Listing Latin honors on a resume

Graduating from a university with Latin honors is an important achievement that should be noted on your professional resume. However, it's important to format them correctly to draw attention to your educational accomplishments.

Italicize Latin honors

As your honors are Latin words, they should always be italicized and written in lower case. For example, you might write summa cum laude on your resume.

List in a separate honors section

Harvard Law School recommends including two separate subsections for every degree you achieve: honors and activities. In the honors section, you should list your Latin honors or other notable achievements, such as making the Dean's List. However, the school advises to not include making the Dean's List if you also graduated with Latin or Greek honors, as the dean’s list honor may appear more redundant.

While you may be proud of your achievements, you should not list out too many. In total, your honors and activities sections should include somewhere between three to five entries. Otherwise, the truly notable achievements like your Latin honors may become lost.

To GPA or not to GPA?

If you have received Latin honors, most people believe there's no need to list your grade point average (GPA) on your resume, as your honors already reflect this. For example, if you have magna cum laude on your resume, it's clear you achieved an impressive GPA.

However, if a prospective employer specifically asks for your GPA to be included, especially in cases when you are applying for entry-level positions, make sure you do so. This should be shown in parenthesis beside your honors. For example: cum laude (GPA 3.7).

Some people also believe it's important to list both your GPA and Latin honors as the standard of achieving Latin honors can vary from school to school. If you believe your Latin honors may be misinterpreted, like if you're applying for jobs in a different state for example, then you may want to consider this route.

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.