By
- Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com
A major U.S. college is changing its grading system starting next year, citing mental <a href="https://healthylife7.com/fauci-rfk-jr-and-the-latest-in-american-health/” title=”Fauci, RFK Jr., and the latest in American health”>health concerns
MLive.com reports the University of Michigan announced its College of Literature, Science and the Arts will change transcripts to show pass/no credit instead of letter grades for incoming freshmen beginning in fall 2027
According to the school’s website, LSA students will still receive grades and instructor feedback in every course, but final grades will not be recorded on external transcripts and will not be reflected in their GPAs. The college said it’s been working with faculty and staff to design the pilot program, officially known as “Grade Covering.”
“Helping all students establish early momentum has been recognized as the most important element in U-M’s campus-wide Student Success Initiative,” a description of the program says. “We believe that covering grades will help students start strong and curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals.”
The school said the measure aims to allow first-year students to “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.” UM also said it hopes to encourage students to explore subjects without fear of a low grade impacting their GPA and academic future, “fostering a culture of connection and collaboration—rather than competition.”
Beginning in their second semester, LSA students’ grades will be included in their transcripts and reflected in their GPAs for all subsequent semesters. The school said it will still retain internal records of first-semester grades for purposes of academic advisement, potential academic awards and scholarships, majors outside of LSA, and compliance
According to MLive, LSA is the largest of the University of Michigan’s 19 colleges and schools. Nearly 19,000 undergraduates are enrolled in LSA, including 3,715 first-year students
Several other nationally-recognized schools also use alternative grading systems. According to Best College Reviews, Brown University students can choose which to participate in, but conventional grades only include A, B or C (no D) with no plus or minus signs; Sarah Lawrence College combines conventional letter grades with written evaluations by teachers and professors; and Hampshire College allows students to design their own study programs with constructive feedback from faculty
