Faculty at Harvard University have endorsed a new policy aimed at limiting the number of “A” grades awarded to undergraduates, addressing concerns over escalating grade inflation at the prestigious institution. The decision, reached after hundreds of faculty votes, restricts instructors to awarding A grades to no more than 20% of students in any given course, plus up to four additional students.
This policy is set to take effect beginning with the fall semester of 2027 and marks one of the earliest significant efforts by a leading American university to confront grade inflation. Faculty members argue that the surge in top grades has diluted academic rigor and complicated the identification of true academic excellence among students.
In a notable development, a report published in October by Harvard’s Dean of Undergraduate Education, Amanda Claybaugh, highlighted the detrimental impact of grade inflation on the university’s academic environment. The report indicated that the proportion of A grades increased from 24% in 2005 to 40% in 2015, and further escalated to 60% by 2025. It also noted that this trend encouraged students to select less challenging courses to secure higher grades.
Claybaugh described the newly approved grading cap as a crucial measure to restore the integrity of grading and to better recognize genuine academic achievement. The policy does not impose limits on grades below an A, including A-minus grades, and Harvard continues to refrain from awarding A-plus grades.
Meanwhile, during the same voting session, faculty members dismissed a proposal that would have permitted instructors to seek exemptions from the A grade cap, reinforcing the commitment to the new grading limits.
