Students divided as University of Michigan will hide first-semester grades for 2027 freshmen

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — University of Michigan students are split over a new administrative policy that will hide first-semester letter grades for incoming freshmen, with some welcoming the relief from academic pressure while others warn it could coddle students and fail to prepare them for the real world.

Starting in fall 2027, incoming first-year students enrolled in the university’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) will have their first-semester transcript grades designated strictly as pass (P) or no credit (NC).