University of Michigan to nix letter grades for many first-semester students
The University of Michigan will stop recording letter grades on external transcripts for the first semester of many new undergraduates in its College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). From autumn 2027, those results will instead appear as pass or no credit and will not count towards students’ GPAs, a change intended to help first-year students adjust to university study and take academic risks.
Students will still receive their letter grades and feedback from instructors, while the university will retain the records for advising, compliance, scholarships and relevant applications. The policy applies only to LSA first-year students’ first semester, rather than to all University of Michigan students or their entire degrees.
- LSA freshmen’s first-semester grades will become pass/no credit from 2027.
- The grades will not appear on external transcripts or affect GPAs.
- Students and the university will still retain detailed grade records.