Harvard University is tightening its grading standards by limiting A grades to 20% of students per class, starting in fall 2027. This decision aims to address grade inflation, as over 60% of recent undergraduate grades were A's, diminishing their value. The new policy will be assessed after three years.

• 01More than 60% of grades awarded to undergraduates at Harvard were in the A range, prompting the change.
• 02The new grading policy allows instructors to award A grades to a maximum of 20% of students in a class, plus four additional students.
• 03Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences made this decision following a faculty vote earlier this month.
• 04The proposal to use average percentile rank instead of GPA for honors and awards was approved alongside the grading limits.
• 05Previous attempts to limit A grades at other institutions, like Princeton University, faced criticism and were eventually abandoned.

The new grading norms aim to enhance the value of grades for students, employers, and graduate schools, potentially affecting students' academic and career trajectories.