Failing college classes, bombing tests, missing assignment after assignment—this is becoming the norm for some college freshmen. With the unique pressures of the pandemic, is it really fair to expect more of an 18-year-old?

The whole world is feeling the strain of living in isolation and distancing from others, while trying to keep going. College students are feeling this to another extreme, because it’s impacting an entire stage in their lives.

What should colleges and professors expect of your freshman during the pandemic? Should they hold your freshman up to regular grading standards? Should they pass students who are trying?

Below I attempt to answer these questions by discussing these 3 ideas:

• Why are college freshmen really performing so poorly in their courses?

• What do college grades measure during a pandemic?

• Are college freshmen entitled to earn passing grades in their class?

Why are college freshmen really performing so poorly in their courses?

Average students are performing below average during the pandemic. I can tell you this first-hand as a college instructor. Students who normally would earn average to above average grades are struggling with basic skills like time management, consistent communication, and studying habits.

There are many reasons that students are struggling, but here are just a few possible explanations:

• They’re dealing with restrictive health protocols. Thinking through who they’re around, how they spend time together, who will wear face masks—this is very stressful for a college freshman. The weariness of abiding by mask-wearing and distancing from peers is wearing on students. Even if they willingly abide by these policies, they are tired of it. 

• They’re managing different levels of stress. College is stressful for freshmen without the added component of a pandemic. The pandemic adds an extra layer of stress to the regular stress of assignment deadlines, work shifts, and regular adult tasks like laundry. This is difficult for an individual just entering adulthood.

• They’re using coping mechanisms in extremes. Netflix, TikTok, you name it and they’re spending hours, not just occasional glances, on these distractions. To escape the stress of college, your freshman may be spending more time than in the past. In balance these mechanisms can help provide a nice break, but in the extreme these coping mechanisms are distracting them from school work and sucking away hours of your freshman’s day.

Parents and students alike are struggling to keep functioning during the pandemic. We all are stressed, weary, and maybe not coping using the best methods. Since everyday life is incredibly unprecedented, should grades be a priority? Should college’s even measure classes with grades? Should every freshman get a passing mark this year?

What do college grades measure during a pandemic?

In an article for Inside Higher Ed, Jessica Calarco—associate professor of sociology at Indiana University—debates the meaning of a grade during the Spring 2020 semester. She points to grades as being more of an indicator of socioeconomic status and other uncontrollable factors rather than a sign of skill or lack of skill.

Following the Spring 2020 semester, however, many schools have returned to the traditional grading system. These colleges claim the pass/fail grading system was a temporary measure that was intended only to be temporary. North Kentucky University, one of the schools returning to their previous grading system, claims that “traditional grading structure is the option that best leads to student success” (Inside Higher Ed, 2020).

So what are grades really assessing at this point? In an article for USA Today, Alia Wong claims that “the purpose of grades is—or at least should be—to ensure students excel in the long run.” Though this comment is in direct connection with pre-college students, is this accurate? Should “the name of the game,” as Wong concludes, “be grace”?

These are unprecedented times. No one answer provided in this post could account for the complexity of every college freshman’s situation. As a college instructor, I can only provide what I have seen teaching throughout the pandemic both online and in-person. Here are my observations about grades during the pandemic:

• Your freshman’s bad habits are more detrimental to their grades. Without a doubt, students who performed at an average level (whether due to skill or effort) are doing poorly. They’re not keeping up with the details. They’re falling behind. They’re struggling to keep their head above whatever. Most of the situations I have seen are directly tied to bad habits that are only magnified during a pandemic.

• Your freshman’s learning curve is bigger. It’s not fair. It’s simply frustrating, but your freshman’s college experience has been anything but normal. The regular adjustment to college that happens typically in the first month to semester is now taking longer. Freshmen are having to overcome bigger obstacles than freshmen of the past.

• Your freshman’s choices have bigger consequences. While this statement is true of any new college student, it is even more true during a pandemic. Choosing to not reach out for help can lead to more long-term consequences. Not connecting with a peer or not attending virtual gatherings leave your freshman more isolated than in the past.

• Your freshman’s need to self-advocate is greater. Self-advocacy is a critical skill for your freshman to develop. During a pandemic it’s not simply critical is essential for survival in college. If your freshman doesn’t reach out, doesn’t ask for help, doesn’t communicate a unique barrier or obstacle, they will struggle to make it. As much as their college may try to connect with them, they need to be willing to accept help and connect back.

Are college freshmen entitled to earn passing grades in their class?

There are significant and notable obstacles blocking the path of college freshmen during a global pandemic. Learning now is cumbersome and complex. It isn’t ideal, but this doesn’t mean learning can’t happen.

Life isn’t normal, but it isn’t ever completely “normal.” The lessons your freshman will emerge with after experiencing these difficult times shouldn’t be diminished. They are what is truly valuable.

Many educators, researchers, and other more qualified individuals will differ on the answer to this question. There is something to be said, however, about the reward of earning a grade. There is also reward in seeing that a grade is a grade, not typically a turning point in your life. It’s a turning of a page. 

Grades shouldn’t be viewed as destiny-determiners. They shouldn’t be given that kind of power. Consistently poor grades can limit opportunities and close doors, but grades aren’t the real outcome or product your freshman gets at college. The skills, knowledge, and ability they develop—that’s what truly carries value.