Major US university to hide grades for first-semester students, cites ‘mental health crisis’

University of Michigan. (AP Photo) A major US university is set to stop showing letter grades for first-semester freshmen in an effort to help students adjust to college life and address what it calls a growing mental health crisis among college-aged students.The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) will introduce the first-semester grade-covering programme from fall 2027, according to the college.Students will continue receiving their actual grades and feedback from professors, but their first-semester results will appear on transcripts only as “pass” or “no credit”, the New York Post reported.The grades will not be included in students’ GPAs during their first semester. However, the university will maintain the actual grades internally for purposes including academic awards, scholarships, internships, financial aid, athletic eligibility and academic advising.‘Curb the mental health crisis’The university said the initiative is designed to help freshmen “establish early momentum” and acclimatise to the demands of college without the pressure of grades affecting their academic records.“We believe that covering grades will help students start str...