Formatting Academic Honors: Is a 3.3 GPA Good on a CV?

Two of the most common academic CV questions are "is a 3.3 gpa good enough to include on a resume?" and the grammar question: "is summa cum laude capitalized?" This guide answers both definitively, and also clarifies the often-confused summa cumlaude vs magna cumlaude distinction so your academic credentials are presented with precision.

Is a 3.3 GPA Good Enough to Put on a Resume?

The short answer: is a 3.3 gpa good? Yes — but whether to include it depends on context. Here are the guidelines most career professionals follow:

Include Your GPA If:

• It is 3.5 or above — This is the standard threshold at which a GPA becomes a genuine credential rather than neutral information
• It is 3.0–3.49 (including 3.3) — Include it if you are a recent graduate applying for entry-level roles, or if the job posting specifically mentions GPA requirements
• You are applying to graduate school, law school, or medical school — GPA is always relevant in academic applications
• Your GPA in your major is higher than your overall GPA — You can list both: "Major GPA: 3.7 / Overall GPA: 3.3"

Omit Your GPA If:

• It is below 3.0 — Including it draws attention to a potential weakness
• You have more than 3–5 years of professional experience — Work history becomes more relevant than academic grades
• The industry you are entering does not traditionally weight GPA — Many creative, trades, and entrepreneurial fields care little about academic scores

So, is a 3.3 gpa good? It is a solid, respectable GPA that demonstrates consistent academic performance. For recent graduates targeting competitive industries like consulting, finance, or law, where firms often set minimum GPA thresholds, 3.3 may fall below some firms' screening criteria (typically 3.5+). In these cases, you may still wish to include it while ensuring other parts of your CV — internships, extracurriculars, leadership — are exceptionally strong.

Is Summa Cum Laude Capitalized?

This is a surprisingly common grammar question. Is summa cum laude capitalized? The answer depends on how you use it in a sentence.

Latin honours phrases are typically treated as proper nouns when they follow your degree title, and some institutions capitalise them as a matter of house style. However, in general formal writing (including most CV conventions), they are written in lowercase because they are descriptive phrases, not titles:

• Correct: "Bachelor of Arts in Economics, summa cum laude"
• Also acceptable (and common on CVs): "B.A. Economics — Summa Cum Laude"
• Incorrect: "B.A. Economics — SUMMA CUM LAUDE" (all caps, unless your degree certificate itself uses this)

The safest approach on a CV is to match exactly how your institution prints the award on your diploma or transcript. If your diploma reads "Summa Cum Laude" with capital letters, mirror that on your resume. If it reads "summa cum laude", use that. Consistency with your official documentation is always the right choice.

Summa Cumlaude vs Magna Cumlaude: What Is the Difference?

Understanding summa cumlaude vs magna cumlaude (correctly spelled as two words: summa cum laude and magna cum laude) is important for presenting your credentials accurately. These are Latin honours awarded at graduation, and each represents a different tier of academic achievement:

Summa Cum Laude ("With Highest Honour")

This is the highest academic distinction. Typically awarded to students in the top 1–5% of their graduating class, or with a GPA of 3.9+ (thresholds vary by institution). On a CV, this is an exceptionally strong credential that can and should be prominently featured in the education section.

Magna Cum Laude ("With Great Honour")

The second tier of Latin honours, typically awarded to students in the top 5–10% of their class, or with a GPA of approximately 3.7–3.89. This is also a significant credential worth featuring prominently.

Cum Laude ("With Honour")

The base level of Latin honours, typically awarded to students in the top 10–15% of their class or with a GPA of approximately 3.5–3.69. Still a meaningful distinction that should be included on your CV, particularly in the first several years of your career.

Summa Cumlaude vs Magna Cumlaude: On Your CV

When presenting the summa cumlaude vs magna cumlaude distinction on your CV, list the honour directly after your degree title in the education section. For example:

B.Sc. Computer Science, Summa Cum Laude
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Graduated May 2024 | GPA: 3.94

How to Format Academic Honours on Your CV

Beyond GPA and Latin honours, your education section can include: Dean's List appearances (specify years), national merit scholarships, departmental awards, research fellowships, and thesis distinctions. Each should be listed clearly and concisely — one line per honour is typically sufficient.

Use our Classic template to present academic credentials in a clean, formal layout that gives your education section the gravitas it deserves.