Many of you have been asking about GPAs, P/D/F, Dean's List, and how any of these things may affect honors you may receive upon graduation. Before explaining these, we would like to stress that your deans and faculty are proud of all of your achievements, and no single number or academic distinction or other statistic defines your worth or how much you have learned and grown in college.
The Barnard Grading & Academic Honors website explains all about honors:
College Honors
The Faculty awards honors to students who complete work for the degree with distinction (cum laude), with high distinction (magna cum laude), and with highest distinction (summa cum laude).
Honors are determined by a student’s final cumulative Barnard GPA, with the top 5 percent of the graduating class being awarded summa cum laude, the next 10 percent being awarded magna cum laude, and the remaining 20 percent awarded cum laude. Beginning with the February and May 2022 graduating classes, study at other institutions (transfer, summer school, study leave) will not be factored into a student’s Latin honors eligibility.
The minimum grade point averages that determine eligibility for each category of Latin Honors may change with each May’s graduating class. Those same criteria will be applied to the following February and October graduating classes. (For example, the criteria for each category of honors for the May 2022 class will also be applied to the October 2022 and February 2023 graduating classes.)
For students graduating during academic year 2020-21, the minimum averages receiving honors were as follows: 3.97 for summa cum laude, 3.88 for magna cum laude, and 3.76 for cum laude. These criteria were applied to the degree dates of October 2020, February 2021, May 2021, and June 2021. Due to the unique circumstances of the 2020-21 academic year and the addition of a summer semester, these averages will also be applied to October 2021 and February 2022 graduates. Beginning with the May 2022 graduating class, the criteria will be reset based on the applicable 5 percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent cutoffs.
Latin honors appear on both the transcript and the diploma.
Departmental honors are awarded for distinguished work in the major to no more than 20% of graduates, as nominated by their major departments, and conferred by the Committee on Honors. Departmental honors display on student transcripts but not diplomas.
The Barnard section of the Columbia University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1901. Election to the national honor society is a recognition of scholarship, and Barnard students of exceptionally high standing are eligible. Junior election will require a minimum of 86 completed points, and senior election, 102. Students do not apply for membership; they are elected by Barnard faculty members who are themselves members of Phi Beta Kappa.
The Faculty awards honors to students who complete work for the degree with distinction (cum laude), with high distinction (magna cum laude), and with highest distinction (summa cum laude).
Honors are determined by a student’s final cumulative Barnard GPA, with the top 5 percent of the graduating class being awarded summa cum laude, the next 10 percent being awarded magna cum laude, and the remaining 20 percent awarded cum laude. Beginning with the February and May 2022 graduating classes, study at other institutions (transfer, summer school, study leave) will not be factored into a student’s Latin honors eligibility.
The minimum grade point averages that determine eligibility for each category of Latin Honors may change with each May’s graduating class. Those same criteria will be applied to the following February and October graduating classes. (For example, the criteria for each category of honors for the May 2022 class will also be applied to the October 2022 and February 2023 graduating classes.)
For students graduating during academic year 2020-21, the minimum averages receiving honors were as follows: 3.97 for summa cum laude, 3.88 for magna cum laude, and 3.76 for cum laude. These criteria were applied to the degree dates of October 2020, February 2021, May 2021, and June 2021. Due to the unique circumstances of the 2020-21 academic year and the addition of a summer semester, these averages will also be applied to October 2021 and February 2022 graduates. Beginning with the May 2022 graduating class, the criteria will be reset based on the applicable 5 percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent cutoffs.
Latin honors appear on both the transcript and the diploma.
Departmental honors are awarded for distinguished work in the major to no more than 20% of graduates, as nominated by their major departments, and conferred by the Committee on Honors. Departmental honors display on student transcripts but not diplomas.
Phi Beta Kappa
The Barnard section of the Columbia University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1901. Election to the national honor society is a recognition of scholarship, and Barnard students of exceptionally high standing are eligible. Junior election will require a minimum of 86 completed points, and senior election, 102. Students do not apply for membership; they are elected by Barnard faculty members who are themselves members of Phi Beta Kappa.
