Honor roll
An honor roll is a list of students whose grades meet a school's bar for a term, usually a B average or better. Many schools add tiers. Typical cutoffs are 3.0 to 3.49 for honor roll, 3.5 to 3.89 for high honor roll and 3.9 or higher for the principal's list, but each school sets its own.
In more detail
A school publishes an honor roll each marking period, which is a quarter, trimester or semester. The term is mostly American, with versions in Canada and at international schools, and it runs from elementary school to high school. Colleges use the dean's list for the same idea. Some schools post the list, others send a certificate or a letter home.
Rules vary by school and district, so read the table as typical, not official. There are two common models. An average rule asks your GPA for the term to reach a cutoff. A no-grade-below rule asks for every course at B or higher. Many schools combine both, and some also require passing conduct marks or a full course load. Most count only that term's grades, not your cumulative GPA, so you can make the list one term and miss it the next.
It is worth recognition, sometimes a certificate or small perks, and a line you can list among honors on a college application. It is not the same as honors classes, which are a harder course level, the National Honor Society, a selective club with service and leadership criteria, or graduating with honors, a diploma-level distinction. Colleges read your transcript, so the honor roll adds little beyond the grades behind it. Your school handbook holds the exact rule, and that is the only definition that counts for you.
Typical honor roll levels
| Level | Typical GPA (4.0 scale) | Typical rule |
|---|---|---|
| Honor roll | 3.0 to 3.49, a B average | Term average of B or better, often no grade below C |
| High honor roll (high honors) | 3.5 to 3.89, about an A- average | Often no grade below B |
| Principal's list (highest honors) | 3.9 to 4.0 | All A's or very close to it |
Example
Sam's term grades are A in English, A- in history, B+ in biology and B in math. On the 4.0 scale that is 4.0, 3.7, 3.3 and 3.0, an average of 3.5, and no grade is below B. At a school with typical cutoffs, Sam makes the high honor roll. If the math grade slips to C+, which is 2.3, the average falls to 3.33. That still clears the honor roll, but under a no-grade-below-B rule Sam would miss the list altogether.
How StudyPDF does this
StudyPDF does not track grades or publish honor rolls. What it can do is support the work behind the grades. Put the exam date in a course's Plan tab to get dated study sessions, check yourself with quizzes and practice exams, and see your weakest concepts first so your hours go where the points are.
See also
Common questions
What GPA do you need for the honor roll?
Usually 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, which is a B average. Many schools set the bar at 3.25 or 3.5, and some also require no grade below C or B. Your school handbook has the exact number.
Is the honor roll the same as the dean's list?
It is the same idea at a different level. The honor roll is a school list for elementary through high school, and the dean's list is the college version, often at a 3.5 GPA or higher.
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