Harvard's Average GPA Reaches 3.8 Amidst Widespread Grade Inflation, Fueling Student Stress

Cambridge, MA – Harvard University is grappling with significant grade inflation, with reports indicating that the average GPA has soared to 3.8. This phenomenon, while seemingly beneficial, is paradoxically contributing to increased stress among students who fear receiving even a single "B." The issue was recently highlighted in a tweet by nxthompson, referencing a piece by Rose Horowitch.

The extent of this grade inflation is stark: nearly 80 percent of grades awarded to Harvard College students in the 2020-21 academic year were in the A-range (A-, A, or A+). This marks a substantial increase from an estimated average GPA of 2.6 in 1950 and 3.4 in 2003. This trend has led to what some refer to as "grade compression," where grades cluster tightly at the top of the scale, making differentiation among high-achieving students challenging.

Faculty members point to several contributing factors. Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker noted that while he gave a quarter of his introductory psychology students A-range grades 20 years ago, that figure is now almost two-thirds. He observed a 10-percentage-point decline in objective multiple-choice final exam scores over two decades, despite the rising grades. The pandemic further exacerbated the issue, as professors felt pressure to ease expectations due to heightened student anxiety.

The consequence for students is a perverse form of anxiety. When near-perfect grades become the norm, the prospect of a "B" can be terrifying, as it significantly impacts their ability to stand out. This environment has shifted student focus towards highly competitive extracurricular activities and internships as primary means of differentiation, sometimes at the expense of academic engagement. Harvard's Dean of Undergraduate Education, Amanda Claybaugh, acknowledged that the university is now striving to restore academic rigor.

The problem of grade inflation is not unique to Harvard but is prevalent across elite institutions. Universities like Princeton and Cornell have experimented with various measures, such as grade caps or including median course grades on transcripts, though often with mixed results. Harvard is now exploring similar solutions, including potentially moving to a numerical grading scale or reporting grades relative to the course median, in an effort to re-emphasize academic challenge and meaningful learning.