60% of Harvard Grades Were A's in 2025. Now the School Is Fighting Grade Inflation.
Harvard University is addressing grade inflation after a report revealed that 60.2% of grades awarded in the 2024-2025 school year were A's. The faculty voted to implement a 20% cap on A grades starting in the 2027-2028 school year to combat this issue. The decision reflects broader concerns about grading standards in higher education, with other institutions also grappling with similar challenges.
- ▪In the 2024-2025 school year, 60.2% of grades at Harvard were A's.
- ▪Harvard's faculty voted 458-201 to cap A grades at 20% starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
- ▪The rise in A grades has been attributed to various factors, including professors' reluctance to be perceived as demanding and the need for emotional support for students.
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| Original publisher | Reason Magazine |
| Canonical URL | https://reason.com/2026/05/21/60-of-harvard-grades-were-as-in-2025-now-the-school-is-fighting-grade-inflation/ |
| Publication time | Thu, 21 May 2026 21:08:43 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T21:16:35.713Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-21T21:16:35.713Z |
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Higher Education 60% of Harvard Grades Were A's in 2025. Now the School Is Fighting Grade Inflation. Harvard faculty voted to put a 20 percent cap on A’s to combat grade inflation. Meagan O'Rourke | 5.21.2026 5:08 PM Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/05/zumaamericasfiftytwo547519-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="Harvard University flag" alt="Harvard University flag | M. Scott Brauer/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom" /> (M.
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