The University of Michigan (UM) is making a major shift in how some first-year students are graded in an effort to “curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Beginning in fall 2027, students participating in a new pilot program will receive only pass or no-credit marks on their transcripts during their first semester.
The change will affect about half of UM’s roughly 8,000 incoming first-year students, specifically those entering the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, per WSJ. Traditional letter grades will not appear on participating students’ transcripts or factor into their grade-point averages (GPA). However, professors will still assign letter grades internally to help determine eligibility for scholarships, academic awards, and other programs, the outlet notes.
University leaders hope the pilot will ease some of the academic pressure students experience as they transition to college, allowing first-year students to focus on adjusting to a new academic environment without worrying that an early failing grade could derail their GPA or future opportunities, according to WSJ.
The university also hopes the new approach will encourage students to explore more challenging courses and academic interests they may otherwise avoid.
A University of Michigan spokesperson declined to share how the university decided to launch the pilot, WSJ reports. However, the grading system change also comes as the university no longer requires SAT or ACT scores for undergraduate admission.
Michigan’s New Grading System Mirrors MIT’s Approach
UM’s approach is similar to a long-standing grading system at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
During their first semester, freshmen MIT students receive either a Pass or No Record (P/NR) rather than traditional letter grades on their academic records, according to the institution’s website. Instructors still submit letter grades internally, but they are only used for advising purposes and do not appear on students’ external records.
The system gradually transitions students back to traditional grading. During the second semester, students receive A, B, or C grades, with lower grades recorded as No Record. Students who entered MIT in fall 2020 or later also have additional flexibility to designate up to 48 units as P/NR after their first semester.
Academic Pressure And Student Mental Health
University of Michigan student body president Summit Louth said the roughly 50 students he spoke with either supported the policy or wished it had been available during their first year.
The change comes amid a broader debate in higher education over grading standards, student preparedness, and academic pressure. Colleges across the country have faced concerns about grade inflation while also confronting gaps in college readiness among some incoming students. In the University of California system, for example, some faculty members have pushed to return to standardized entrance exams, citing concerns about freshmen arriving unprepared for college-level math and science courses, per WSJ.
History professor Derek Peterson believes giving freshmen more freedom from traditional grading could encourage them to explore unfamiliar subjects and take academic risks without immediately worrying about the effect on their GPA. Peterson also pointed to pressures facing today’s college students that previous generations encountered differently, including the influence of social media and uncertainty about the job market and economy.
“The idea that our kids are somehow more coddled is simply not true,” Peterson told WSJ. “If we can find ways to open up space for students to experiment while also protecting their future employability, which means protecting the GPAs, I think it is a good idea.”
