Harvard Implements Grade Limitations
Harvard University’s College of Arts and Sciences recently announced significant restrictions on grading, aiming to tackle grade inflation—a move that’s considered quite bold for an Ivy League school.
After a week of online voting, faculty members approved the first phase of a three-part initiative with a notable majority: 458 votes in favor to 201 against. Under the new guidelines, the number of flat “A” grades in undergraduate courses will be constrained to 20% of the total enrollment. Additionally, there will be flexibility to grant up to four extra As per class to accommodate smaller seminar settings.
“This is a consequential vote. I believe it will strengthen Harvard’s academic culture, and I hope it will encourage other universities to confront similar issues with the same level of rigor and courage. This vote is an important step toward ensuring that our grading system better serves its core purpose: to give students meaningful feedback, recognize true distinction, and uphold the university’s academic mission,” said Amanda Claibaugh, the dean of undergraduate education.
The Grading Subcommittee first introduced this proposal in February, following an internal report indicating that over 60% of all grades awarded to undergraduates were A’s. This decision is seen as a significant success for Professor Claibaugh and the Faculty Subcommittee, who argued that the current grading system lacked the ability to distinguish between merely good and outstanding performance.
In another vote, faculty decided by 498 to 157 to adopt average percentile rankings instead of GPAs for determining internal university awards and graduation honors. However, a proposed measure allowing courses graded as “satisfactory/unsatisfactory” to opt out of the new policy was not passed.
“This sends a strong signal that at a time when people are questioning what universities are doing, universities can govern themselves, reinvent themselves, and evolve to meet the challenges of the times,” remarked Alisha Holland, a Harvard government professor and co-chair of the undergraduate subcommittee that developed the proposal.
The new grading policy is set to be implemented in the 2027-2028 academic year, with a formal review planned after three years.
