Harvard’s Faculty Takes Action Against Grade Inflation
In a recent decision, Harvard faculty voted to implement a 20 percent cap on the number of A grades in an effort to tackle growing grade inflation, as reported by the Harvard Crimson on Wednesday.
Following a week of voting, 69.5 percent of faculty members supported limiting A grades to 20 percent of the total, with an additional four A grades permitted at the professor’s discretion. Over 75 percent also backed a new approach for determining student honors and awards, opting for percentile rankings instead of relying solely on GPA.
However, an accompanying proposal that would allow professors to opt out of these grading regulations was not approved.
The new grading system is set to take effect in the 2026-2027 academic year. It is important to note that this cap specifically targets A grades, leaving A minuses unaffected.
A report released in February 2026 by a committee chaired by Computer Science Professor Stuart Shieber examined the issue of increasing grade inflation at the university. This report suggested a comprehensive plan to revamp a grading system that, according to faculty, failed to reflect true academic excellence.
This report followed a study by Harvard’s Dean of Undergraduate Education, Amanda Claybaugh, which revealed that nearly 70 percent of students received As in 2025—a stark contrast to one-third of students in 2010. Additionally, around 80 percent of students earned either As or A minuses.
Before the May faculty vote, the February report was heavily scrutinized and modified. Interestingly, proposals regarding the grade cap and percentile-based honors were initially combined but later separated into distinct voting items.
In reaction to the February report’s recommendations, many students voiced their concerns, arguing that such changes could increase competition and negatively impact their job prospects. A survey from the same month indicated that roughly 85 percent of students disapproved of the proposed measures.
Leading up to the recent vote, efforts to curb grade inflation were already underway. An email from Claybaugh noted a decline in As awarded, dropping from 60.2 percent in the previous academic year to 53.4 percent in the recent fall semester.
Claybaugh commended the faculty’s decision on Wednesday, calling it a significant step in reforming Harvard’s grading approach. She expressed hope that it would not only enhance the academic environment at Harvard but also inspire other institutions to address similar challenges with courage.
Nationally, grade inflation has seen significant spikes, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic years. For instance, reports indicated that Yale awarded an A to nearly 80 percent of its students in the 2022-2023 academic year, with similar trends at Harvard.
Despite these Harvard-specific trends, the national average GPA has also seen a substantial rise; it increased from 2.81 in 1990 to 3.15 in 2020, reflecting broader patterns in higher education.
