Harvard Proposes Capping A's to Curb Grade Inflation

Ivy League school aims to return A grade to a 'lofty designation'

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Harvard University is proposing a new policy to limit the number of A grades awarded to around 20% of students in a course, with an additional 4% allowance. This comes after a report found that two-thirds of undergraduate grades at Harvard were A's in the last school year, indicating significant grade inflation. The proposal aims to restore the A grade to its original 'extraordinary distinction' status.

Why it matters

Grade inflation has become a national issue, with studies showing it has been intensifying for decades. By limiting the number of A grades, Harvard hopes to make grades more meaningful and useful for signaling student accomplishment to employers, graduate schools, and others. However, the proposal may also increase competitiveness and stress among students, as seen at Princeton University when it previously implemented a similar policy.

The details

Under the new proposal, professors would be able to award up to 24 A grades out of a class of 100 students. There would be no limits on A-minus and lower grades. The proposal comes after a Harvard report urged faculty to bring grading 'back into integrity' - a move that did lead to a drop in A grades to 53.4% in the fall semester. The new proposal would also change how honors and awards are determined, using average percentile rank rather than GPA.

  • During the last school year, about two-thirds of all undergraduate letter grades were A's.
  • In the fall semester, grades of A fell to 53.4% after a Harvard report urged faculty to address grade inflation.

The players

Alisha Holland

A professor in the Department of Government at Harvard and a member of the committee that issued the proposal.

Joshua Silverstein

A professor of law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who has studied and written about grading theory.

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What they’re saying

“We thought, 'What if we try to give meaning to the shared standards we already have around grading?'”

— Alisha Holland, Professor, Harvard Department of Government (nytimes.com)

“I like what Harvard is doing. I think it's a very important step in the right direction' to allow grades to once again serve their intended function.”

— Joshua Silverstein, Professor of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The proposal will be up for discussion at town hall-style meetings on campus later this month.

The takeaway

This case highlights the broader issue of grade inflation in higher education and Harvard's efforts to restore meaning to the A grade. While the proposal may increase competitiveness, it aims to make grades more useful signals of student accomplishment for employers, graduate schools, and other external parties.