Summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude are honors that are awarded at graduation to students who have achieved a high grade point average or another measure of academic excellence. They are used at colleges, universities, and some high schools in the United States and across the world and can be important for getting a job in certain industries. Here's when they can help, and why.

3 Types of Honors

While the cr💧iteria for awarding them can vary from institution to institution, each of these so-called Latin honors signifies a high level of educational achievement. It is widely understood both in and out of universities that they are bestowed on only a select number of students🌃 and represent a high degree of excellence.

Typically, in the American education system, the summa cum laude ("with highest distinction") honor is✤ awarded to a small number of students who are considered to represent the very top of their class.

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Magna cum laude ("with high distinction") is next in terms of prestige and represents a high level of achievement. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Cum laude means "with distinction."

When Does Magna Cum Laude Matter?

Having a high honors degree can be important for job candidates in certain fields. Those include finance, management consulting, and engineering. These jobs pay well at the entry-level and are quite competitive, often with more than 100 ap🅰plicants for each spot. Using Latin honors and grades is an easy way for employers to narrow the field.

In fields that require advanced degrees, su♑ch as law and medicine, a magna cum laude degree can be important in gaining admission to a top graduate school. Students from those schools tend to get the best job opportunities in their fields. For most graduate schools, admꦰission is partly based on undergraduate grades—a major factor in Latin honors.

In general, these academic credentials only matter for the first or second job. After that, experience and work accomplishments play a much larger role, as do references from past🏅 supervisors and colleagues. Essentially, a magna cum laude degree signals to a first or second employer that a candidate is capable of working hard, and may hav𝓰e certain innate talents.

The Bottom Line

A magna cum laude degree typically matters most for first and second jobs. Of course, it does not guarantee success in the workplace. Career success often ends up being more about being able to work well with others, form meaningful relationships, and create value. These characteristics are different from the drivers of academic design♒ations. Nevertheless, an honors degree is an asset that can help a candidate get a foot in the door.