New Report

Harvard released a report that found over 60% of students receive As.

Context

Grade inflation – awarding higher grades over time for similar or lower quality work – has affected American universities for decades. The problem accelerated during the Vietnam War, when higher grades helped students avoid the military draft. 

At Harvard, the median GPA at graduation increased from 3.29 in 1985 to 3.83 in 2025, while the percentage of A grades jumped from approximately 25% in 2006 to about 60% in the 2024-25 school year.

Grade Report

A report released last month by Harvard’s dean of undergraduate education concluded that the university was “failing to perform the key functions of grading” and "damaging the academic culture of the College more generally." The report found that nearly all faculty members expressed serious concern about a misalignment between grades awarded and the quality of student work.

The report attributed grade inflation in part to professors fearing that stricter grading would drive students away from their courses and result in poor evaluations unless all professors changed their standards simultaneously. The dean noted that the current system provides insufficient information to students about their performance and makes it difficult for employers and graduate programs to distinguish between candidates.

Proposed Solutions

The report recommended several measures to address grade inflation, including allowing professors to award a limited number of A-plus grades and displaying the median grade for every course on student transcripts.

The dean encouraged faculty to revert to grading standards from a decade earlier and suggested implementing more in-person exams, given concerns about AI. The report also called for standardizing grading between different sections of the same course.

Reactions and Implications

The report comes as the Trump Administration calls on colleges to "commit to grade integrity" as part of a compact for academic excellence in higher education. It reportedly sparked concern on campus, with students arguing they already face immense academic pressure and work hard to earn their grades.

Princeton University previously attempted to cap A grades in 2004 but discontinued the practice after finding it increased student stress.