Hey guys, I know that in high school, there's a valedictorian and salutatorian. Is there a similar concept in college, like can someone be recognized as a valedictorian for having the highest GPA?
While the title of "valedictorian" is most commonly used in high school, some colleges and universities do have a similar concept for recognizing academic achievement. This recognition may differ from one institution to another, but typically, a higher education institution might honor the top graduates with the titles of summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, depending on their cumulative GPA at the time of graduation. These distinctions are Latin honors used to indicate the level of academic excellence achieved by a student.
Summa cum laude ("with highest honor") is generally awarded to the top few percent of graduates, magna cum laude ("with great honor") to the next tier, and cum laude ("with honor") to the tier below that. These titles serve a similar purpose as valedictorian and salutatorian distinctions in high school, but in most cases, these Latin honors focus more on celebrating the achievement of a larger group of students rather than singling out one or two individuals.
That being said, a few colleges might still choose to acknowledge a valedictorian or a top student for a specific program/major, while others may have unique traditions for honoring academic achievement. It's essential to check your college or university's policies for an accurate understanding of their graduation honors system.
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