Capping A grades at Harvard to curb inflation: Why faculty support comes with unease

Faculty at Harvard University have voiced cautious support for a proposal that would cap undergraduate A grades at about 20 percent and introduce an internal ranking system, saying the move could address long-running concerns about grade inflation. At the same time, several professors have warned that the policy could narrow definitions of distinction, limit faculty discretion, and heighten competition among students.

The proposal, released last week by a faculty committee is part of a broader effort to rein in rising grades at the College. It will go before the full faculty for a vote later this spring.

What the proposal would change

Under the recommendations, A grades would be limited to 20 percent per course, with flexibility for up to four additional As in a class. The plan would also introduce a percentile-based internal ranking system to determine honors and awards.

Faculty members who support the plan argue that it tackles a structural problem rather than leaving individual instructors to act alone. Although professors reduced the share of A grades from 60.2 percent to 53.4 percent last fall, several said that informal pressure to grade generously remains.

As one economics professor told The Harvard Crimson, grading functions as a collective action problem. When some instructors raise grades, others feel compelled to follow, making it difficult for any single course to hold firm standards.

Support grounded in system-wide protection

For some instructors, the appeal of the proposal lies in the protection it offers against backlash for stricter grading. By setting a shared ceiling, faculty say they could grade more honestly without fear of disadvantaging students in competitive processes such as internships or graduate admissions.

Initial concerns focused on whether a cap might deter students from enrolling in demanding courses. A Molecular and Cellular Biology professor told The Harvard Crimson that he worried students would avoid classes known for heavy workloads. After reviewing the committee’s report, however, he said the framing of A grades as markers of distinction rather than simple mastery eased those concerns. In his view, an A-minus could come to represent full mastery, while A grades would signal exceptional performance.

Autonomy and flexibility remain concerns

Other professors remain uneasy about what they see as limits on faculty autonomy. A government professor described the proposal as inflexible, arguing that it constrains instructors’ authority in the classroom. Still, he said the approach was preferable to the current system, which he viewed as unsustainable.

A spokesperson for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences declined to detail how the proposal might affect autonomy, instead pointing to the committee’s discussion of academic freedom. In the report, the committee argued that the current system leaves many faculty feeling unable to assign grades that reflect the quality of students’ work.

Questions have also been raised about how the cap would operate in classes with many high-performing students. An Earth and Planetary Sciences professor told The Harvard Crimson that while he saw merit in the proposal, students should have a clear path to appeal grading decisions in edge cases.

Competition and the student experience

Some faculty worry the policy could intensify competition. A Yiddish preceptor described the proposal as a missed opportunity to rethink grading more broadly, warning that tighter caps could encourage adversarial dynamics among students.

Supporters counter that competition already exists in any evaluative system. According to the committee’s report, capping A grades could increase confidence that distinctions reflect both mastery and higher levels of achievement.

A psychology professor told The Harvard Crimson that the change would amount to a return to earlier norms. In his view, similar limits were in place two decades ago without damaging student culture.

An unresolved debate

Not all faculty have made up their minds. One Molecular and Cellular Biology professor said he was still weighing the trade-offs, acknowledging that no perfect solution exists. An English professor argued that despite short-term discomfort, the proposal could strengthen the long-term value of a Harvard degree by restoring meaning to grades.

As the faculty vote approaches, the debate reflects a broader tension at the College. Many agree that grade inflation has eroded the signal grades are meant to send. What remains unsettled is whether a formal cap can correct that drift without creating new problems of its own.
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