Blog

Summa Cum Laude on Resume

How to Add Summa Cum Laude on Resume

Published on July 31st, 2024

blog-banner

You might have heard about Summa Cum Laude while searching for higher studies abroad. It is an academic level of certification and distinction used by educational institutions to convey a degree with higher honor.  

When you graduate Summa Cum Laude, this achievement testifies to the effort put in, dedication to studies, and how excellent one has been academically. Such an honor included on your resume will definitely make it stand out among other candidates and prove that you live to standards. Here is how to incorporate such prestige into your resume effectively.

Understanding More Summa Cum Laude

Before jumping to how to list Summa Cum Laude on your resume, it is essential to know more about it. It is a Latin phrase that means "with the highest honor." It is one of the highest distinctions you can acquire based on academic performance. Normally, it is accorded to students who have had nearly perfect GPAs and have excelled in their coursework. 

Where to Add Summa Cum Laude on Your Resume

There are a couple of strategic places you can list this honor on your resume:

Education Section: The most appropriate space to add Summa Cum Laude is education. It should be placed under your degree pursued. 

Objective: If you are building a resume prioritizing your skills, you are free to mention it in the objective or summary section of the resume. 

Honors: If you have kept a section for honors and achievements, Summa Cum Laude fits well here.

ai-resume-builder

Significances of Latin Certificates and Honors on Resume

Including Latin honors on your resume can be important in distinguishing yourself from other applicants, since it shows employers how committed you are to success and how important setting and achieving goals is to you. Listing your Latin honors can also show employers the work ethic that you carry, and it can also be indicative of the high standards of self-discipline that you carry. 

There are several other reasons why Latin honors should be listed on your resume, including:

Shows intelligence and determination on your part 

Demonstrates how much you learn and how well you are developing your potential Allows the employer to view samples of your work ethic and self-discipline Shows intelligence and determination

Highlighting your potential

Also, Latin honors on a resume show the employers your intelligence and determination to meet high standards. Thus, such qualities may be in high demand for the employee, and stating your Latin honors allows your employer to assess and evaluate your capability and fit for the post.

Allows Employers to see How Good you are at Learning

Your Latin honors can show the potential to learn and build upon your skills and intellectual development. Having skills to learn new knowledge and methods in problem-solving is another good employee characteristic, plus the initiative to improve your skills.

A View on Your Accomplishments to Employer

Your Latin honors can prove to employers your capability to succeed in taking challenges. Receiving high honors is one surefire way to show your drive to set goals for yourself and that you do take your success seriously. The inclusion of Latin honors in your resume will show the employers that you have the enthusiasm required to take on challenges in your career with the discipline required to finish what you start. 

Read more: Crafting a Killer Resume Headline for Value-Oriented Impact

Some Mistakes to Avoid While Listing Summa Cum Laude on Resume

Even though it's necessary to mention your accomplishments, be cautious not to overdo it. Prevent yourself from the below-mentioned mistakes.

Dont Mention It More Than Once

If you have listed Summa Cum Laude in the Education Section, there is no need to repeat it in other sections if highly irrelevant, for instance, in a Summary if you happen to be a recent graduate.

Don't pad the Truth

If your college or university bestowed upon you a lesser distinction than Summa Cum Laude, such as Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude, be honest about it. Integrity is important in your job search.

Be Consistent with Formatting

The font, size, and style used to display Summa Cum Laude should be consistent with the rest of your resume. It should pop because of what it says, not because of how it is formatted.

Read more: What is a STAR Method Resume and How to Create One?

Can We add Some Other Honor to our Resume Other Than Summa Cum Laude?

If you graduated with a different honor, such as Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude, you can also include that on your resume. These distinctions are highly respected, and showing them on your resume will help it. You would simply replace "Summa Cum Laude" with the appropriate honor.

Final Words

Your Summa Cum Laude designation is easy to feature on your resume as a great way to bring out your academic achievements. You will be able to make this honor work in the AI Resume Builder for enhancement of your resume and stand out to potential employers by strategically placing it, correctly formatting it, and avoiding common mistakes.


Authors

author

Tomsy Thomas

An aspiring writer with a desire of crafting lines with powerful words from what she learned and discovered from her surroundings.

Hire the best without stress

Ask us how
hq-logo

Never Miss The Updates

We cover all recruitment, talent analytics, L&D, DEI, pre-employment, candidate screening, and hiring tools. Join our force & subscribe now!

Like/ dislike something or want to co-author an article? Drop us a note!

Stay On Top Of Everything In HR