Faculty members at Harvard University have voted to introduce a strict cap on A grades starting from the fall of 2027, in a major move aimed at tackling grade inflation and restoring academic rigor.
Under the new policy, A grades in undergraduate courses will generally be limited to around 20 percent of students enrolled in a class. Professors will, however, have limited flexibility to award up to four additional A grades in exceptional cases.
The decision follows years of debate over rising grade inflation at elite universities, where critics argue that an increasing number of top grades has made it difficult to distinguish truly outstanding academic performance. Harvard says the reform is intended to strengthen academic standards and preserve the value of high achievement.
