Rethinking deadlines to support student success
Dec. 1, 2025
What if the key to reducing student stress and improving performance wasn't about being more lenient, but about being more strategic? Post-COVID research indicates that small, evidence-based changes to deadline policies can significantly reduce anxiety without compromising academic outcomes. Even better, these changes particularly benefit first-generation students and those balancing work, family, and mental health challenges. This isn't about lowering standards; it's about designing policies that support both learning and wellbeing.