Read our Privacy noticeThe University of Michigan plans to transition first-semester freshmen into a pass or no-credit grading system beginning next fall to help address mental health challenges among young adults. open image in gallery The University of Michigan will drop first-semester grades for freshmen beginning next fall to help address mental health challenges among young adults ( Getty Images )The change comes amid broader national debates surrounding grade inflation and freshman preparedness. At Harvard University, faculty voted in May to cap the proportion of A grades at 20 percent per undergraduate course. Data reviewed by the news outlet MLive showed that 74.1 percent of undergraduate grades at Michigan in 2022 were in the A range, compared to 57.6 percent a decade earlier. Reaction to the announcement has drawn varied responses from academic staff, students and observers online.