Harvard University has announced a new policy to curb grade inflation by limiting the proportion of A grades awarded in undergraduate courses. Beginning in the academic year starting spring 2027, instructors will be restricted to conferring A grades to no more than 20 percent of students in a given class, with an allowance for up to four additional students receiving A’s above this limit. There will be no caps on A-minus grades or lower.

The decision follows growing concerns that the high prevalence of A grades has diluted their value, diminishing their significance to employers and graduate admissions committees. Data from Harvard’s recent academic years indicate that about two-thirds of undergraduate grades awarded were A’s, a figure that the new system seeks to reduce to levels last seen around 2010, when approximately one-third of students received A grades.

The policy change was approved by just under 70 percent of Harvard faculty in a recent week-long electronic vote. Alisha Holland, co-chair of the faculty panel that proposed the policy, described the vote as a strong mandate for reform and encouraged faculty members to begin reviewing their assessment methods in preparation for the transition.

Reactions to the policy have been mixed. Faculty members issued a joint statement endorsing the measure, emphasizing its importance for maintaining the credibility of Harvard grades. “A Harvard A grade will now tell [students], as well as employers and graduate schools, something real about what a student has achieved,” the statement said.

Among students, however, the proposal has been met with widespread opposition. A survey conducted by the student government earlier this year found that nearly 85 percent of respondents were against the cap, expressing concerns that it could increase stress and discourage enrollment in more demanding courses. Some fear that limiting top grades might unfairly impact students’ post-graduate opportunities.

Nevertheless, some students welcomed the change. Zoe Yu, a junior, praised the policy as a means to restore the A grade’s status as a mark of exceptional achievement and highlighted the importance of academic rigor amid Harvard’s robust extracurricular offerings.

Harvard’s move could influence other institutions grappling with similar issues. Yale University recently proposed measures to regulate grade point averages campuswide, while past attempts at grade caps at Princeton University and Wellesley College were rolled back due to student pushback.

University officials also acknowledge the challenge of implementing such reforms without jeopardizing recruitment efforts, particularly as colleges face demographic shifts affecting enrollment. Balancing grade standards with student well-being and institutional competitiveness remains a complex issue for Harvard and other higher education institutions.