How To List Graduating With Honors On Resume

Lastly Italicize The Names Of Latin Honors

Since cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude are Latin phrases, you should use italics when listing these honors. These phrases should also be lowercase. You may find some examples and style guides that do not require you to italicize Latin honors, but using italics is the safer option. Plus, italics will help these words stand out.

If your school uses English instead of Latin phrases, the rules are different. English honors should not be italicized, and they should be capitalized. English honors are typically listed as with Honors, with High Honors or with Highest Honors. The word Distinction may be used instead of Honors. Always use the exact wording adopted by your university.

Is An Honors Diploma Worth It

Does an honors diploma improve your college application? The general answer is no. You can include a mention on your application that you are an honors diploma candidate or on target to earn a specific diploma, but whether or not you receive an honors diploma will not really be a consideration to colleges.

Where To List Magna Summa And Cum Laude Honors

To properly list Latin honors on your resume, you first need to know where to place them. While some resume-writers might be inclined to create a separate section to detail those honors, Harvard Law School recommends a different approach. Keep them within your education section, and create subsections under each listed degree. You should have one for your Honors, and another for Activities.

That approach helps to keep relevant information organized. At the same time, it provides a way to highlight your accomplishments. Focus on limiting your list to only the most impressive honors, however.

You should also skip your GPA if you have those types of honors included. After all, nobody graduates magna, summa, and cum laude without great grades. The only exception to this rule is if the employer requires that information. In that case, just include the GPA next to your honors, in parenthesis.

For other tips on what to include, see our great post on the resume education section here.

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What Is An Honors And Activities Section

This section of the résumé highlights the relevant activities you have been involved with and the honors you have received that you could discuss with your prospective employer. You also want to communicate how these activities and honors might make you an asset to the organization.

An honors and activities section might include the following.

• Academic awards and scholarships
• Date of award or dates of involvement in an activity

Samples:

• Firstar Outstanding Student Scholarship 2007
• Copy Editor, Purdue University’s student newspaper August 2005-December 2006
• Coach, local middle school soccer team August 2004-December 2005
• Vice President, Golden Key National Honor Society August 2003-May 2004

If You’re A Recent College Grad

If you’re a fairly recent graduate, you might prefer to list your education and honors toward the top of your resume since they’re a major feature of your experience thus far. Companies who hire people at the beginning of their careers understand that you’ve been in school for the past few years, and they’ll expect to see your education listed prominently. Bump it up to the top of your resume as you start looking for your first job out of school.

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Should You Put High School On Resume

If high school is your only education, thats fine!

Just add it as your sole education entry, exactly as in the previous example.

Here is an example of high school education on resume:

Heres how to list GED on your resume:

GED High School Equivalency Diploma

Bronx Adult Learning Center, Bronx, NY

Or a Test Assessing Secondary Completion :

TASC High School Equivalency Diploma

Brooklyn College Adult Literacy Program, Brooklyn, NY

Finally, heres the California High School Proficiency Examination :

CSBE Certificate of Proficiency

Clayton Valley High School, Concord, CA

Expert Hint: We dont recommend dates on finished degrees and diplomas, especially if theyre more than 10 years in the past, but they are useful when the program remains unfinished.

Which Awards Honors And Accomplishments Matter

Most career advice experts will recommend that you focus attention on the most relevant awards, honors, and accomplishments. The problem is that few define ârelevantâ in that context. How can you tell which professional achievements will matter to any given employer? Yes, you should be proud of all your awards, honors, and accomplishments â but will a hiring manager care about the same things you value?

In the end, it depends upon how you shape your resume format and message, and how you document those academic awards, honors, and accomplishments. For example, letâs look at some common professional achievements that you may want to include in your resume:

• Academic or athletic awards Scholarships

• Awards provided for excellence in voluntary activities

• Awards that target specific academic achievements

• Job-related awards, if you have ever been employed

• Leadership positions at your school

• Professional associations

Keep in mind that achieved recognition should only be limited to things that go above and beyond ordinary expectations. There is no added merit attached to showing up on time, getting along with others, or doing required work according to instructions. Those are all admirable, but they involve nothing more than meeting basic expectations. When youâre listing relevant honors, awards, and academic excellence, you should focus on your truly exceptional achievements.

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Should You List Honors On Your Resume

Listing your honors on your resume can help you stand out from other applicants with similar qualifications. Tailor your resume to fit your honors and accomplishments and highlight their relevance to the position and industry. Understanding when and how to add honors can help you create a more competitive resume that stands out to hiring managers.

Here are some examples of times when it is especially beneficial to incorporate academic honors into your resume:

If you have strong academic honors and space, add a select few to help you stand out.

Examples With A Simplified Education Section

If you would rather include honors and activities in a separate section, you can trim down your education section.

• The University of Texas at Austin | May 2013

B.S. in Public Policy, graduated with High Honors

• West Virginia University | December 2016

B.S. in Animal and Nutritional Science, summa cum laude

• The University of North Carolina | August 2015

B.A. with Distinction in Anthropology

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Tips For Building Your Honors And Awards Section

Depending on your professional profile, including a specific resume section dedicated to honors and awards could be just what you need to stand out in the application process.

• Most colleges and higher education institutions have academic honor societies for their brightest students. Make sure you include the names of these along with a brief description.
• Also include relevant professional awards and any involvement youve had in professional societies if it relates to the job youre applying for.
• Dont include high school honors on your resume. Unless youve just finished high school and are creating a high school student resume, theres no need to include them in your education section. It will seem like youre desperately trying to fill space.
• Provide information with each award. Give an explanation of what each achievement means and what it involved. The employer may not be familiar with the award or the organization, so briefly explain this by including scope, significance and purpose of the accomplishment.
• Focus on the elements which are directly relevant to the job at hand. Do not add unnecessary information if it is not pertinent to the vacancy or industry youre applying to.

Should I Include High School Achievements On My Resume

When deciding on listing high school accomplishments on your resume, a good rule to follow is the one discussed in our education blog. When you have enough work experience or graduated from college, no longer list high school or any type of awards associated with it.

For those still in high school or college or who have recently graduated and lack skills and experience include them. It shows a prospective hiring manager you garnered high school awards to back up skills.

Academic Achievement Examples

Certain industries place more of an emphasis on academic endeavors. Good examples include the legal profession and academia.Those seeking attorney positions may want to consider two subheaders for each degree to include honors and activities. This format is helpful for entry-level attorneys, those that recently graduated law school or students pursuing JDs with pending graduation dates.Consider the following examples:Yale Law School, JD, Dec. 2019Yale Law School, JD Candidate Jan. 20202Yale University, BA in Political Science, May 2016Now, take that a couple of steps further to include honors related to academic achievements.Under each school, list activities and honors beyond items related to GPA. See how using subheaders work under each degree:Yale Law School JD Dec. 2019ActivitiesYale Daily News, Editor in ChiefYale Women In Business

Honors and Awards Resume Examples

Resumesbot Advice:

Awards

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Accomplishments On A Resume

Accomplishments on a resume should usually be listed as a bullet point within the work experience section, or under your education/internship section.

For leadership posts or other accomplishments, detail not just what you did but the impact that your actions had.

For example:

University Student Advisory Council, 2016-2017. Introduced two fund-raising programs that increased student participation by 28% and overall donor activity by 132%. Also worked to establish the ABC Student Scholarship program, which helps disadvantaged students cover textbook expenses.

How To List Honors On Resume

When listing an achievement, think of how a list of college awards and honors or high school ones if needed provide the big picture for your academic summary.

You include:

• The school or accrediting body that granted it.
• Date received if applicable.
• If listing multiple ones, just like with licenses and certifications, list them in reverse chronological order.

As we discussed in our education blog, many colleges and universities use the Latin terms to denote with honor. To document you graduated with honors, follow your schools guideline.

The Latin distinctions are as follows:

• Summa cum laude the highest level students maintained a 4.0 GPA or higher.
• Magna cum laude the distinction for graduates with a GPA ranging from 3.8 to 3.9.
• Cum laude graduates who had a GPA of 3.5 to 3.7.

Pro Tip:

If you have multiple honors, prioritize based on the industry and/or job posting. You want them to stand out. If you list too many, the reader may not focus on the most relevant activities or honors.

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Understanding Summa Cum Laude

Summa cum laude is one of the three Latin honors traditionally given to select students upon receiving a bachelor’s degree, although it can in some cases be included with other types of degrees as well. Students who graduate with honors may wear colored stoles or other designations during commencement ceremonies, and the honor is read aloud along with the person’s name.

Criteria for Latin honors may include grade point average , class rank, number of hours completed, and honors designations from an academic department.

Every university or college outlines its own expectations for each program. Some higher education institutions do not bestow Latin-termed honors at all. Others, like Stanford University, have a separate set of non-Latin honorary titles that are typically seen as roughly equivalent to the traditional Latin titles.

What Are Latin Honors

Here are the three levels of distinction for academic degrees used by high schools, colleges and universities:

• Summa cum laude, meaning with the highest distinction
• Magna cum laude, meaning with great distinction
• Cum laude, meaning with distinction

If you graduated with honors, your resume should highlight this academic achievement. These details wont take up much space, and they will help demonstrate your commitment to excellence.

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Firstly Place Them In The Education Section

If you graduated with honors, you should include that detail in the education section of your resume. Do this even if your resume has a section for honors and awards. Your Latin honors should be listed under the relevant degree so that it is obvious when and where you earned them. This is especially important if you have multiple degrees listed in your education section. You dont want to mislead employers in any way. For instance, if you have completed both an undergraduate and graduate degree, it should be clear which degree the Latin honors are associated with.

Use The Proper Formatting For Listing Cum Laude

Once you determine where to list your cum laude distinction on your resume, you need to make sure you are using the proper formatting. You should try to keep your resume simple and easy to browse and read. When writing out any cum laude designation, you should use lower case letters and write in italics.

When listing cum laude in the education section of your resume, you can write it out on the same line as your degree or on a separate line. When listing cum laude in a separate section for awards and honors, simply write it out as its own line in a bullet list of three to five items.

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How To List Honors On Your Resume

Your resume should give hiring managers an overview of your education and experience. Including your educational honors can be a great way to demonstrate your high achievements. Make sure you appropriately include your academic honors on your resume for hiring managers to notice them.

In this article, we will tell you when to list honors on your resume, how to do it and provide an example.

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Read The Job Description

Carefully reading the job description for the position you are applying for can help you determine the specific information the employer is looking for in qualified candidates. Employers will sometimes specifically ask for candidates who achieved honors during their academic careers. This information can be found under the educational requirements for qualified candidates.

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Does Your Resume Get High Marks

Formatting your Latin honors in an appropriate way will ensure potential employers don’t overlook your admirable achievements. Could you use some help strengthening your resume? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at Monster’s Resume Writing Service. You’ll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review of your resume’s appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiter’s first impression. It’s a quick and easy way to be sure your skills and achievements are properly highlighted.

How To Format Education On Resume

Where you place your education depends on a few factors. Those include:

• If you still attend high school or college
• If recruiters consider you an entry-level applicant or an experienced one

To format this part, follow the below tips on how to write education on resume:

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Know Whether You Need To Include Your Gpa

Finally, you will need to determine whether or not you should include your GPA in addition to your cum laude distinction on your resume. It usually isn’t necessary to list both on your resume because the cum laude distinction indicates you graduated with a high GPA.

However, it may be necessary to include both on your resume if the employer requires candidates to list their specific GPA on their resume. You may also want to include both your GPA and your cum laude distinction on your resume if your school has unusually high requirements for earning the cum laude distinction and you want to make that point stand out. If this is the case, you can simply list your GPA in parenthesis next to your cum laude distinction.

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Where To Put Magna Cum Laude On A Resume

So youre excited that all your hard work in school has paid off and you want to put it on your resume. Where you put magna cum laude on your resume really depends on what you are trying to emphasize.

If you do have a separate awards and honors section, add your Latin honors there.

However, if you have separate degrees, a more organized approach would be the Harvard Law school method: making mini awards and honors section below each degree.

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