Harvard proposes capping A grades at 20% to tackle grade inflation

By Janet Lorin

 

Harvard University is proposing to limit the number of top grades awarded to undergraduate students, responding to concerns that grade inflation may weaken the meaning of a degree from the school. 

The plan would cap A grades at 20 per cent of undergraduates, with some flexibility, across courses and departments if it’s approved by faculty ahead of the 2026-2027 school year, Amanda Claybaugh, dean of undergraduate education, said in an email on Friday that included a 19-page outline of the plan. 

 

The cap wouldn’t include A-minus marks, and the plan would also allow four extra A grades in smaller courses, which normally attract “advanced and highly motivated students.” 

 

 

The move comes amid broader concerns across US higher education that rising grades have made it harder for employers and graduate schools to assess student performance. At Harvard, the share of undergraduate grades that are As has climbed sharply over the past two decades, according to a report in October by Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education. 

 

Claybaugh announced a committee to study grading policies and possible alternatives in November 2024. At the start of the current semester, she said the share of “flat As” had fallen to 53 per cent, from 60 per cent previously.

 

The proposal on Friday cites concerns from employers and admissions officials who have said that “Harvard transcripts no longer provide them useful information about the performance and distinction of Harvard students,” forcing some to rely on informal networks that give an advantage to students with stronger connections.

 

“Ultimately, it will benefit students if employers and graduate admissions committees know that the grades on a Harvard transcript are a more accurate and nuanced reflection of student performance in their courses,” according to the proposal.

 

Concerns about grade inflation have also drawn scrutiny from Washington. Last year, the Trump administration floated a higher-education “compact” that would link preferential access to certain federal funding with academic standards at US colleges, including requirements for standardised testing such as the SAT or ACT and measures aimed at curbing grade inflation.