Harvard University faculty voted to cap the number of A grades awarded to undergraduates at 20% per class, plus four additional A's at the professor's discretion. The measure, approved by a 458-to-201 vote, aims to address grade inflation and restore the meaning of high marks. The policy, which excludes A-minus grades, will take effect in fall 2027 and will be reassessed after three years.
The decision follows a report showing that A grades accounted for 60% of all undergraduate grades in 2025, up from 40% in 2015 and 20% in 2005. Faculty members argued that the surge in top grades undermined the value of Harvard transcripts for employers and graduate schools. The vote also rejected a proposal allowing courses to opt out of the cap, with 364 faculty members opposing it.
Supporters of the change, including Amanda Claybaugh, dean of undergraduate education, praised the move as a step toward meaningful grading. The Subcommittee on Grading stated that the policy would ensure Harvard A's reflect true academic achievement. Critics, however, have raised concerns about potential disadvantages for students in competitive fields.
Harvard is not the first elite institution to address grade inflation. Princeton implemented a similar cap in 2004 but abandoned it a decade later due to criticism. Nationally, grade-point averages at four-year colleges rose 16% between 1990 and 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Education.