To help reduce the confusion caused by online classes in the wake of the coronavirus, more than 190 colleges in the United States have offered alternative grading methods to give students more flexibility and control over their academic performance.

Many universities have moved to the pass/fail option, which allows students to choose which classes will count toward their grade-point average (GPA) numerically, and which classes they will take pass/fail without a numerical value.

When colleges and universities closed their campuses earlier this year and converted to online courses, several student organizations petitioned their universities to adopt a pass/fail grading system for the term.

Online courses have generally been met with disappointment and frustration by students and educators alike. “I’m not an online learner,” said Sarah Kurian, a junior from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

“It’s more difficult to engage and harder to retain information,” Kurian said.

Many university students have expressed being in favor of pass/fail during the global pandemic.

“All we want is a choice. Don’t force a system that is going to be detrimental to our grades and our GPA that we have, up to this point, worked hard to maintain. Give us the choice between the pass/fail system and receiving a letter grade,” tweeted Emma Davenport, a student from the University of Central Arkansas.

“Today my power went out and I had to sit in my car with my computer. While my phone charged so I could use my hot spot to get an important assignment done. Some people aren’t so lucky. Simply put, that is why Pass/Fail is important,” tweeted another student from Stephen F. Austin State in Nacogdoches, Texas, on Twitter.

“The pass/fail grading system is necessary because everyone is going through a different situation,” said Youjin Cho, a senior at George Mason University. “I was originally planning to stick with the letter grades, but then I decided to go back to Korea last minute because COVID-19 was getting worse in the U.S. So, for me, having the option to either choose a letter grade or pass/fail during this turbulent time gave me peace of mind.”

Other universities have adopted a universal pass/fail grading policy for the semester, instead of giving students a choice.

So far, four Ivy League schools — Yale, Harvard, Columbia and Dartmouth — have approved the mandatory pass/fail grading. Top U.S. law schools, such as Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford, also have followed by adopting a universal pass/fail grading option.

Some students, however, have also voiced concerns about that.

“The pass/fail system is a disgrace to students who have worked hard for their A’s. For me, this is my best semester, and the pass/fail system takes away my GPA, which I need for internships and many other career opportunities,” said Jasmine McCollum, a student at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.