If you have spent a lot of time, work, and money getting your degree, chances are you will want to display your diploma in a manner that symbolizes its importance in your life.  The best way to do this is to put it in a college diploma frame and hang it on your wall.

First of all, you need to choose an appropriate frame.  There are lots of diploma frames to choose from, so this can seem like an overwhelming undertaking.  I recommend staying away from the frames you find for sale at places such as Wal-Mart — they are typically pretty cheap, and will devalue the importance of your degree and the work you put into it.

You should be able to find a framing store in your area, or you could shop for a high-quality frame online.  You can even sometimes find diploma frames with your school’s name on them in your campus bookstore.  Wherever you get your frame, though, you can easily do the framing yourself.

Putting your diploma in an oversized frame and matting it can also look very good.  Most hobby stores will have a variety of pre-cut matting to choose from, or you can buy matting and cut it yourself.  When I was a kid, my mom even used to mat old prints using vintage ribbon and fabric.

Whatever matting you choose, or if you choose any at all, make sure that everything you put into the frame is acid-free.  This includes the matting and whatever paper you use as backing.  Acid-free paper will prevent your diploma from turning brown with time.  You also might want to consider getting glass that is coated with something to protect your diploma from UV light.

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