Harvard University has announced a significant policy change to reduce grade inflation among its undergraduates. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted to limit the number of A grades that instructors can award, making it one of the most ambitious reforms at a major university.

Data showed that more than 60% of grades were in the A range in recent years. Professors argued that top grades had become so common that they no longer clearly identified outstanding academic performance.

The new policy will begin in fall 2027. In courses that use A to F grades, instructors will be allowed to give A grades to no more than 20% of students in a class, plus four additional students. Professors also approved using class ranking instead of GPA when selecting students for honors and awards.

Supporters of the reform believe that if top grades become less common, students may feel less pressure to maintain perfect academic records. As a result, they may focus more on learning instead of trying to get top grades. Psychology Professor Joshua Greene said the change may encourage students to take more challenging courses.

However, not everyone welcomed the decision. A survey found that nearly 85% of students opposed limiting A-range grades, and some were worried the policy could hurt their chances of getting jobs or entering graduate school.

It remains uncertain whether other universities will follow Harvard's example. Still, some educators outside Harvard praised the move as an important step toward strengthening academic standards.