summa cum laude

     

Latin honors are Latin phrases use to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. Some universities in the United States use the English translation of these phrases rather than the Latin originals. It is similar to the British undergraduate degree classification.

Trivia about summa cum laude

  • Of magna cum laude, summa cum laude, or cum laude, it's the one that's the highest honor
  • From the Latin for "with highest praise", it's the best way to graduate
  • In diploma-speak, it's the highest of 3 special honors for grades above average