Harvard Implements New Grading Policy to Address Grade Inflation Concerns
Harvard College has announced a new grading policy aimed at addressing the issue of grade inflation, which has become a significant concern in higher education. Starting in the fall of 2027, the faculty at Harvard will limit the number of flat A grades to 20 percent of enrollment, plus four additional students. This decision comes as a response to the increasing prevalence of A grades, which rose from 24 percent in 2005 to 60 percent in 2025. The new policy also includes an internal percentile ranking for honors and prizes, marking a serious attempt to restore the meaning of grades. The issue of grade inflation is not unique to Harvard, as other institutions like Purdue University have also observed similar trends. The national average college GPA reached about 3.15 by 2013, with 45 percent of letter grades being A’s. 
