Grade Inflation at Harvard: A Look at the Current State
Last year, the average GPA for Harvard’s Class of 2025 stood at 3.83. This isn’t a mistake. At one of the world’s most selective universities, most students graduated with nearly all A or A-minus grades.
It’s interesting, actually, because I know quite a few people at Harvard. Meanwhile, Yale’s average GPA was 3.7 in 2023, with around 80% of grades landing in that same A range. In public universities, grades have risen by 17% from 1990 to 2020. Kindergarten through high school shows a similar trend; grades are getting better, even as test scores don’t seem to follow suit.
This situation is what’s referred to as grade inflation, and it poses a significant issue. These universities assert they’re imparting valuable skills, which is part of what justifies their steep tuition fees and substantial public funding. But can we really believe that claim when students aren’t facing meaningful challenges in their academic work?
True education thrives on high standards and shared goals. If students are earning A’s with mediocre effort, it discourages genuine hard work. Consequently, we see a sort of performance art unfold—professors act like they’re teaching, while students pretend to engage. Students report that they seldom have to write more than five pages. They’ve started to rely on AI for essays, often complaining that reading more than ten pages in a week feels overwhelming. There are even stories of Harvard students getting upset at the mere idea of needing to attend class! Some professors hesitate to assign complete books, thinking their students might not actually read them. This trend has also led to an increase in requests for disability accommodations, like extra time on tests.
Such a decline in standards and expectations isn’t easily fixed. While stricter grading isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, it might be a start.
Recently, Harvard’s faculty committee suggested capping A grades at 20% for each class. Given that A’s account for a large portion of grades, this could be a significant shift. Faculty members seem cautiously open to this idea, with a vote anticipated later this spring.
Some might find it surprising that professors support this change, considering they’re often the ones handing out inflated grades. But many faculty members feel cornered; they believe they have no alternative.
A professor who grades a student unfairly might lament the situation, feeling that the student is left powerless. It presents a dilemma where individual instructors face little encouragement to uphold high standards. If they do, they’ll often be met with emotional responses from students and, at times, even complaints from parents. Easy grading can please students, making life simpler for faculty.
Furthermore, harsh grading might lead to poorer evaluations for professors, impacting their promotions and tenure. So, many would likely breathe easier if Harvard implements stricter grading.
However, skepticism remains about how effective this initiative will be. Remember when Princeton attempted something similar two decades ago? They ultimately dropped it after students claimed it would disadvantage them in job and grad school applications. Currently, many Harvard students are pushing back; a significant 85% oppose the grading cap, with one student expressing concern that it would create untenable pressure and diminish life’s value. Confronting grade inflation could require a collective effort among universities.
Still, it’s encouraging to witness Harvard finally addressing this important issue.
It’s noteworthy that after years of ignoring grade inflation, Harvard is now ready to make changes. There’s considerable room for dialogue, especially considering the scrutiny the Trump administration placed on Harvard and similar institutions. This pressure seems to have sparked a renewed urgency regarding long-standing issues like grade inflation.
Harvard’s own Harvey “C-Minus” Mansfield had a novel approach: he would give students two grades—one representing what he believed they deserved and another reflecting Harvard’s inflated system. A return to higher academic rigor could mean professors no longer feel they need to hide behind inflated grades to avoid confrontation.
