* University Prestige: Highly selective universities with rigorous academic standards will naturally have a lower percentage of cum laude graduates compared to less selective institutions. A cum laude at Harvard is far more difficult to achieve than at a smaller, less competitive school.
* Specific Major: Some majors are inherently more challenging than others. Engineering or pre-med programs, for example, typically have higher workloads and more demanding coursework, making a cum laude accomplishment harder to achieve within those fields. Conversely, a less demanding major might make it relatively easier.
* Grading System: Some universities use a more generous grading system than others. A university with a higher average GPA will likely have a higher percentage of students graduating with honors, making cum laude less difficult to achieve.
* Individual Student Effort: Ultimately, a student's work ethic, study habits, time management skills, and aptitude for their chosen field play the largest role in whether they graduate cum laude. Even at a highly competitive university, a dedicated and capable student can achieve this honor.
In short, there's no simple answer. While generally signifying above-average academic achievement, the exact level of difficulty is relative to the context of the specific university and the student's major and individual capabilities. Instead of focusing on the difficulty, a better approach is to aim for excellence in your studies and let the honors follow as a result of your hard work.