"Can you afford to go to your own graduation?"
How many gowns did you see people wear at university? Shopping in pyjamas, maybe; dressed up as chickens, perhaps; but gowns? Not a chance.
Yet despite campus being very much a gown-free zone, students across the country can't go to their own graduations without one – and they don't come cheap.
So why do we choose to celebrate the completion of our degrees in such old-fashioned attire? And is it fair to assume that students, who now come from a wide range of economic backgrounds, can afford the cost?
Stephen McGrath, who completed his degree at Birmingham City in 2010, chose not to go to his graduation as he didn't have the money to hire a gown.
"It's absurd when a student pays so much in tuition fees, to then be charged at the end to receive their degree," he says.
"Universities should provide gowns. Essentially it's just a black cape, so it shouldn't cost 40 quid – that's a stress at the end of term with people typically worrying about overdrafts and their future employment."
Greg Sanders, who did attend his graduation from Soas agrees: "It was a proud moment, but I didn't like the expense. It's totally absurd – you can't graduate without a gown, and you have to pay to wear it for an hour!"
At many universities, students have to pay not only for their gowns, but also for a ticket to go to their own graduation. Disgruntlement is likely to rise next year, alongside the hike in tuition fees.
At UCL, robes are mandatory, on top of a £30 ticket price that graduands have to pay to attend.
A spokesperson says: "UCL has been charging for graduation ceremonies for at least 10 years. Although graduation ceremonies are financed by UCL, aspects of the events do require additional support from those participating."
As for gown wearing: "There are no plans to remove robes from UCL graduation ceremonies."
The gown-hire company Ede and Ravenscroft, which thrives on the graduation market, was unavailable for comment as to whether £30-£60 hire charges are fair on students.
Fortunately for those at Kingston University, gowns are not compulsory. However, as Vice Chancellor Julius Weinberg explains, almost all do choose to wear them.
"It's part of the ceremony, the occasion, and the fun, but we want to be inclusive. There may be a student who can't wear a gown for cultural reasons, but it's more likely a student will just turn up too late, or get stuck on a bus with their family, and won't have time to gown up.
Source: The Guardian UK
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