A major US university is set to stop showing letter grades for first-semester freshmen in an effort to help students adjust to college life and address what it calls a growing mental health crisis among college-aged students.The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) will introduce the first-semester grade-covering programme from fall 2027, according to the college.Students will continue receiving their actual grades and feedback from professors, but their first-semester results will appear on transcripts only as “pass” or “no credit”, the New York Post reported.The grades will not be included in students’ GPAs during their first semester. However, the university will maintain the actual grades internally for purposes including academic awards, scholarships, internships, financial aid, athletic eligibility and academic advising.
‘Curb the mental health crisis’
The university said the initiative is designed to help freshmen “establish early momentum” and acclimatise to the demands of college without the pressure of grades affecting their academic records.“We believe that covering grades will help students start strong and curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals,” the college said.LSA said the programme would also encourage students to explore unfamiliar subjects without worrying that a poor first-semester grade could have long-term consequences.
Freshmen automatically included
All first-year LSA students will be covered under the programme, rather than being allowed to opt in. The college said making it optional could undermine the programme by making students feel that covered grades indicate poor performance.Students will begin receiving conventional letter grades that count towards their GPAs from their second semester. New transfer students will not be eligible for the programme.
Other US colleges have similar system
Michigan is not the first US university to adopt a similar approach. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has used a pass/no-record grading system for first-year students during the fall semester since 1968, with conventional letter grades beginning in the spring.The University of Michigan’s LSA is its largest college, with nearly 20,000 undergraduates, including more than 3,500 first-year students as of fall 2025.
