dean's list

American  

noun

1. a list of students of high scholastic standing, compiled by a college or university usually at the end of each semester or academic year.

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Etymology

Origin of dean's list

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Good made the dean’s list that year, according to a school post.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

For the season, Bernett, a dean’s list student from McDonald, Pennsylvania, majoring in biology, was batting .336 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2022

He enrolled at a community college, sending his mother his dean’s list certificates.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2022

The grandson of Greek Cypriot immigrants, Pavlou was an academic star — he’d made the dean’s list twice and won a poetry prize while pursuing a triple major in philosophy, history and English literature.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 21, 2020

When she made the dean’s list, he celebrated.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times