When and How to Add the Dean's List to Your Resume (2024)

As one of the highest awards bestowed upon college students, the dean’s list is undoubtedly a major achievement.

But, when you start looking for work, do you put the dean’s list on your resume?

There are times when this information can be useful and other times when it could possibly be seen as redundant, such as if you graduated with Greek or Latin honors. Other times, as painful as it may be to realize, it can seem irrelevant.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t cases where there are benefits to including the dean’s list in your resume.

So, when is the best time to include the dean’s list on a resume?

If you’ve been awarded this accolade, and are unsure about letting potential employers know by including it when you write your resume, read on. We’re going to outline just when and how to put the dean’s list on your resume.

Is the Dean’s List Impressive?

First, let’s consider whether dean’s list is considered an honor that even belongs on your resume.

According to The University Network, students named to the dean’s list are among the top 1-5% of their class. That is certainly an amazing accomplishment! Since dean’s list is one of the highest collegiate levels of academic achievement that a student can be recognized for, there is little doubt that this is an honor worth letting employers know about.

Why? From showing that you are driven to succeed to demonstrating your ability to set and reach lofty goals, there are a few reasons why you might include this award on your resume.

Another benefit is that having the award shows you are:

• Committed
• Adaptable
• Someone who can manage time
• Someone with a strong work ethic

All of these things are what hiring managers value in an applicant.

As John Woods – Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer of the University of Phoenix – states, being awarded dean’s list indicates a commitment and academic progress that can show employers one’s potential.

When Should You Put Dean’s List on Your Resume?

While you know the award is impressive, before starting your application, you need to ask yourself, “Should I put the dean’s list on my resume?”

Basically, the rule of thumb is that you should only add it to your resume if you were a consistent dean’s lister. So, if you’ve made the list over multiple semesters, feel free to add it to your resume.

But, if you only were named to the dean’s list once, leave it off.

It’s all about consistency. When you can show an employer that you made the dean’s list in every semester, it underscores the fact that you consistently set and reach goals, aim high, and achieve the highest levels of success.

A one-time dean’s list achievement just might show that you had one good semester but then stopped working as hard or lost focus. Not a good message to send a potential employer!

Also, if you have plenty of experience, it’s probably not necessary to add it.

Once you have a more extensive work history, that relevant experience will be the main focus of any hiring manager. Stating your dean’s list achievement will not be as strong in comparison and will not carry as much weight in making you the ideal candidate for the job you’re pursuing.

Adding the dean’s list to an entry-level resume

If you’re someone who just finished a degree, the answer to the question, “Can I put the dean’s list on my resume?” is a big fat yes.

It is a great idea to add dean’s list to an entry-level resume, or if you graduated within the last three years.

Luckily, certain online tools, like an AI resume builder, allow you to easily add the dean’s list to your awards section. However, there are still some things you should be aware of.

How Do You Add Dean’s List to Your Resume?

If you were one of those who did make the dean’s list consistently, you can add the award to your resume in several resume sections, your summary, the education section, or an awards section.

Take a look at the different ways you can add dean’s list throughout your resume.

How to include dean’s list in your resume summary

If you are an entry-level candidate, including the Dean’s List in your resume summary can highlight your academic excellence right at the start. This is especially effective if your strong academic record aligns with the job you’re applying for.

Take a look at how you can include a dean’s list award in your summary:

How to add the dean’s list to your education section

There are a couple of ways you can add this award. This will typically depend on whether you have graduated yet or not

First, you can add it to your education section, like this:

Always add your GPA and dean’s list honor on the same line if you’re including both.

If you’re adding a one-off honor on an entry-level resume, if you haven’t graduated yet, or if, as mentioned above, you attended a highly prestigious school, your entry might look like this:

Another way you could list it is like this:

Mentioning the dean’s list in an award section

You can add extra sections toward the bottom of your resume, one of which can be an awards section. Mentioning your dean’s list awards here if you are an entry-level candidate can give your resume a boost when applying for jobs, along with any certifications or publications.

Here is an example of how you can an award section with dean’s list honors:

Key Takeaways

To conclude, including the dean’s list on your resume is optional, and may depend on how much work experience you have or when you graduated.

Remember these top tips:

• Include it in your education section if you were awarded it every semester
• If you want to include being awarded dean’s list a few times but did not get it every semester, you can add it to a separate section.
• If you received the accolade from a top college, include the college name
• If you now have significant work experience, you can leave the List off your resume

Take a look at some of our resume examples to give you a clearer picture of how to write a resume so you can be sure all of your top achievements, experience, skills, and education are in the right place—from dean’s list to relevant professional skills.

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