Harvard University faculty members have voted to implement a mandatory cap on A grades for undergraduate courses to combat decades of grade inflation. More than two-thirds of the faculty supported the measure, which is considered one of the strongest policies of its kind in US higher education in decades. The new policy will officially go into effect in the fall of 2027.
Under an agreed "20 plus four" formula, the number of A grades awarded will be limited to one-fifth of students in a course, plus up to four additional students. For a class of 100 undergraduates, this means a maximum of 24 students can receive a top grade.
The effort aims to make academic grades more meaningful and restore the value of top-tier achievement. Members of the faculty subcommittee stated that the vote was intended to make grades mean what they say they mean. This move follows concerns over the devaluation of academic standing, with a law school dean describing current grades as almost useless.