What is Cum Laude?

Cum laude, which in Latin means "with praise" or "with honor," denotes a certain level of academic success accorded to students. The phrase is used by educational institutions to describe an academic qualification given to someone who has demonstrated some level of academic excellence in their courses. Latin honors is another name for the concepts because they have Latin roots. Although they are widely used in the United States, relatively few other nations also use them. This distinction is given in recognition of academic excellence and high grades.  

Cum laude is the most typical Latin academic excellence award in the United States. It is often given to the top 25–35% of the class, requiring an average GPA of roughly 3.5–3.7, however, standards vary per school. There are numerous ways that schools bestow honors, and there is no set of strict guidelines to how they should be awarded.

Cum Laude Explained

The majority of colleges confer three levels of honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude) in accordance with their own standards. The GPA is typically the deciding criterion. Latin honors, with the exception of law students, are usually always awarded to bachelor's degree level students.

Although Latin honors are majorly used in colleges and Universities, some high schools in the United States award honors based on GPA or a percentage of class rank using the three-tiered Latin honors system.

The other two regularly used Latin honor distinctions accepted in the United States are summa cum laude and magna cum laude. Cum laude is one of these distinctions.

Magna cum laude is a more prestigious honor than cum laude and means "with great honor." It is often awarded to students who rank in the top 10 to 15 percent of their class, with an estimated average GPA of 3.8 to 3.9. Magna cum laude is the highest award that can be given at various institutions.

Summa cum laude, which means "with the highest honor," is typically awarded to students who rank in the top 1–5% of their class. Sometimes, students with a 4.0+ GPA are given this distinction, however, the requirements change from school to school. For example, an education major may need a 3.96 to graduate summa cum laude, whereas graduates from the school of medicine only need a 3.87. Some universities even have separate GPA criteria for various disciplines.

Potential employees frequently list the cum laude title on their resumes to highlight their academic achievements and distinguish themselves from the competition. Cum laude is most frequently used in the United States and is decided by GPA or other educational attainment.