If you can be mentally triggered by grades, you’re not ready for college.
Campus Reform reports:
UMich to bury first-semester grades in bid to ‘curb the mental health crisis’The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) will stop reporting traditional letter grades on first-semester transcripts for incoming freshmen beginning in Fall 2027, replacing them with “pass” or “no credit” designations as part of a pilot program aimed at reducing student stress and curbing a “mental health crisis”.Students will still earn letter grades and receive instructor feedback in every course. However, those grades will remain internal, will not appear on official transcripts, and will not affect first-semester GPAs.University officials say the policy is intended to help freshmen transition to college, support student well-being, and encourage students to take academically challenging courses without worrying that one difficult semester could permanently affect their records.”We believe that covering grades will help students start strong and curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals,” the policy page states.The school argues the program will shift students’ focus from grades to learning by promoting collaboration over competition and allowing freshmen to explore unfamiliar subjects without fear of damaging their GPAs.The policy reflects a broader trend across higher education of reducing academic pressure in response to rising concerns about student mental health. Rather than asking whether students are prepared for the demands of college, universities are increasingly restructuring academic standards to accommodate student anxiety.Although first-semester grades will be hidden from transcripts, the university will continue using them internally for financial aid, scholarships, athletic eligibility, academic advising, degree progress, and compliance. Students can also access grades for applications to internships or for other opportunities.The grade-covering policy will apply automatically to every first-year LSA student. University officials say making the program optional could stigmatize students who elected to conceal their grades, making a universal policy more equitable.
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