University of Michigan Drops First-Semester Grades to Curb Mental Health Crisis

In order to salve the mental health of freshman students, the University of Michigan has implemented a Pass/No Credit system for new students to improve their mental health. The process, called ‘Grade Covering,’ is aimed at helping with the mental health crisis that students face by lessening grade pressure. U-M’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts plans to replace first-semester letter grades on freshmen’s transcripts with pass/no-credit marks, tentatively beginning in fall 2027. Professors would still assign grades, but they wouldn’t appear on external transcripts or count toward students’ GPAs.

U-M says the idea, known as “grade covering,” could help students adjust to college, take academic risks and “embrace the joy of learning.” University spokesperson Chris Sebastian tells Axios that LSA faculty, staff and students will continue shaping the pilot, with more details to come this fall. “While I am sure that there is some pressure on freshman students, one of the best ways of dealing with pressure is enduring it and overcoming it, not attempting to shield people from it,” comments Ol Olsoc.