PODCAST:
Aug. 12, 2026 ~ University of Michigan Board of Regents Chair Sarah Hubbard joins Kevin Dietz to explain the university’s decision to eliminate grades for first-semester freshmen and the goal of reducing stress and improving student mental health during the transition to college.
ANN ARBOR, MICH. ~ University of Michigan first-semester freshmen students in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will see their grades dropped starting in fall 2027 in an effort to protect student’s mental health.
According to a statement from U-M. the plan will help students “start strong and curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals.”
The school will adopt a “pass or no credit” system compared to letter grades. Grades will still be recorded internally for scholarship and award purposes, but will not be reflected on transcripts or grade-point averages.
Michigan’s LSA program college enrolls about 3,500 first-year students across over 80 majors. This move follows in the footsteps other schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology.
