Harvard Sees Sharp Drop in Top Grades as Faculty Moves to Curb Decades of Inflation
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University's undergraduate grading landscape is undergoing a notable correction. Data obtained by The Harvard Crimson reveals that the share of A grades awarded in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) fell sharply to 53.4% last fall, down from 60.2% in the previous academic year—a drop of nearly seven percentage points.
The decline follows a concerted push from university leadership to address what many have long described as a systemic devaluation of academic marks. In an email to faculty Monday, Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh framed the shift as a necessary step to restore rigor. "Our grading is too compressed and too inflated," she wrote, citing a 25-page report she released in October 2025. That report found that over 60% of grades given to Harvard undergraduates were A's, a dramatic increase from just 25% two decades ago.
The trend of grade inflation accelerated notably in the late 2010s and spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, the report noted, before beginning to level off. Claybaugh acknowledged the move hasn't been easy for instructors, some of whom expressed concern that stricter grading could negatively impact their student evaluation scores, known as "Q reports." She sought to reassure faculty, stating that reviews consider multiple factors, including course difficulty and median grades, and that efforts to "restore rigor" are recognized.
James Chisholm, FAS Director of Media Relations, emphasized to Fox News Digital that the initiative is a faculty-driven effort within Harvard's largest school. A faculty committee is expected to present formal recommendations on grading policy changes, which will then be put to a vote by the FAS faculty.
This move by Harvard, often seen as a bellwether for higher education, places it among a small group of elite institutions publicly tackling grade inflation. Analysts suggest it could pressure peer schools to re-examine their own grading practices, potentially reshaping academic standards and how student performance is measured nationwide.
Reaction & Analysis
Dr. Evelyn Reed, Professor of Educational Policy at Stanford University: "This is a courageous and necessary correction. For years, an 'A' at Harvard signaled little more than satisfactory completion. Restoring differentiation in grading is crucial for meaningful feedback, graduate admissions, and employer assessments. Harvard's data provides a valuable case study."
Marcus Chen, a junior studying Economics: "It's a mixed bag. I support academic rigor, but there's anxiety about how this affects our GPAs relative to students from other schools without similar crackdowns. It feels like we're being penalized for a systemic problem we didn't create. Will law and med schools adjust their evaluations accordingly?"
Richard D. Fowler, alumnus and author of 'The Credential Crisis': "Finally! This is a superficial fix for a deeply rotten culture. Grade inflation is a symptom of a larger disease—the consumerization of education where students are customers and high grades are the product they purchase. Until Harvard addresses the bloated administrative costs and the fear of negative evaluations that drive this, any change will be temporary."
Priya Sharma, a sophomore: "I've noticed a real difference in my classes this semester. Discussions are more intense, and there's less focus on just checking boxes for the grade. It's stressful, but it also feels like we're actually being challenged to earn our marks, which is what I came here for."