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.

---

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

She was studying international relations, she had made the dean’s list, and in recent weeks she had written a series of upbeat social media posts.

From Washington Post • Mar. 11, 2022

The program’s staff encouraged her to push through, and she later ended up on the dean’s list.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 12, 2021

She was on the dean’s list at Rochester Community and Technical College.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2021

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

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times