U-M Tries Grade-Free Semester to Help Freshmen Beat Stress

New numbers reveal a hopeful trend at the University of Michigan. Depression symptoms slipped from 23 percent two years ago down to 18 percent recently. Suicidal thoughts also dropped from 15 percent to 11 percent. However, over a third of students still face moderate or severe depression. To fight this, the school is rolling out a bold experiment for its biggest college.

Next fall, incoming freshmen in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will join a trial. They'll keep their real first-semester grades for internal use. But those numbers won't appear on their main transcripts. Instead, they'll simply read as "pass" or "no credit." This trick keeps scores private while still helping with graduation requirements and scholarships.

Dean Rosario Ceballo calls this plan a chance to lower stress and boost mental health. He hopes students will dive into unknown subjects and find joy in learning. Tim McKay, the associate dean, adds that the approach builds confidence before the full academic load hits. The pilot covers only LSA freshmen during their very first semester.

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