Harvard faculty have approved a plan to curb grade inflation by limiting the share of A grades instructors can award, effective fall 2027. Under the policy, A grades can be awarded to no more than 20% of enrolled students in a letter-graded course, plus four additional students; no limit applies to A-minus or other lower letter grades. Supporters argue the reform restores meaning to top grades, while critics say it undermines faculty autonomy by imposing a quota on academic achievement. The package also includes a change to how students are compared for honors and prizes: percentile rank will replace GPA as the basis for internal recognition. The decision follows sustained debate as top marks became more common at elite institutions. With multiple colleges exploring grade reforms in recent years, Harvard’s vote is now one of the clearest signals yet that top-grade caps may become a broader academic governance tool rather than a one-off experiment.