What to Write in a Graduation Card

Summertime is in the air — along with graduation caps at high schools and colleges all over the country. Not to mention kindergartens and graduate schools, too! It really is an exciting time for graduates of all levels—which means with graduation season comes announcements in your mailbox, invitations on your calendar, and graduation cards on your shopping list.

Celebrate the monumental achievement of graduation with American Greetings! Explore exciting graduation greetings with musical and animated ecards, unleash your creativity with DIY Creatacards and have fun personalizing SmashUps™ with their name. Whether you can’t be there in person or want to take a custom, printable card to the next graduation party, American Greetings has everything you need to make your congratulatory message stand out!

So, once you've found the perfect card for your proud grad, how do you come up with the perfect graduation wishes? No worries. We’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of ideas for what to write in a graduation card.

Graduation Card Quotes

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” — William Arthur Ward
“Be bold, be courageous, be your best.” — Gabrielle Giffords
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” — Les Brown
“Success is loving life and daring to live it.” ― Maya Angelou
“Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” — Nora Ephron
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
"Accept no one’s definition of your life, define yourself.” — Harvey Fierstein
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.” — Viola Davis

Heartfelt and Inspirational Graduation Card Messages

This is just the beginning of the incredible things you can do. Congratulations!
You have what it takes to do truly wonderful things. Congratulations!
The world is waiting for you, (Name)!
You have so much to offer (Name). Wishing you a most beautiful future!
You worked hard to get here—and from today forward, anything is possible!
You did it. Way to go! Success is yours.

Funny Graduation Card Messages

The tassle is worth the hassle! You did it! Congrats, (Name).
Hey grad, hope you know how relieved we are for you. Way to go!
One degree equals two happy parents. So proud of you, honey!
You know all the things! Now go have all the adventures!
Your college years are behind you, but the memories will be with you forever. Kind of like your student loans, but let’s not get into that.
“So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you’re on the right track.” — Ed Helms
You’ve always been smart … but now you have the papers to prove it. Congratulations!
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” — Mark Twain
“The unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective.” — Jon Stewart

Casual Graduation Card Messages

Graduate, I always knew you were special. Happy Graduation!
Congratulations! You're amazing! Very best wishes to you in everything you do.
You graduated! Yay, you!
Congrats, grad! Time to take on the world!
Cheers to the end of late-night cram sessions and the start of new adventures!
Look at you, all graduated and everything. You da bomb!
If you ever hear random clapping, it’s probably me still cheering you on. Congrats on your degree!
Hats off to you on your special day!
Congratulations to the Class of 2024. YOU ROCK!

Formal Graduation Card Messages

Congratulations on your graduation, (Name)! We’re so excited to see where life takes you.
Keep reaching for the stars and remember that I’ll always be here cheering you on.
Your passion for learning and hard work has brought you to this amazing achievement. Congratulations!
On this momentous occasion, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you. Happy Graduation
As you celebrate your graduation, remember to cherish the friends and memories you’ve made along the way … and look forward to the bright opportunities ahead!
(First Name), wherever your dreams take you … I hope you'll find happiness waiting!
Graduation is ... A happy event, an exciting, fresh start … A time to feel proud and to follow your heart. Congratulations!
Wishing you a future filled with success, happiness and endless opportunities.

Send Your Graduation Wishes With American Greetings

Graduation card messages don’t have to be hard to compose. They just have to be sincere, thoughtful and upbeat. No sweat, right? Now that you know what to write in a graduation card, join American Greetings to unlock member benefits and personalize and send unlimited digital and printable graduation greetings today.

Brought to You by the Writers of American Greetings

We are a team of writers and editors with decades of experience creating happiness, laughter and love for American Greetings. When we’re not writing greeting cards and other celebrations content for the company, we are award-winning authors, bloggers, world travelers, singers, photographers, parents, grandparents and pet owners. Most of us live in Cleveland, Ohio, home to American Greetings Corporate Headquarters for over 100 years.