70% of Faculty Vote to Overhaul Harvard Grading with A Cap

3 hours ago

Harvard faculty voted to impose a cap of about 20% on A grades in undergraduate courses starting fall 2027, with flexibility for up to four additional A's.
Faculty approved using average percentile rankings instead of GPA for internal awards and honors, but rejected allowing courses to opt out of the A cap if graded on an unsatisfactory/satisfactory/satisfactory-plus basis.
The decision aims to reverse grade inflation, with over 60% of grades being A's recently, and is seen as a victory for Dean Amanda Claybaugh and a subcommittee seeking to restore the value of Harvard transcripts.
Students largely disapproved of the proposal, with nearly 85% against it in a survey, but faculty support led to its passage after revisions, including delaying implementation to 2027.
The vote marks a significant shift in Harvard's academic culture, moving from voluntary efforts to a mandatory cap to distinguish exceptional work and address grading system concerns.

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