Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation

[Anonymous]

Let me know when they actually follow through

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So how does this work in STEM classes? So now professors have to manufacture tests so that it somehow only gives 20% of students As?

It's one thing discussing humanities but when you are talking about Calculus, Chemistry or Biology, how does this even work? Students should be given grades based on what they deserve, particularly when the subject is objective. This sounds like a nightmare policy in the making.

In my undergrad honors math classes in Canada back in the day, they would just set questions on test that were a level beyond what was taught explicitly. You didn’t necessary need more knowledge but better intuition. They wanted to see how far the brightest kids could go. The test averages were around 50% before the curve (which would bring the avg up to 70% maybe?). A handful of students (out of a hundred) would get in the 90s before the curve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A recent report found that a majority of grades given out at Harvard were A’s. Professors will vote on a proposal to limit the number to around 20 percent.



https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/harvard-grade-inflation.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share


However, there is concern about increasing student stress and competition as a result of capping A’s.

This is insanity. If students can’t handle stress and competition then why go to such colleges? Just to reduce student stress everyone should get As.. crazy

It is stupid. Only the best and brightest go to Harvard. It tracks that they would achieve. There’s zero reason to artificially impose a bell curve.

[Anonymous]

All you need is the degree. no one asks about your gpa

[Anonymous]

The proposal is hilarious.

20 percent can be As. But there is no limit on A-s, which could literally be the other 80 percent.

Yeah, that’ll tackle grade inflation…

If they really wanted to fix this, they would implement a required bell curve.

[Anonymous]

Need to get rid of then plus and minus grades and just go back to A, B, C, D and F with bell shaped curves in all classes. Of course that would crush those raised in the last couple of participation trophy generations.

[Anonymous]

Harvard sets the tone for all U.S. schools so this will trickle down, if it passes.

It’s a recommendation and not a policy at this point. Perhaps the committee is doing a little “Art of the Deal” negotiating, so when 30% is the compromise, everyone wins.

[Anonymous]

What happened to the days when students at top colleges were warned from the beginning that they would no longer be at the top of their class because everyone else also came from the top of their class?? I remember being warned about this in a first year orientation speech at my SLAC 30 years ago…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When did grades get SO inflated? A's (versus A-s and B+s) were still reasonably difficult to get 20 years ago. I graduated about 20 years ago and not a single person in my class had straight As (meaning they got all As and not a single A-; there were no A+ grades given so straight As is perfect).

Good question. I think it's lazy professors tbh. The more As, the less feedback they need to give. Or grad TAs giving lots of As to please students because they need good teaching evals.

Actually, no: the answer is serious entitlement on the part of students and their snowplow parents which starts way before college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The average A has devalued approximately 88% since 1970.

Not just because of grade inflation, though, but because the quality of student work has actually massively decreased (ie what earns an A in 2026 would never have done so when I was in college back in the 1990s). And this statement is true at just about every school, not just at Harvard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's just dumb. If you take the tippy top, grinding students and put them all together, it's not unreasonable to think that these kids can continue to achieve at the highest levels. And yes, it will make them nuttier than they already are. The professors shouldn't give out A's just because, but if the papers and tests meet their standard, it's not weird that more than half the class of the kinds of students who get admitted can meet them.

No. I’ve taught at one of HYP, and there’s a huge variation in student performance!

I’ve interviewed plenty of HYP for employers — it’s overrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When did grades get SO inflated? A's (versus A-s and B+s) were still reasonably difficult to get 20 years ago. I graduated about 20 years ago and not a single person in my class had straight As (meaning they got all As and not a single A-; there were no A+ grades given so straight As is perfect).

Good question. I think it's lazy professors tbh. The more As, the less feedback they need to give. Or grad TAs giving lots of As to please students because they need good teaching evals.

Actually, no: the answer is serious entitlement on the part of students and their snowplow parents which starts way before college

+1

[Anonymous]

Grade inflation is a problem at all of the colleges and a lot of high schools now. This chart, which is about Williams, makes it appear that the problem really started around 2015 or so:

https://williamsrecord.com/468144/news/memo-shows-76-percent-of-grades-in-a-range-last-year-prompting-faculty-discussion/

[Anonymous]

Yeah but try getting into med school or law school with a low gpa. Big problem unless all schools follow suit

[Anonymous]

People should get the grade they deserve. If sixty percent of the class deserves an A, they need to get an A. You don't make students compete for a limited amount. That's obnoxious.