Your resume must stand out in a pile of 250+ applications. Putting Dean's List on a resume might boost your chances. Learn how to make it work for you.
Making the Dean's List is quite a feat. No doubt about it.
The question is—
Do you put Dean's List on a resume?
Find out if it will actually impress the recruiter, or distract them.
This guide will show you:
When to put Dean's List on a resume.
When it’s better not to list Dean's List on a resume.
How to include Dean's List on a resume to make it work for you.
Examples of how to write Dean's List on a resume.
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Pro Tip: If you decide to put both Dean's List and your GPA score on a resume, list them in the same line. Most of the time though you’d want to put either of them—a high GPA is usually enough.
3
Don’t Include Dean's List on a Resume if You Only Made it One Semester
If you made the Dean's List only once, it’s best to drop it entirely from your resume.
Why?
Well, all it shows is that you were either lucky just once or stopped applying yourself.
Plus—
It may attract all sorts of uncomfortable questions from the recruiters.
And the last thing you want in an interview is getting uncomfortable questions from the recruiters.
Pro Tip: If you graduated with Latin or Greek honors, putting Dean's List doesn’t add any more value to your resume and only clutters the document.
Need more evidence against putting Dean's List on a resume if you made it only once?
In short, it turns out that if you present your weak skills or achievements next to your strongest ones, the former will not add any value to the latter in your reader’s eyes.
More than that, the value of your most impressive achievements will dilute if they’re displayed next to the mediocre ones.
To conclude, the presenter’s paradox study confirms that sometimes less is more.
4
When to Put Dean's List in a Separate Resume Section
Say you made the Dean's List 2 or 3 semesters, and you feel like not including this on your resume would be a bummer.
Here’s what to do:
Create a separate section labeled Awards and Accomplishments and put Dean's List there among your other awards, like so:
How to Mention Dean's List on a Resume in the Awards Section:
Awards and Accomplishments
Student of the Year Award 2018
1st Prize in a Student Essay Contest
FuturizeX Student Challenge Runner-up
Dean's List, 3 semesters
Even if you haven’t been able to make the Dean's List consistently, you can always justify this with your involvement in the activities that let you win the other awards.
Simple as that.
Pro Tip: Make sure Dean's List isn't the only award you put in the awards section. If you have no other awards to brag about, just drop the section entirely.
Key Takeaways
Here's how to list Dean's List on a resume:
Including Dean's List on a resume is optional.
By all means, put Dean's List on a resume if you made it all semesters.
If you made Dean's List only once, leave it out.
If you made Dean's List several semesters, consider including it in a separate section on your resume.
Do you have any other questions about how you should put Dean's List on a resume? Give us a shout out in the comments below! Always happy to help.
Maciej is a career expert with a solid background in the education management industry. He's worked with people at all stages of their career paths: from interns to directors to C-suite members, he now helps you find your dream job.
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