Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude are two of the most prestigious degrees in the world. Summa Cum Laude is the highest degree given by any university in any country, while Magna Cum Laude is a Latin phrase meaning “with great glory”.
Contents
Magna Cum Laude Vs. Summa Cum Laude GPAWhat is Cum Laude?Magna Cum Laude vs Summa Cum LaudeWhat is Magna Cum Laude GPA?How to get Magna Cum Laude GPA?What Does Summa Cum Laude Mean?How to get Summa Cum Laude GPA?It depends on your school’s requirements but these are the basic criteria that you need to follow to get these honors.Conclusion
Magna Cum Laude GPA is a GPA that has been calculated using only grades from courses taken at institutions that award Magna Cum Laude degrees.
Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude are two different GPA levels. Magna Cum Laude is the highest level of GPA that a student can achieve.
- Magna Cum Laude GPA: 5.0
- Summa Cum Laude GPA: 4.0

Magna Cum Laude Vs. Summa Cum Laude GPA
Cum laude is a Latin phrase that means “with praise.” It is used to honor students who earn a GPA of 3.75 or above, but it does not meet the school’s criteria for magna cum laude. If you earn at least a 4.0 GPA in undergraduate studies and graduate with honors, you are considered summa cum laude.
More Read
20 Legit Ways to Make Money on Reddit in 2023
Time Shooter 2 Tyrone’s Unblocked Games
Thumb Fighter Tyrone’s Unblocked Games
What is Cum Laude?
Magna cum laude is a distinction given to students who have completed their undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.90 or higher. This honor is not the highest grade point average that can be earned for an undergraduate degree, but it does mean that you are one of the top scholars in your class.
Magna cum laude literally means “with great praise” in Latin and was used on graduation certificates during ancient Roman times to signify excellence in academic achievement.
Magna cum laude differs from summa cum laude because it indicates only that you were among the best of your peers, rather than being at the very top (like summa).
The exact definition of what constitutes magna cum laude varies by school; some colleges require a 3.9 GPA while others require only 3.8 or 3.7.*
Magna Cum Laude vs Summa Cum Laude
Magna cum laude vs summa cum laude is the difference between two Latin phrases, both which mean “with great honor.” Magna literally means “great,” and cum laude is another way of saying “with praise.” Summa literally means “highest,” and summa cum laude means that you have earned the highest degree of honors in your class.
The distinction between magna cum laude and summa cum laude GPA is determined by whether or not your GPA falls within a certain range around 4.0 (cumulative). If it’s above 3.5 but below 3.7 (cumulative), then you’ll get a magna; below that GPA range earns you nothing but shame and failure in life!
What is Magna Cum Laude GPA?
Magna cum laude is a Latin phrase meaning “with great honor.” It’s used to describe academic achievement at the undergraduate level.
The first use of magna cum laude in academia was by Harvard University in 1895, and it refers to students who have attained at least a 3.8 GPA out of 4.0 (the equivalent of an A). Magna cum laude honors are given to students who achieve this level while also completing their undergraduate degrees in three years or less; summa cum laude honors are awarded only to those with four-year GPAs above 3.9 or four-year GPAs exceeding 3.85 with no time limit on completion.[1]
It’s important to note that each individual institution sets its own requirements for receiving these honors—some may require an additional year or two of study beyond the traditional bachelor’s degree program before being eligible for them;
some may not allow students taking graduate courses during their last year of study (or even require them) because they want all students graduating from that particular institution within four years.[2]
How to get Magna Cum Laude GPA?
Therefore, if you want to achieve the honor of magna cum laude, your GPA must be 3.8 or above. To get a summa cum laude award, you need to have a GPA of 3.9 or above. If it is lower than these numbers and you want to get either degree with honors, then there are still some ways that might help make it possible:
- Take tougher classes in school
- Get involved in extracurricular activities and clubs
- Stay focused on your studies and do not procrastinate on homework assignments
What Does Summa Cum Laude Mean?
Summa cum laude is the Latin translation for “with highest praise.” The term sums up the meaning of this honor: It’s the highest academic rank you can achieve in your class, and it means that you have a GPA higher than 3.90 (A+).
The first thing to know about summa cum laude vs. magna cum laude is that they both refer to the same thing—it just depends on what kind of degree you’re hoping to earn. If you’re going into law school or medical school,
then you’ll most likely be aiming for summa cum laude; however, if your goal is simply a master’s degree or PhD (as opposed to an undergraduate bachelor’s), then magna cum laude might be more appropriate for your needs.
How to get Summa Cum Laude GPA?
To get a Summa Cum Laude GPA, you need to get a 3.9 or above on your transcript. This is the highest grade possible in college and it’s reserved for students with exceptional academic records who excel in all their classes, graduate early, and demonstrate leadership skills through community service activities.
You can ask your professor about getting an A+ in their class if you know for sure that you will be doing so well on tests and assignments throughout the semester. However, this is not always possible since some professors don’t allow extra credit opportunities or don’t give out A+s unless they feel like a student deserves them based on their performance throughout the quarter (Semester).
If you don’t think that your school allows A+s then check out our guide later on how to get Summa Cum Laude GPA without getting A+s first because it might surprise what other ways there are out there which could help raise an average GPA into something much higher than any college would expect from its students without having perfect test scores every single time!
It depends on your school’s requirements but these are the basic criteria that you need to follow to get these honors.
It depends on your school’s requirements but these are the basic criteria that you need to follow to get these honors.
- The minimum GPA for magna cum laude is 3.75
- The minimum GPA for summa cum laude is 4.00
These requirements vary from school to school, so always check with your admissions office or registrar’s office for more information as well as what the average GPAs are among students who receive this award at your institution.
Also keep in mind that GPA requirements vary from college to college and even from major to major within a university; some schools have very high standards while others are more relaxed about awarding summa or magna cum laudes based on academic performance alone (with no additional factors).
Conclusion
The GPA is an important indicator of how well you have performed in school. The good news is that there are many ways to boost your GPA and get into a good college or university.
FAQs
Magna Cum Laude Vs. Summa Cum Laude GPA | All Global Updates? ›
Magna cum laude: “With great distinction,” typically 3.7–3.8 GPA or top 6-15% of class. Summa cum laude: “With highest honor,” typically 3.9–4.0 GPA or top 1-5% of class.
What is a 3.9 GPA Magna Summa laude? ›magna cum laude: at least a 3.4 total GPA (grade point average) and a class rank in the 85th percentile or above in the student's school or college. summa cum laude: at least a 3.7 total GPA (grade point average) and a class rank in the 95th percentile or above in the student's school or college.
What are the 3 Latin honors? ›You may be familiar with the terms summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude. Collectively known as Latin honors, these three terms signify varying levels of high academic achievement. Latin honors are conferred at many colleges and universities in the United States and other parts of the world.
Which laude is highest? ›cum laude, "With Honors", cumulative GPA of 3.5 and above; magna cum laude, "With High Honors", cumulative GPA of 3.65 and above; summa cum laude, "With Highest Honors," cumulative GPA of 3.85 and above.
Can I get into Harvard with a 3.91 GPA? ›To get to Harvard your GPA has to be at least a 4.0 and even then if you get in your lucky but they require at least a 4.18 GPA only .
Is a 3.9 GPA honor roll? ›The three honors and their average required GPAs on a 4.0 scale include: Summa cum laude: 3.9-4.0 GPA. Magna cum laude: 3.7-3.8 GPA. Cum laude: 3.5-3.6 GPA.
What is a 4.0 Latin honors? ›Cum laude grade point average estimates: gpa for cum laude - 3.5 to 3.7; gpa for magna cum laude - 3.8 to 3.9; gpa for summa cum laude - 4.0+. Magna cum laude gpa and summa cum laude gpa can tie, broken by additional factors.
What is a 3.75 GPA Latin honors? ›cum laude: 3.50 GPA or higher. magna cum laude: 3.66 GPA or higher. summa cum laude: 3.75 GPA or higher.
Is Latin honors a big deal? ›While the criteria for awarding them can vary from institution to institution, each of these so-called Latin honors signifies a high level of educational achievement.
Do masters degrees have honors? ›The traditional undergraduate "honors" awards (cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude) are not available for graduate students. However, to recognize exceptional performance on specific examinations, “Passed with Distinction” may be awarded and the notation included on graduate student transcripts.
Does graduating with honors matter? ›
Students should know that graduating with honors does matter. An honors distinction is an easy way to judge the success you had in school. While earning honors isn't the most important thing, students in school should work to achieve a high GPA, and therefore, high honors.
What is the hierarchy of laude? ›cum laude (GPA of 3.5–3.69); magna cum laude (GPA of 3.7–3.89); or. summa cum laude (GPA of 3.9–4.0).
What was the lowest GPA accepted to Yale? ›In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Yale. That means nearly straight As in every class.
What's the lowest GPA Harvard has accepted? ›You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application.
What is the average GPA in America? ›The average high school GPA in the US is 3.0, which also accounts for roughly 35% of students who don't end up applying for college. However, for college applicants, the average GPA is more likely between 3.5 and 4.0.
How common is a 3.9 GPA? ›3.9 GPA is equivalent to 94% or A letter grade. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 3.9 is far above average. A 3.9 is so high that it can be hard to raise it any higher!
How rare is a 4.0 GPA in college? ›In short, the rarity of a 4.0 GPA in college is typically quite rare all across the board. However, depending on class differences and background details, the weight of the GPA and its rarity in the admissions pool can vary.
How many college students graduate with a 4.0 GPA? ›Many schools require at least a 4.0 GPA to be given this title, and roughly the top one to five percent of your class will achieve it. If your goal is to earn the summa cum laude distinction, you better plan on earning all A's and pulling out a 4.0.
What is a 3.9 GPA for honors? ›Graduating With Honors Requirements: Graduation with honors cum laude requirements vary. Cum laude grade point average estimates: gpa for cum laude - 3.5 to 3.7; gpa for magna cum laude - 3.8 to 3.9; gpa for summa cum laude - 4.0+. Magna cum laude gpa and summa cum laude gpa can tie, broken by additional factors.
What is a 3.91 GPA equivalent to? ›GPA | Percent |
---|---|
3.9 | 98-97 |
3.8 | 96-95 |
3.7 | 94-93 |
3.6 | 92-91 |
Will a 3.9 GPA get you into Harvard? ›
The average high school GPA for admitted students at Harvard University is 4.18 on a 4.0 scale. (You can calculate your high school a GPA here.) This is a very competitive GPA, and Harvard University is clearly accepting students at the top of their high school class.
What is a 4.0 GPA Summa or Magna? ›Recipients of honors on academic catalogs for 2022-2023 or later receive their degrees with one of the following levels of distinction: cum laude (GPA of 3.5–3.69); magna cum laude (GPA of 3.7–3.89); or. summa cum laude (GPA of 3.9–4.0).
Is a 3.9 GPA good enough for Ivy League? ›However, for college applicants, the average GPA is more likely between 3.5 and 4.0. If you're aiming for a top university such as one in the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, or others of the same caliber, a 4.0 GPA — or close to it — is expected.
How impressive is a 3.9 GPA? ›A 3.9 GPA stands for a Grade Point Average of 3.9 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A average in your courses. A 3.9 GPA is considered a very good GPA and is an indicator of strong academic performance.
Does a 3.99 GPA round up? ›Here are some general rules when it comes to GPA conversion: You can round your GPA to the nearest tenth. It's acceptable; for example, 3.48 can also be considered as 3.5. But rounding to the whole number is a no-go.
What GPA scale does Harvard use? ›A | = | 4.00 (Excellent) |
---|---|---|
A- | = | 3.70 |
B+ | = | 3.30 (Good) |
B | = | 3.00 |
B- | = | 2.70 (Satisfactory) |
GPA Requirements
Yale University does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.8 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.9.
5.0 GPA Scale– A 5.0 GPA scale ranges from 0 to 5.0 and is called a weighted scale. This GPA scale is preferable for evaluating your academic performance. Their rating scale is different from what we're used to, ranging from 0 to 5.
Is honors 5.0 GPA? ›GPA Weight
At many high schools, honors and AP classes both offer more heavily weighted training compared to regular classes. While honors courses usually add 0.5 points to your GPA, AP classes often add 1 point. In other words, a 3.5 GPA would be boosted to a 4.0 in an honors class and a 4.5 in an AP class.
Students who earn a GPA of 3.5 - 3.74 qualify for Honor Roll and students who earn a GPA of 3.75 – 4.00 qualify for Principal's Honor Roll. Students who earn a GPA of 4.0 are on the Principal's Honor Roll with Distinction.