Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:21     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Acc to the article it is done to reduce student stress and competition. Otherwise students can’t handle being in the environment.


So students have become way more fragile than they were 20 years ago?


Indeed. Everything stressed them out.


Even an A- or a B+?
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:20     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
*stresses them out these days.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:19     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Acc to the article it is done to reduce student stress and competition. Otherwise students can’t handle being in the environment.


So students have become way more fragile than they were 20 years ago?


Indeed. Everything stressed them out.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:18     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation

When did Harvard abolish its “ Gentlemen’s C” policy? You know, when rich white male students got passes just because! Presumably the grading structure was such under that system that you had to be excellent to get As. Go back to that without the mediocre WASP DEI.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:18     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Seriously, Harvard has become a joke! Game the system to get in and then get straight As because of grade inflation..


Happy A students = generous future donors.


They might just make it a pay to play institution. Bid on seats and admissions. At least some people will remove themselves from the rat race.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:18     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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.


Acc to the article it is done to reduce student stress and competition. Otherwise students can’t handle being in the environment.


So students have become way more fragile than they were 20 years ago?
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:16     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
Anonymous wrote:Seriously, Harvard has become a joke! Game the system to get in and then get straight As because of grade inflation..


Happy A students = generous future donors.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:16     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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.


Acc to the article it is done to reduce student stress and competition. Otherwise students can’t handle being in the environment.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:15     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
Seriously, Harvard has become a joke! Game the system to get in and then get straight As because of grade inflation..
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:14     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:14     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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).


Nobody cares you went to Harvard
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:14     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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.


I'm sorry.... "tippy top?" Would you please use adult words? Thanks.

+1
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:14     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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).


To follow up on this, there was a pair of siblings in 2001 and 2003 who were the only students to get straight As in an over 20+ year span at Harvard.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:13     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
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).


Everything is dumbed down. SAT, high school, college, if institutions like Harvard are responsible for grade inflation what hope do we have for others?
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2026 11:12     Subject: Harvard considers capping A’s to curb grade inflation
I suggest standardized tests across colleges.