. Do you except Tax Exempt Certifications for tax deductions?
A: No. Most of our customers are non-profit organizations, and it would be difficult to stay in business if we donated our products every time we were asked to. We prefer to instead donate to local charities in
our community.

Q: Can we pick up our product at your location and avoid shipping charges?
A: Yes, but please call ahead so we can make sure your order is packaged.
We are located at 8944 Mason Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311.

Graduation Cap and Gown, Honor Cords – Stoles

Q: What comes in the ‘Keeper ® Package’ ?
A: The gown, cap & tassel, bagged in plastic, along with a white collar. Optionally, student names can be printed on a label and attached to each bag for an additional fee, if you submit such information in email according to our specifications.

Q: How much does one Keeper cost?
A: It depends on the time of the year. For most of the year, the minimum order is $25.00 for one Keeper package. However during the busy graduation season, which runs from April 1 to June 30, the minimum order may increase to $50.00. Check current prices at our online purchasing website: www.academicapparel.com/catalog. All prices are significantly reduced as you order more gowns.

Q: How do I place an order with you?
A: You can order it directly online at Academic Apparel Ordering , or you can download the ‘Keeper Order form Package’ from our website, print it, fill it out, and fax it into us at (818) 886-8743. You can also mail us your order form.

Q: How long does it take to get my order?
A: This is an important question, and it comes up often. There are two times you need to be aware of, and you need to add them together to get an estimate of how long it will take to get your order.

First, there is a production time. We are the direct manufacturer of most of our products, and we actually make most products to order once you place your order. It generally takes three to four weeks for standard production turn around time (and the turn-around can even increase to five weeks as graduation season comes around in April). You can pay a single rush fee for a whole order (which ranges from $35.00 to $50.00 depending on the season, or even $75.00 for Academic Regalia orders with a very fast production time), which will reduce the production time (to as short as two weeks or less for Keeper products, and as short as three weeks for Academic Regalia products, if such rush times are available when you order).

Second, there is the shipping time (which is not the same as the production time). Standard UPS shipping takes about a week to get to you, depending on how far you are from our office in California. You can reduce this time by paying for faster shipping such as 3-Day Select, 2nd Day Air, or Next Day Air. Just remember that the shipping time is in addition to the production time, and you need to add together both the production time and the shipping time to get a time estimate for your order.

Q: I am nervous about whether or not my order will arrive in time. Who do I call or email to get a time estimate on my order?
A: In general we cannot provide a precise estimate beyond the general production time and shipping time estimates listed on your order. More importantly, trying to pull your order from the production line to check the status can actually increase the production time on your order as we try to reinsert it to the line out of order. We suggest you avoid asking for status updates, and trust that your order is being processed in accordance with the production and shipping times you requested when you placed your order.

Q: I just decided that maybe I should have paid for a rush fee or faster shipping on my order. How can I do that now?

A: It’s difficult to change an order once it’s placed, but it can be done when absolutely necessary. Download the appropriate General Use Form to pay by check or credit card, and fax it to us with a note indicating the details of your order, including your organization name, name of the person who placed the order, your approximate order date, and general list of the kinds of things you ordered. If you need to change an order, please try and do it as close to the date you placed your order as possible. Don’t try and change your order close to the date it’s supposed to ship, since it might have already shipped and there is nothing we can do to change an order once it’s shipped.

For rush fees: First check online to see what the cost of rush fees, and time estimates, are currently available for the type of products you ordered (they change sometimes). If you order a mix of products, like an Academic Regalia item and a Keeper item, you will have to pay the most expensive rush fee between the two. For example, if you order a Hood (an Academic Regalia item) and an Honor Cord (a Keeper item), and you want a rush production time of 3 weeks (if that is available), it might list $74.95 for 3-week Academic Regalia rush fees, and $35.00 for 2-week Keeper items, but you will need to pay the $74.95 rush fee to rush the entire order, and the production time will be 3-weeks (if available).

For faster shipping: The new shipping cost will need to be calculated. You can do this online at the Academic Ordering System by going through the steps to place a new identical order (the size and color of your items doesn’t matter when checking for new shipping costs, just the type and quantity to get the weight of the order, and your shipping address) to see the new shipping cost in the Delivery Information screen. Don’t hit continue on that screen (or if you do by accident, don’t fill in the Payment Information form). The only purpose of doing this is to get the new cost of the shipping method you want. Be sure to write down the cost, and then empty your shopping cart (or else the new items will stay in your cart until your next visit, and you might accidentally order them on your next visit). You can clear your cart contents at any time by clicking on Cart Contents in the upper right hand corner of your screen, and then selecting check box next to any items you want to remove, and clicking the Update button at the bottom right hand side of your screen. Once you have the new shipping costs, subtract what you paid already for the old shipping cost, and then pay for the new remainder using the form you downloaded. So for example if you previously paid $11.50 for standard shipping on a single Keeper cap and gown, and you now want 3-Day select shipping instead which costs $28.36 for example, you would need to pay an additional $16.86 for the faster shipping method using this example.

Q: How much does shipping usually cost?
A: Shipping costs vary depending on your exact location. You can check the shipping cost by simulating placing an order using our Academic Ordering System , and then cancelling out of the order and empty your cart before filling in the payment information. We ship all graduation products by UPS, insured. Average shipping costs tend to be around $1.00 per robe, but this can vary greatly depending on your location. Also, the minimum shipping charge for an order is usually around $6.00. And of course faster shipping methods cost more.

Q: Do you ship outside the United States?
A: We will ship to some foreign locations, if the order is successfully placed through our online ordering system. Such locations generally include Canada, Europe, and Japan, and a few other locations. However, because such shipments often involve the peculiarities of the various tariff, trade, and import/export laws around the globe, we may not be able to ship some orders overseas due to the cost of researching the laws for that location. Also, if possible, it is always easier for us to ship to a US-based shipping address, and you will always save on shipping costs if you can arrange for a US-based address to receive the shipment. At this time, due to advice from our bank concerning trends in fraud, we cannot ship to any African locations.

Q: I need my gown quicker than you can get it to me, do you have any advice?
A: Generally your best bet is to go to your local college and try to purchase a gown there. Most colleges (including community colleges) and universities stock gowns in their student book store. You might end up paying more (since there are a lot of middle-men involved with a student book store sale), but they will probably have a gown in-stock and available for you to pick up right away.

Q: I want to add an item to my order, how do I do that?
A: Most of the procedure for changing an order is details above under “I just decided that maybe I should have paid for a rush fee or faster shipping on my order. How can I do that now?” Just calculate the cost of the new items you want to add, and the new shipping cost (since the order will now weigh more), and fax or mail us a form paying for the additions. If you are adding the item well after you originally placed your order, you will probably have to also pay a rush fee to add the item (since it’s as if you are just now placing your order, as far as production times are concerned).

Q: How many colors can I have in my tassel?
A: 2 colors, but please check with us first by phone to see if your color combination is available. Some combinations are also available in 3 colors.

Q: What information do I need for the sizing?
A: You need to provide us with each students height & weight for the gown. You do not need to provide cap size, as our standard caps are one size fits all with elastic.
You can also look on our sizing information page here.

Q: How much are your Honor Stoles or Honor Cords?
A: Prices start at $10.00 each (minimum order $25.00, which includes the cost of up to two cords and/or stoles). The price is reduced significantly as you order more items. Most prices are on our website, however larger orders (300+) are usually priced over the phone.

Q: I only want to order a Cap & Tassel, how much is that?
A: Cap and Tassel is usually $7.50 but we have a minimum purchase amount of $25.00 per order.

Q: What is the difference between Acetate and Polyester fabrics?
A: The differences between Acetate and Polyester is:
a) Acetate: Acetate provides excellent drapability and softness, and is moth resistant. Acetate is dry-clean only.
b) Polyester: Polyester is strong; moth resistant; resistant to stretching, most chemicals, and abrasion; is crisp and resilient when wet or dry; retains heat-set pleats and creases; is more wrinkle resistant than Acetate; and is easily washed in ordinary washers and dryers. In addition, Polyester colors tend to be more stable over time than Acetate, though can fade from long exposure to the sun. Polyester is the standard fabric for Keeper® orders.

Academic believes that polyester is a slightly better fabric than acetate, and is therefore moving over to polyester-only Keeper graduation robes. If you would prefer acetate robes, please call and request that we check our inventory to see if we have enough acetate remaining in stock to supply your order.

Q: Can I get a sample?
A: We are happy to send samples of our products for orders potentially of 100+ robes/cords/stoles or thereabouts. We just need a written faxed request on school letterhead from an official member of the school administration. After the request, we can send you a random color/size robe/cord/stole for you to keep for analysis.

Q: We are a school that wants to place a large order for our entire graduating class. Can I get better prices?
A: Yes. We offer special rates for larger orders (such as 500 gowns), and some additional free services such as printing labels for each student on request (for a fee, and using our format), free rental Academic Regalia for faculty in certain circumstances and locations, and other accommodations for larger orders. Please call us toll free at (800) 626-5000 to discuss your order.

Q: Will you come out and measure our students?
A: We can measure larger classes located in the Southern California area, and in some other limited locations where we have sales representatives (such as some areas of Texas and central California). We hope to expand this service to other parts of the nation in the future, but for now that is the best we can offer. We also provide you with a measurement kit with our catalog, which includes everything you need to take measurements.

Academic Regalia

Q: Is it okay for a person with a Masters Degree to wear a Tam? If so, how many sides?
A: It depends on your college. Some colleges require mortarboards for Masters candidates, and others tams. If tams are acceptable, it is usually the 4-sided version for Masters degrees.

Q: What is the difference between a Tam and a Mortarboard?
A: Tams are made from higher quality materials than mortarboards, are composed of a black velvet fabric, and generally have a gold tassel rather than a tassel that is the color of the University. Rather than having a flat top, tams have a “poof” top, similar to a beefeater style cap. Tams are tailored specifically to your head or hat size, while most mortarboards are a one size fits all item.

Q: How do I wear my hood?
A: Place it over your head, draping off your shoulders and across the back of your gown. The velvet edge should be on the outside, visible from the back. Make sure the lining (field and chevron school colors) are turned out so that people can see from the back your university colors. Usually this is done by turning the velvet trim to the outside at the back just below your shoulders. If you ordered a professional / faculty hood, there will be a cord in the back (with two buttons, one on each side of the hood) to keep your hood in place, and a cord in the front to keep the hood away from your neck. Fasten the front cord to a shirt or dress button. Finally, make sure the fabric shell of the hood is smoothed down and lays flat against the back of your robe.

On occasional, people will accidentally turn a hood inside out, revealing the rough unsewn edge of the interior. The unsewn part is intentional (and it’s how all hoods are made according to the official code), but should never be visible if your hood is not turned inside out. If you see it, you probably have the hood inside out.

Q: What is Verona fabric and style, and how does it differ from the other fabrics you sell?
A: The Verona fabric includes a more adult-looking matte black or royal blue (your choice) sheen as opposed to the shiny one found with our Keeper line of souvenir graduation gowns. Verona fabric features a stronger weave than our Keeper fabric for more durability in the wash, allowing you to safely use a washing machine with these gowns, and they should last for several years. It is not however as durable as our Seville or Islander fabrics, and the style and patterns used for the Verona student products is more basic than the style and patterns used for the professional Academic Regalia products. Verona fabric comes in only black or royal blue at this time, and no other colors are available for Verona products. Professional Regalia products, and Keeper products, come in a wider variety of colors. You can read more about the Verona fabric and style under Regalia Fabrics .

Q: What is the difference between Islander and Seville fabrics?
A: You can read further details under Regalia Fabrics , but the basics are as follows:

Islander: A history of over 30 years for academic regalia. Imported, 100% Polyester crepe weave with excellent wrinkle resistance and long life. The weave is strong enough to prevent sagging with the weight of velvet bars or front panels, which translates into a longer life for the robe. Polyester provides the important feature of wash-ability, if you accidentally spill coffee or a get bit of frosting on the fabric portion of your robe, saving on extra cleaning. The velvet portion is not machine washable and must be dry-cleaned.

Seville: History of about 20 years for academic regalia. Made by one of the largest mills in the USA with VISA anti stain protection. The weave is a gabardine, which provides for a very strong structure, and has excellent wrinkle resistance. It also tends to be somewhat cooler than Islander. Constructed from 100% polyester this fabric can also be washed in an emergency. Like Islander however, the velvet panels are not washable and eventually your robe must be dry-cleaned.

Q: What are my school colors for my hood?
A: There is no standardized and unified published listing available of all current school colors. While Academic does maintain a library of books on the subject (which are out of date the moment they are published) and a database of some school colors that we have made recently, there is no true substitute for contacting your school directly and asking them what colors they are currently using for your robe. Colleges can, and sometimes do, change their colors on a yearly basis (and even the color of the robe itself). Academic can usually help you to find out your school colors (by calling your school ourselves). However, we ask that you attempt to determine the colors first on your own. Part of the reason our prices are so much lower than the prices offered by your University and our competitors is that our customers do some of the footwork in discovering school colors for that year for their robe.

Q: I just decided that maybe I should have paid for a rush fee or faster shipping on my order. How can I do that now?
A: It’s difficult to change an order once it’s placed, but it can be done when absolutely necessary. Download the appropriate General Use Form to pay by check or credit card, and fax it to us with a note indicating the details of your order, including your organization name, name of the person who placed the order, your approximate order date, and general list of the kinds of things you ordered. If you need to change an order, please try and do it as close to the date you placed your order as possible. Don’t try and change your order close to the date it’s supposed to ship, since it might have already shipped and there is nothing we can do to change an order once it’s shipped.

For faster shipping: The new shipping cost will need to be calculated. You can do this online at the Academic Ordering System by going through the steps to place a new identical order (the size and color of your items doesn’t matter when checking for new shipping costs, just the type and quantity to get the weight of the order, and your shipping address) to see the new shipping cost in the Delivery Information screen. Don’t hit continue on that screen (or if you do by accident, don’t fill in the Payment Information form). The only purpose of doing this is to get the new cost of the shipping method you want. Be sure to write down the cost, and then empty your shopping cart (or else the new items will stay in your cart until your next visit, and you might accidentally order them on your next visit). You can clear your cart contents at any time by clicking on Cart Contents in the upper right hand corner of your screen, and then slecting check box next to any items you want to remove, and clicking the Update button at the bottom right hand side of your screen. Once you have the new shipping costs, subtract what you paid already for the old shipping cost, and then pay for the new remainder using the form you downloaded. So for example if you previously paid $11.50 for standard shipping on a single Keeper cap and gown, and you now want 3-Day select shipping instead which costs $28.36 for example, you would need to pay an additional $16.86 for the faster shipping method using this example.

Class Rings

Q: I know what kind of side design I want for my ring, but I don’t see it listed on your website or in your catalog. Can you make any side design I want?
A: We do carry some side designs not posted on our website or in our catalog, such as some class mascots. For such designs, there is no extra charge. If we do not have you’re your design in our database, we can still make most side designs for your ring. New class ring designs costs anywhere from $65 to $130 to create the side design (depending on complexity), and we need at least a rough .jpg or .gif or .bit image of the design in question (or place on the internet to view the new design). Rings involving special side designs will often take longer to make than regular rings, so please expect a slightly longer turn-around time for such unique rings.

Q: I lost my class ring from long ago. Do you have a replacement?
A: We do offer replacements for lost class rings. However, we make each ring new, and do not carry a collection of old rings. To make a replacement ring, we just need a design and/or picture of the ring you ant to replace. If it involves a side design we do not currently offer on our website, we can replicate that unique design for an additional $65 to $130, depending on the complexity of the design.

Q: What are the payment options for my class ring purchase?
A: We offer several different payment plan options that won’t make paying for your ring a chore.

1) You can choose to pay for your ring all at once. This option guarantees that you’ll get your ring as soon as it’s ready.

2) You can choose to leave a deposit with your order. Then make monthly payments while we process your order. Your ring, however, won’t be made until it is paid for in full.

3) Credit-card auto-pay. With auto-pay we will automatically charge your credit card monthly. This option, like option 1, will guarantee that your ring is delivered as soon as it is ready. (Note that credit card orders will indicate a charge to Academic Choir Apparel or Academic Church and Choir Gown Company).

Q: What methods of payment do you accept?
A: We accept payment by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express), money orders, or certified checks. And for your convenience, we will also accept personal checks but please remember to allow 2 weeks to process any personal checks (personal checks are made out to Academic).

Q: Do you charge interest on my order? What happens if I pay very late?
A: For all methods of payment, we do not charge interest, nor do we charge a late fee. You are responsible for making your payments in a timely manner.

We will honor the price of your ring order for up to one year. We guarantee the price will not change for one year. If you have not paid for your ring in full within one year, your order will be subject to adjustments based on the price of gold or silver. In addition, we cannot guarantee that your order will be completed and your ring delivered within 4 weeks of receiving your final payment. If you choose to extend your payments for over a year, your order will be ready approximately 12 weeks after we receive your final payment. Remember to allow 2 weeks to process any personal checks.

Q: What happens to my deposit if I cancel my ring order?
A: If you choose to cancel your order, any deposit becomes non-refundable once we start the process of making your class ring. We will sometimes make an exception to this policy if the reason for your
cancellation is our fault. Please consult your sales representative or customer service to discuss cancellation issues for your particular order.

Q: Do I have to pay shipping for my ring?
A: Generally no, unless you request expedited shipping, in which case next day or two day air charges will apply.

Q: What is the turn-around time on my ring order?
A: We try to ship your ring within 10 – 12 weeks from your order date, if you pay for your ring up front. Otherwise, we try to ship your ring 4-6 weeks after your final payment date (but no earlier than 10 – 12 weeks from your order date). This is an estimate only, and shipping delays sometimes occur. Also, please note that these dates are measured between when we receive your order, and when we ship your order. The shipment itself also takes some time (usually 3 – 5 days).

Q: My ring is late. Why haven’t I received it yet?
A: We’ve had an unexpected and fairly drastic increase in our ring orders this season (probably due to increased internet advertising). All of our rings are individually hand made by our art department, and increases in demand can have a significant impact on our production. Unfortunately, this means many of our rings are late this season, beyond even the 12 weeks we usually tell people. We apologize for this, and are doing everything we can (except reduce the quality of our products) to reduce this turn-around time. We ask that you try to be patient with this difficulty. If you are unhappy and wish to cancel, we will
honor all requests for cancellation due to lateness, prior to the final casting of your ring.

Q: I emailed you with a question/comment and have not received a response.
A: We eventually respond to all email inquiries. However, emails are usually answered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and there is usually a delay of a day or so (or more, if you email us on a Thursday night) before you get a response. If you need a question answered right away, it’s always best to call.

Choir Robes, Choral Accessories

Please direct all questions and comments regarding Choir Robes & Accessories to our choir robe expert, Evelyn Cronan. She can be reached toll free at (800) 626-5000 extension 101, or by email at evelyn@academicapparel.com .

Judicial Robes

Please direct all questions and comments regarding Judicial Robes to our judicial robe expert,
Lynn Bolotin. She can be reached toll free (800) 626-5000 extension 123, or by email at sales@academicapparel.com.

Online Ordering

Q: My credit card or check was rejected by your online ordering system, but I know my credit card or check is valid and has enough money to cover this order. Why won’t your system accept my credit card?
A: Most credit card and check rejections are because your address does not match the address on record with your credit card or checking company. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a single digit off, a mis-capitalization, a dash, or something very minor like that. Please try to re-enter your address to match what your credit card company has on file.

Q: I tried to make a purchase several times but each time your system rejected the order (probably due to an address issue, as explained above), and then my credit card or checking company called and said you had charged me for each transaction!
A: Actually, your credit card or checkig company’s security department is seeing the inquiries to your account, not actual charges. Sometimes the inquiries appear as charges at first (“ghost” charges). Don’t worry, we didn’t charge you for all those transactions. In a day or two the bank will remove all those “charges” on your account after they see no actual money was transferred. If we ever do make a mistake in overcharging you (its never happened to date), rest assured we will refund your money.

Q: I ordered by eCheck, and need to receive my order very quick. Is there a hold on eChecks similar to regular checks?
A: Yes, an eCheck is treated very much like a regular check. Banks require 10 days to clear an eCheck, and no order placed using an eCheck can be shipped until the 11th day after the order is placed (so we can confirm the check went through).

Q: My online eCheck was rejected, and I tried to fix it but it’s still being rejected. What do I do?
A: There are numerous reasons that such an event could happen. If you were placing an order that included an international address (outside the United States), our system will automatically reject the order as we cannot accept foreign checks. If you were placing an order with an address that was different from the address on record with your bank, the order may be rejected by your banks computer system. If there were insufficient funds in the account, the check will be rejected. And for various other reasons, including inability to electronically communicate with your bank, such an eCheck can be rejected. If you wish to continue with your order, we need to receive an alternative form of payment from you. The sooner we get an alternative form of payment, the better the chance we can process your order within the allotted time set form on your original order. Acceptable alternatives include a Credit Card or, when appropriate, a new check. You can manually download a new credit card or check form at Academic Forms . Just fill it out and fax it to us at (818) 886-8743 or mail it to us at:

8944 Mason Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311, USA.

Please include a note telling us what you ordered, the name of the person who placed the order and the address and phone number they listed, and the approximate date of your order, so we can match it to your order. For new checks, we will need the following: ABA Routing Number, Account Number, Bank Name, Your Name that is on the Bank Account, Bank Account Type (Business Checking, Personal Checking, or Savings), Amount for this Check, Your Phone Number, and your Address for that Checking Account. If you are unsure of how to identify the difference between an ABA Routing Number and an Account Number, you can view a sample image here: eCheck Ordering .

Q: I want to make a purchase that involves an option or product not offered on your online purchasing website. Can I make the purchase without buying it online?
A: Yes. You can download an order form at Academic Apparel Forms, fill it out with the alternative option or product, and mail or fax it to us. Usually it’s best to do this in conjunction with a phone call to us to make sure your alternative option is something we can do (and the price, if the option involves a costly addition).

Q: I am having problems entering my shipping address, or the website is rejecting my shipping address. What do I do?
A: Our website is programmed for only a limited number of countries, and sometimes has trouble with the address format of some locations. We also sometimes have trouble with APO addresses. If you’re having problems with an address, you can try to instead download and print or email an order form to us, and contact a salesperson to direct it to their attention. Then the salesperson will try and look up the shipping costs for your location. Often we will have to use an alternative shipping method, such as USPS or FedEx, instead of UPS, to complete your order.

Q: I am ordering from outside the United States. Will you tell me the duty or other import fees associated with my order?
ACADEMIC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DUTY, VAT TAX, OR ANY OTHER FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPORTING OUR PRODUCTS. We cannot look up the final cost to you, as your home country may (and often does) charge a fee at the destination. We cannot look up this information (and it often varies based on international law and code changes). We also cannot accept a rejection of that fee after the shipment leaves our factory, and we cannot offer a return for a refund. Your home country will demand that Academic pay the fee before receiving the returned item, and Academic cannot pay that fee.. If you order from overseas, you must either pay any import fees and duties your home country charges, or else abandon the item and receive no refund.

General Questions

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Academic was founded in 1946, and has remained a family company ever since.