University of Pennsylvania Evaluates Grading Policies

The administration is reviewing potential responses to grade inflation as Ivy League peers shift their academic standards.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in College Applications

Gouache-painted illustration of an academic mortarboard on an oak desk, evoking the contemplation of university grading policies. — The University of Pennsylvania has begun assessing potential policies to address grade inflation as administration collaborates with faculty to reconsider academic standards. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe universities should cap the number of A grades professors can award?

University of Pennsylvania administrators have begun assessing whether to implement new policies to address grade inflation. The Provost's Office is currently collaborating with undergraduate schools to gather perspectives from the campus community.

Why it matters

Concerns regarding grade inflation have mounted since professors increased marks during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist students. Faculty members often fear that issuing lower grades could negatively impact their student evaluations and threaten job security for non-tenured staff.

Harvard University recently instituted a 20% cap on A grades, while students at the University of Pennsylvania operate under a system where an A-plus carries a 4.0 GPA weight.

The players

Larry Jameson

He is the President of the University of Pennsylvania who formally recognized the issue of grade inflation in a 2025 letter.

University of Pennsylvania

It is an Ivy League research institution in Philadelphia currently reviewing its academic grading framework.

Harvard University

This institution recently adopted a policy to cap the percentage of A grades awarded to students.

Dartmouth College

This university is currently working on formal proposals to address grade inflation.

Yale University

This school is preparing to release specific recommendations regarding its own grading policies.

The details

While Penn President Larry Jameson first acknowledged concerns in October 2025, the University has not established an official committee to address the matter. The Provost's Office continues to solicit feedback from various stakeholders as the institution weighs how to balance academic rigor with faculty employment security.

October 2025: President Jameson acknowledged grade inflation concerns in a letter.
2023: Cornell stopped including median grades on student transcripts.
May 2026: Harvard faculty voted to cap A grades at 20%.
November 2026: Yale will report recommendations for addressing grade inflation.
Early 2027: Dartmouth is slated to release a progress report.

Roadmap

Penn's internal assessment follows a broader trend of policy shifts established by the Harvard University faculty vote to cap A grades. This movement marks a departure from pandemic-era leniency as elite institutions seek to restore historical academic standards.

If the University of Pennsylvania adopts a strict grading cap, students may experience shifts in GPA distribution and competition for high marks. These policy changes could ultimately alter how undergraduate work is evaluated for future graduate school and employment opportunities.

The takeaway

The move toward stricter grading reflects a wider effort among top-tier universities to redefine academic performance benchmarks. Students and faculty should prepare for potential policy shifts as these institutions prioritize restored rigor over pandemic-era flexibility.