Harvard is fighting grade inflation, plans to cap top marks to 20%

In a move that could reshape elite higher education, Harvard University faculty members began voting yesterday on a proposal to restrict how many A’s can be awarded in each course.

The plan seeks to limit A grades to just 20% of an undergraduate class, plus four additional students.

The proposed change stems from the university administration noticing a staggering rise in top grades.

Last year, 60% of the grades given to Harvard undergrads were A’s, more than double from 2006.

However, the faculty got strict, and the grades fell to 53% in the fall semester. Last year also saw a 54-way tie for Harvard’s top GPA award, which used to be earned by only a handful of students each year. Graduating seniors needed a 3.989 GPA to earn summa cum laude honors.

While the White House and conservatives view this as a necessary return to meritocracy, student critics argue the cap will fuel toxic competition and hurt internship prospects.

If approved, the cap would take effect in fall 2027. Other universities may follow; Yale recently discussed mandating a 3.0 campus-wide mean GPA.