Pass or Fail? Boomers Didn’t Get an Easy On-Ramp

The University of Michigan recently announced a new pass/fail grading system for incoming freshmen, saying the goal is to help first-year students acclimate to the demands of college and let intrinsic motivation guide their academic journey.That gets Kenn and Ron thinking: What happened to the way Boomers learned to deal with pressure?Kenn remembers his parents paying him a dollar for every A in elementary school—but being concerned when he brought home a bad citizenship grade.Ron looks back at being a college freshman in 1977, when 18 was still the legal drinking age and nobody was worried about creating an “easy on-ramp” to college life.The Boomers didn’t get participation trophies, pass/fail grades, or much of a transition period. You showed up, figured it out, dealt with the pressure—and sometimes you succeeded and sometimes you failed.So is today’s approach better for students, or are we simply raising a generation that is less prepared to deal with failure and pressure?Another Boomers on the Edge comparison of how things were then… and how they are today.Boomer rating: Under the Edge.Send us Fan Mailhttps://[email protected]