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”.
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
summa cum laude
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.
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.
