University of Michigan Implements Pass/Fail Grading for First-Semester Freshmen

The University of Michigan will implement a pass/fail grading system for first-semester freshmen starting in the fall 2025 semester. This policy aims to help students adjust to college life and address mental health concerns. The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, which enrolls approximately 3,500 first-year students, will adopt this grading scheme, while students in the business and engineering colleges will not be affected. Under this system, letter grades will still be recorded for compliance and advising purposes but will not appear on transcripts or impact GPA calculations. Grading will revert to the traditional model in the second semester. This approach is similar to a program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which has used a pass/no record grading system for freshmen since 1968. The University of Michigan's decision aligns with a broader trend among universities reevaluating grading practices, including a recent vote by Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences to limit 'A' grades to about 20% of undergraduate enrollment starting in fall 2027.