Michigan to Convert Freshmen Grades to Pass/No Credit to Ease Anxiety

The University of Michigan announced that, starting in the fall of 2027, first-semester courses in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will be reported as Pass or No Credit on external transcripts, effectively removing them from students' GPAs. Internally, instructors will continue to issue traditional letter grades, but those grades will not influence official academic standing. Officials cite the "mental health crisis" among college students as a primary motivation for the change.

Some commentators contend that feeling anxious about grades is a normal, potentially instructive reaction rather than a clinical problem, and that confronting such stress can foster resilience. The university points to the Healthy Minds Study, which has documented three consecutive years of declining depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts on campus. While the policy may lower immediate pressure, opponents warn it could diminish opportunities for students to learn from setbacks, noting that similar pass/no-record systems have long existed at places like MIT.