U-M wants to give freshmen a break from grades

Driving the news: U-M's College of Literature, Science and the Arts plans to replace first-semester letter grades on freshmen's transcripts with pass/no-credit marks, tentatively beginning in fall 2027.

• Professors would still assign grades, but they wouldn't appear on external transcripts or count toward students' GPAs.

What they're saying: U-M says the idea, known as "grade covering," could help students adjust to college, take academic risks and "embrace the joy of learning."

• University spokesperson Chris Sebastian tells Axios that LSA faculty, staff and students will continue shaping the pilot, with more details to come this fall.

The other side: We asked U-M how it would respond to critics who say the policy could reduce academic motivation or rigor. The university declined to answer the question.

So, readers, what do you think? Is this a smart way to ease the transition to college, or does it go too far in insulating students from academic pressure?

Tell us: Email [email protected] and make your case.