SINGLE HONOR CORDS
DOUBLE HONOR CORDS
TRIPLE HONOR CORDS
Cum Laude graduation cords are what is worn by someone who graduates with honors. In everyday use, Cum Laude means with honors, however its literal Latin (New Latin) translation is "with praise." Both the Grade Point Average (GPA) needed to graduate Cum Laude, and the color of honor cord earned by that GPA varies greatly by institution, with gold being the most common color to signify honors. Cum Laude typically refers to someone graduating from university or college, but can also apply to secondary or high school graduating seniors. Typical distinctions include summa cum laude and magna cum laude.
Graduation Cord colors and requirements for Cum Laude can vary greatly from school to school. The most common options for cum laude honor cords are gold and silver. The second most common option is to use graduation honor cords in the colors of the school, with blue and white & blue and gold being the most two popular options. At a few examples of local schools, students graduating Cum Laude would wear a White and Purple Double Cord (one white cord and one purple cord tied together), Red with Silver Braided Cord, and a Gold Honor Cord respectively.
Some examples of GPAs needed to graduate Cum Laude are 3.6 at Weber State University, 3.5 to 3.74 at The University of New Mexico, and at the University of Washington-Bothell Summa Cum Laude is the top 0.5%, Magna Cum Laude the next 3%, and Cum Laude is the next 6.5%. This means that for this school Cum Laude is the bottom 6.5% of the top 10%. These three schools have all graduates graduating with honors wear the same cord regardless of Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude. However, at some schools, such as George Mason University, different colors are worn at the different levels of achievement. At George Mason 3.5-3.69 is Cum Laude and wears a Double Green Graduation Cord. 3.7-3.89 is Magna Cum Laude and wears one green and one gold honor cord (as a double cord), and 3.9-4.0 is Summa Cum Laude and is signified by the wearing of a double gold cord.
If you or someone you are shopping for is graduating Cum Laude you will need to check with the school to make sure that you are purchasing the right color for that school. All of the examples used on this page can be purchased at Honors Graduation.
Not what you're looking for? Check out our Complete List of Graduation Cord Colors.