What is the Dean's List?

At the University of Chicago, approximately 20% of students make the Dean’s List every year. At other schools, such as the University of Texas, the percentage may be as low as 10%. But what does the Dean’s List mean?

What is the Dean’s List?

The Dean’s List is an academic honor awarded to high-achieving students at any particular college or university. Specifications for making the Dean’s List vary from school to school, but typically, students whose GPA rests within the top 10% to 30% of their class qualify. Many institutions publish their Dean’s Lists online each academic year.

How to make the Dean’s List

The criteria of the Dean’s List differs based on what school you attend, but most institutions choose which students make the cut based on their GPA and credit hours. Full-time students with exceptional GPAs have the highest chance of making the Dean’s List. Check with your college to ensure you meet the threshold for the Dean’s List.

Should you try to be on the Dean’s List?

Striving for academic excellence is always a good idea. Because of the academic perseverance required of recipients, making the Dean’s List is one way to show potential employers and scholarship providers that you are qualified for the opportunities they offer; if you want to stand out on scholarship and job applications, making the Dean’s List is a fantastic way to start.

Frequently asked questions about the Dean’s List

Is the Dean’s List impressive?

It takes hard work and passion to maintain a high GPA, so having a GPA strong enough to make the Dean’s List is an impressive accomplishment. Scholarship providers and employers are likely to be impressed with students who make the Dean’s List.

When is the Dean’s List posted?

The exact date of the Dean’s List’s publication varies between schools, but most publish their Dean’s Lists at the end of the academic year once all semester grades have been finalized. Some schools publish two Dean’s Lists per academic year. Check with your institution if you are unsure about the publication date.

Can graduate students make the Dean’s List?

At most institutions, the Dean’s List is exclusive to undergraduate students. If you are a graduate student wondering about your eligibility for the Dean’s List, reach out to your institution directly for more specific details.

Is the Dean’s List an award?

The Dean’s List is an academic honor and title. Typically, it does not entail any material or monetary prize other than the publication of recipients’ names, but the publicity itself is a valuable marker of your qualifications when it comes to scholarship, graduate school, and job applications.

What if you don’t make the Dean’s List?

Making the Dean’s List is not a requirement to succeed in your undergraduate studies; you will not be penalized if you don’t make the list. You can win scholarships, get into graduate school, and find success after college without being on the Dean’s List so long as you make an effort and try your hardest as a student.