excels academically

USAGE SUMMARY

"excels academically" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when discussing someone's academic achievements, such as in the sentence, "She excels academically, and always gets the highest grades in the class."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

1846 Enters Rugby school, where he excels academically but is very unhappy.

The Guardian - Books

Her sister, Anju, excels academically and wins a scholarship to an elite private school in Manhattan — but only, on a desperate impulse, by claiming Linno's artwork as her own.

The New York Times - Books

The prize is awarded each spring to an MIT Literature major who excels academically and is an engaging participant in the literary community at MIT. Pratyusha Kalluri (L) and Aneesh Anand (R) are the recipients of the 2016 Isabelle de Courtivron Prizes from MIT's Center for Bilingual/Bicultural Studies, a program of Global Studies and Languages.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The school not only excels academically, boasting 42 Goldwater Scholarships and 17 Rhodes Scholarships, but athletically as well: The Spartans compete in NCAA Division I in the Big Ten Conference in all sports.

Forbes

For his own safety, his parents send him to the Xavier Institute where he quickly excels academically.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

While it provided an excellent opportunity to excel academically, it felt small.

Cornell University

Founded in 2007, Baltimore SquashWise combines squash instruction, academic tutoring and community service to empower underserved youth to excel academically, athletically and in life.

Johns Hopkins University

Nonetheless, Milton excelled academically.

Encyclopedia Britannica

So we excelled academically.

Cornell University

I also want to excel academically.

Princeton University

Using school as an escape, she excelled academically.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "excels academically" when you want to emphasize someone's superior performance in their studies. It suggests a consistent pattern of high achievement.

Common error

Avoid using "excels academically" when referring to non-academic areas. The adverb "academically" specifies that the excellence is within the realm of education.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excels academically" functions as a descriptor, highlighting a person's or institution's superior performance in academic pursuits. It combines a verb of achievement with an adverb specifying the context. Ludwig confirms its correct and usable nature.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "excels academically" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig, used to describe superior performance in academic settings. It is most commonly found in academic and news contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the context is indeed related to education or scholarly pursuits, and bear in mind that alternative phrasings, such as "demonstrates academic excellence", might provide a more formal tone. "Excels academically" strikes a balance between formality and accessibility, making it a versatile choice in diverse writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excels in academics

Replaces the adverb "academically" with the noun "academics" and the preposition "in".

demonstrates academic excellence

Uses a more formal tone, replacing "excels" with "demonstrates" and "academically" with "academic excellence".

is academically gifted

Focuses on innate talent rather than demonstrated performance.

performs exceptionally in school

Emphasizes performance within a school setting.

achieves high academic marks

Highlights the attainment of high grades or scores.

shines academically

Employs a more metaphorical and vivid expression.

is a top student

Simplifies the concept to a general descriptor of academic standing.

excels in scholastic endeavors

Uses more formal and sophisticated vocabulary.

shows great aptitude for learning

Highlights the capacity and potential for academic success.

prospering academically

Emphasizes the progressive and flourishing nature of academic performance.

FAQs

How can I use "excels academically" in a sentence?

You can say, "She "excels academically" and is always at the top of her class" to indicate her strong performance in school.

What's a synonym for "excels academically"?

Alternatives include phrases like "demonstrates academic excellence" or "is academically gifted", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "excels academically" in formal writing?

Yes, "excels academically" is suitable for formal writing, particularly when discussing educational achievements in reports, biographies, or academic papers.

What is the difference between "excels academically" and "excels in academics"?

"Excels academically" uses an adverb to modify the verb, while "excels in academics" uses a prepositional phrase. Both are correct, but the first emphasizes the manner of excelling, while the second focuses on the field of academics.