Post #3146968

I can't say I approve of Harvard's new grade cap. First of all, limiting the number of A's to 20% plus 4 is a hack on top of a kludge. Second, it damages academic freedom. Say I am teaching undergraduate quantum mechanics, and I go in with a standard for what I think constitutes mastery of the subject. If 30% or 40% of my students attain that level, I'm being *dishonest* if I don't give them A's. I don't like rules that force me to be dishonest. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/5/28/harvard-grade-cap-data/ The Crimson also mentions that they got rid of a pass-fail option last year. I'd call that a mistake, too. Back in my day, MIT did the whole first year as pass/no record, meaning that if you failed, the fact that you took the course just wasn't recorded on your transcript. On the one hand, this reduces the pressure on the students who are encountering ~~MIT~~ for the first time, and on the other, there just isn't a qualitative spread in some of those courses that's worth recording.