University of Michigan plans to shield 2027 freshman letter grades from transcripts in new mental health plan

Freshmen at the University of Michigan next year are set to get a semester-long break from having letter grades appear on their transcripts, as school officials look for new ways to combat the "mental health crisis" affecting higher education.Starting in fall 2027, incoming first-year students enrolled in the public research university's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) will have their first-semester grades designated as pass or no credit on their transcripts in an attempt to "curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals," according to the university."Our goal is to help first-year students acclimate to the demands of college and allow intrinsic motivations to guide personally meaningful academic journeys — core elements of a liberal arts and sciences education," the statement continued.EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON RIPS CALIFORNIA TRANS ATHLETE ‘COMPROMISE,’ TELLS NEWSOM TO ‘PICK A SIDE’University of Michigan students walk on the UM campus in Ann Arbor, Mich., on April 3, 2025.(Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)The LSA, which is the largest of the university’s 19 colleges and serves approximately 19,700 undergraduate students, will provide students with their letter grades throughout the semester — but will not include the final average on their transcripts.Transcripts will instead show a "P" for pass or "NC" for no credit.The covered grades will not be factored into students' grade point averages, a move university officials say will give first-year students greater freedom to explore academically."For example, they can explore a subject that may not come easily to them or take a course in a new field without the fear that a low grade may have long-term consequences," the university added.

" LSA is investing in students’ well-being and growth by fostering a culture of connection and collaboration — rather than competition."HARVARD FACULTY VOTE TO CAP 'A' GRADES AT 20% IN SWEEPING EFFORT TO COMBAT DECADES ...