Valedictorian?

[neuro2bjc]

---

Members do not see this ad.

This is a random question...if i have 4.0 as a biochem major (with 2 minors), and if someone else is a double major and has a 4.0, does that mean the other person is the valedictorian that graduating year?

 

[mmmcdowe]

I wasn't aware that colleges had valedictorians, just "high honors." I think its called magna cum ladum or something like that....

 

[Just Joshin]

I wasn't aware that colleges had valedictorians, just "high honors." I think its called magna cum ladum or something like that....

Some colleges also have valedictorians. I don't know how it's decided though if two students have 4.0's.

 

[xrevision]

I would probably give it to the double major, but my school doesn't have that honor. We just have magna cum laude.

 

[FlowLimited]

At least at my undergrad, the choosing of the valedictorian was based on way more than just GPA. Grades are a big part, but it often takes into consideration campus and community involvement, leadership experience, etc.

Also, just for everyone's info, the latin honors are separate and are given based on GPA. From lowest to highest, they're: cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude.

 

[Raryn]

At my school we don't have valedictorians, but we do have dean's medalists (one for each major "college" like Business, Science, Social Science, etc), and one president's medalists (selected from the dean's medalists).

It definitely doesn't depend on GPA or how many majors the person had. Each department (Chem, Bio, Physics, etc. for the College of Science and Mathematics), nominates a person based on not only their grades, but how active they were with various things (including community service... and of course, for the sciences, research credentials are a big plus). Eventually, the dean picks among the departmental nominations, and the president picks among the various dean's medalists. Definitely not just GPA based... at least at my school.

 

[Mei]

it really varies per school. we don't have that distinction in my school. basically, some committee meets during the spring and discusses the gpa cut-offs for summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude latin honors. for example, the year i graduated, anyone with a 3.95+ is summa cum laude, 3.75 - 3.94 is magna and 3.56-3.74 is cum laude.

 

[zpiff]

some colleges also have valedictorians. I don't know how it's decided though if two students have 4.0's.

mcat 😉

 

[w0344990]

Do you mind posting the school, OP? It should say what happens in your school's general catalog.

 

[beachblonde]

whoa, colleges have valedictorians?

news to me! I thought that was reserved for high schools only...hmm, the things you learn on this board.

but OP, it should say in your school's catalogue, in the front part with all of the crap you normally skip over and never read. 😉

 

[scrubsaresexy]

More importantly, do colleges give out some kind of red lantern award? 😛

 

[LossForWords]

whoa, colleges have valedictorians?

news to me! I thought that was reserved for high schools only...hmm, the things you learn on this board.

but OP, it should say in your school's catalogue, in the front part with all of the crap you normally skip over and never read. 😉

SOME colleges still have valedictorians. I think many of the large universities abandoned it since so many people would get the same GPA.

My school had just over 1,100 students, so they've held onto it. I don't think I ever heard of there being two students with the same top GPA there.