More Students Get A’s Than Ever Before Amid Grade Inflation [complimentary article]

Harvard found the average GPA among its students was 3.8 in 2021, up from 3.4 in 2003. 79% of Harvard students received A’s, up from 60% in 2011.

Over the last few decades, the average GPA of college students and the percentage of students earning A’s has increased dramatically, a phenomenon known as ‘grade inflation.’ A report from Harvard found the average GPA among its students was 3.8 in 2021, up from 3.4 in 2003. 79% of Harvard students received A’s, up from 60% in 2011. Yale reported a very similar trend.

While grade inflation appears to have accelerated in the last few years, the trend has been going on for decades. According to work by Professor Stuart Rojstaczer, the percentage of college students across the U.S. earning A’s increased from roughly 15% in 1960 to 45% in 2013. Over the same period, the percentage of students earning C’s fell substantially. As a result, grade distribution has shifted to the right.

The trend does not appear to be confined only to colleges, with grade inflation also happening among high school students, according to a 2023 report from ACT. 

Why is grade inflation happening?
Some cite a lowering…