Harvard University faculty are considering a proposal to limit the number of A grades awarded to undergraduate students [1].
The move seeks to address rampant grade inflation that some faculty and external observers said has eroded academic standards. If implemented, the policy would fundamentally change how students are evaluated at the institution.
The proposal suggests capping A grades at no more than 20% of a class, with an additional allowance of four students [3]. This restriction comes after data from the 2024-2025 academic year revealed that 66% of undergraduates earned an A [1]. Other reports indicate that over 60% of students received top marks during that period [4].
When including A- grades, the proportion of undergraduates receiving a top-tier mark rose to 84% in the 2024-2025 year [1]. Faculty members scheduled a vote on the proposal for the week of May 12-15, with voting taking place on Tuesday [2, 5].
The administration and faculty are pursuing these measures to restore grading rigor in Cambridge, Massachusetts [2]. The current trend of high marks has led to concerns that grades no longer accurately reflect a student's mastery of the material, or distinguish exceptional performance from average work.
While the specific cap of 20% plus four students is the primary focus of the current proposal [3], the broader debate centers on the university's reputation for academic excellence. The administration is weighing whether a strict quota is the most effective tool to reverse the trend of inflation.
“66% of undergraduates earned an A in the 2024-2025 academic year”
This proposal represents a shift toward a more competitive grading model at one of the world's most prestigious universities. By implementing a hard cap, Harvard would move away from criterion-referenced grading—where students are graded against a set standard—toward a curve-based system. This could potentially impact students' graduate school applications and job prospects if the shift leads to a significant drop in average GPAs.
