THE CUM LAUDE SOCIETY

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The Cum Laude Society is a national honor society which has chapters in many outstanding public and private secondary schools in the United States. Founded in 1906, the Cum Laude Society has always had as its primary goal the fostering of academic excellence. In 1959, at the request of the faculty, the Society granted a charter establishing the Lincoln-Sudbury Chapter. The local Chapter is governed by its faculty members who implement the standards set by the Society.

All students may become members of the Society. As the criteria for membership are based on a student's record throughout four years of high school, students do not become eligible until their Senior year.

In September, February, and April the Secretary of the Chapter reviews the transcripts of all Seniors in order to determine their academic eligibility. The way this is done is described on the back of this sheet. All candidates must also have a record of good character, honor, and integrity.

Seniors who satisfy these standards are nominated for membership by vote of the Chapter in October, February, and April. In February the Chapter may also choose to nominate other seniors recommended by the faculty. Only those seniors whose academic record is deemed by the Chapter to be very strong and who have, in the Chapter's judgment, demonstrated unusual intellectual achievement and commitment will be so nominated.

The formal election of members does not occur until early May. During the period between nomination and election nominees are expected to maintain the same standards they have upheld in the past. Failure to do so may result in a nominee not being elected in May.

Formal induction into the Society occurs at a banquet held in May. The name of each member is recorded in the Chapter's Honor Register, which is kept on display in the school. Membership in the Society is also recorded on the student's transcript and is noted in the graduation program. A student's nomination for membership is included in college application materials.

To be eligible for nomination and election students must be in the top fifth of the class, have a grade point average of at least 3.60, and have earned at least sixty credits in the five major academic departments, with a minimum of eight in each. No student with any grade of F, "fail", W/F, Z, or Inc. in any course, or who has lost any credit due to cutting will be considered. A student with any grade of NC will be asked to submit a written statement explaining the cause thereof. The Chapter will determine whether or not to consider such a student's nomination after consultation with the appropriate department.

The Chapter calculates averages as follows:

Only grades appearing on the Lincoln-Sudbury transcript are used. All courses are weighted equally, as students are assumed to choose courses which match their abilities.

Courses taken at other accredited schools and colleges whose primary purpose is academic, including those taken during the summer, will be reviewed and interpreted in the same way as those taken at Lincoln-Sudbury, unless reason to do otherwise is accepted by the Chapter.

Only grades in English, History, Mathematics, Science, and Foreign Language, along with those Computer courses with a significant programming component, are used.

No grade from any course using any form of grading system other than the normal complete A, B, C, D, F system can be used in calculating an average.

All grades used are semester grades, except that in April the third quarter grades of the Senior year are averaged in at half the value and rate of semester grades. Any courses bearing one credit per semester will be averaged in at half the value and rate of courses bearing two credits per semester.

The average is taken by assigning numerical equivalents to letter grades as follows: