U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’ • Hacker News Board

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#201

Post by Aurornis » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:31 PM UTC

bakies wrote: post #143

_zoltan_ wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

we wake up at 7, prep the kids to school, they walk there alone then, we have coffee together, then I drive to the office by usually 9:30. have a proper lunch break with colleagues, then in the office until 6pm or so, then drive home, have dinner, put the kids in bed by 8, then we can watch a movie/do hobbies/etc. while I work, my wife can do the shopping and take care of other household chores if needed.

No one my age can afford a stay at home wife

Most of the stay at home spouses I know come from lower middle class households and they’ve made their lifestyle, living location, and other spending decisions fit their desired work arrangement. Even many of the construction contractors I’ve talked to recently (which is a decent number due to some remodel work) have stay at home wives.

What most people can’t afford is to maintain their desired lifestyle and only have one parent working. It’s similar to how people earning 3-4X the median wages for an area will think they’re barely getting by, while someone earning 1/4 of what they do is raising a family with two kids.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#202

Post by naasking » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:32 PM UTC

wolttam wrote: post #196

cm2187 wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how kids have managed to deal with that for two centuries…

Live in an overall less uncertain environment?

What's less certain about modern environments compared to past ones?

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#203

Post by SiempreViernes » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:32 PM UTC

cm2187 wrote: post #190

cogman10 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a pretty different environment going from high school to college. There's a dynamic change that's pretty sudden where your parents are no long really in the picture for support. What they are trying to do is keep the kids that would otherwise do well but might freak out in the first semester. Seems pretty fine to me especially since those are grades that if we are being honest really don't matter anyways.

I wonder how kids have managed to deal with that for two centuries…

He just said: they freaked out, dropped out and did some less qualified work. Meanwhile inept kids from money who were taught that form them effort is not required went on to get lucrative jobs without merit, and now Trump is president.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#204

Post by triceratops » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:32 PM UTC

ackbar03 wrote: post #123

joezydeco wrote: post #15

When you force high school kids to work days that are significantly longer than a normal adult to achieve a good GPA and get into a good college, you can expect that they are going to throttle back once they're away from home with way more free time than is normal. From my kid's experience: she was up at 6:30am, in AP classes by 7:30am (three more to go during the day). Classes were done by 3:00, then sports practice…

Sorry if this seems naive but do students in America actually work that hard these days? Modern television and social media seem to suggest they are all on drugs and doing God knows what

Bimodal economy.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#205

Post by rpdillon » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:32 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #15

When you force high school kids to work days that are significantly longer than a normal adult to achieve a good GPA and get into a good college, you can expect that they are going to throttle back once they're away from home with way more free time than is normal. From my kid's experience: she was up at 6:30am, in AP classes by 7:30am (three more to go during the day). Classes were done by 3:00, then sports practice…

Same with my kids. At the bus stop by 6:30am, out doing sports and extra-curriculars until 8pm, then dinner+homework until 11pm or so, rinse and repeat.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#206

Post by nukethebay » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:33 PM UTC

mrngld wrote: post #116

boelboel wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes I wonder where all these HNers work. The majority of "slightly below top companies" seem to consist of mediocre workers, which is fine. Employees are just doing their job and if they fuck up, even badly, it's not too difficult for them to get a new job. Meanwhile a student getting a few subpar grades, often for reasons beyond their control, should somehow be punished forever.

I don't get all this existential talk about college acceptance. Yes, elite schools should expect elite applicants. Meanwhile, the state school down the road is a fraction the cost, teaches a lot of the same content, and will accept anyone with a pulse. In my state, at least. State universities are somewhat competitive to get into, but state colleges... wide open. All of which is very real-world. Certain top firms rec…

[dead]

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#207

Post by red-iron-pine » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:33 PM UTC

cm2187 wrote: post #190

cogman10 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a pretty different environment going from high school to college. There's a dynamic change that's pretty sudden where your parents are no long really in the picture for support. What they are trying to do is keep the kids that would otherwise do well but might freak out in the first semester. Seems pretty fine to me especially since those are grades that if we are being honest really don't matter anyways.

I wonder how kids have managed to deal with that for two centuries…

alcohol and sleeping in

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#208

Post by Aurornis » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:34 PM UTC

alephnerd wrote: post #45

bradfa wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are normal adults not "working" in a similar way to your kid for 15+ hours per weekday? Comparable adult parent things would be up at 6am, prep kids for school day, in the office by 8am, 8 hours of work plus a lunch, departing the office around 5pm, transporting kids to/from some activities, dinner, helping kids with homework, somehow fit in regular shopping needs (food, essentials, etc), maybe some volunteering or h…

Naw. Adult life is so much easier with regards to competitive pressure compared to getting into a good college. The real world is Pass/Fail, much to the chagrin of plenty of HNers.

> Adult life is so much easier with regards to competitive pressure compared to getting into a good college

You’re competing apples and oranges. Getting into a top college is similar to grinding to get into Big Tech jobs and then climb the ladder there.

Good colleges are easy. The top few colleges are very hard.

> The real world is Pass/Fail, much to the chagrin of plenty of HNers.

If by “fail” you mean lose your job in the next round of layoffs and have your career derailed, possibly.

You’re still comparing apples and oranges. The people who compete for top college spots usually continue competing for promotions and better paying jobs. The people who coast through high school look for jobs where they can coast and then get comfortable with whatever salary that provides them.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#209

Post by disgruntledphd2 » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:34 PM UTC

bakies wrote: post #143

_zoltan_ wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

we wake up at 7, prep the kids to school, they walk there alone then, we have coffee together, then I drive to the office by usually 9:30. have a proper lunch break with colleagues, then in the office until 6pm or so, then drive home, have dinner, put the kids in bed by 8, then we can watch a movie/do hobbies/etc. while I work, my wife can do the shopping and take care of other household chores if needed.

No one my age can afford a stay at home wife

> No one my age can afford a stay at home wife

If you work in tech, this is possible. It's gonna suck, and you'll feel poor relative to your peers, but it's entirely possible.

Re: U of Michigan drops first-semester grades to ‘curb mental health crisis’

#210

Post by disgruntledphd2 » Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 1:37 PM UTC

mrngld wrote: post #116

boelboel wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes I wonder where all these HNers work. The majority of "slightly below top companies" seem to consist of mediocre workers, which is fine. Employees are just doing their job and if they fuck up, even badly, it's not too difficult for them to get a new job. Meanwhile a student getting a few subpar grades, often for reasons beyond their control, should somehow be punished forever.

I don't get all this existential talk about college acceptance. Yes, elite schools should expect elite applicants. Meanwhile, the state school down the road is a fraction the cost, teaches a lot of the same content, and will accept anyone with a pulse. In my state, at least. State universities are somewhat competitive to get into, but state colleges... wide open. All of which is very real-world. Certain top firms rec…

> I don't get all this existential talk about college acceptance. Yes, elite schools should expect elite applicants.

As a non-US person who's worked for a bunch of US companies, my belief is that the Ivy League et al act as a class system, rather than a symbol of educational attainment.