Harvard Confronts Rising Grade Inflation, Calls for Faculty action
A new report from Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education reveals a significant increase in the proportion of A grades awarded to students in Harvard College. Currently, approximately 60% of grades are A’s, a significant rise from 40% a decade ago and less than 25% twenty years ago, according to the report released on Monday, October 27, 2025.
The report, authored by Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, expresses concern that this trend undermines the core principles of academic evaluation. “Current practices are not onyl failing to perform the key functions of grading; they are also damaging the academic culture of the college more generally,” Claybaugh stated in the report.
The issue of grade inflation isn’t unique to Harvard, with other elite universities also grappling with similar challenges. This situation is occurring amidst increased scrutiny of Harvard’s academic programs, including investigations from the Trump administration and broader efforts to reshape US higher education. Federal officials have requested universities to commit to “grade integrity” and ”defensible standards” through a recently proposed compact.
Claybaugh’s report identifies several contributing factors to the rise in A grades. Faculty members, she notes, are often hesitant to grade more harshly than their colleagues, fearing a potential decline in course enrollment. Additionally, administrators have encouraged professors to consider the potential impact of factors like “imposter syndrome” and arduous personal circumstances on student performance. While acknowledging student requests for higher grades, the report suggests these pressures also play a role.
Despite the overall trend, the report highlights a potential sign of progress: the number of first-year students achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA decreased by roughly 12% in the most recent academic year. Claybaugh views this as evidence that the university is not “at the mercy of inexorable trends, that the grades we give don’t always have to rise.” The current cutoff for summa cum laude honors stands at 3.989, reflecting the higher grade averages.
To address the issue, the report recommends increased clarity, suggesting faculty share median grades for courses and regularly review grade distributions. A seperate committee is also considering a change to harvard’s grading system, perhaps allowing a limited number of A+ grades to better differentiate top-performing students. “would increase the facts our grades provide by distinguishing the very best students,” Claybaugh explained.
The report also advocates for a greater emphasis on rigorous teaching practices during faculty evaluations, suggesting administrators prioritize and reward these efforts.
