diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/instructor_dashboard/student_admin.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/instructor_dashboard/student_admin.coffee
index 3030f622ce..3e5c8c27c2 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/instructor_dashboard/student_admin.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/instructor_dashboard/student_admin.coffee
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ class StudentAdmin
     @$table_running_tasks         = @$section.find ".running-tasks-table"
 
     # response areas
-    @$request_response_error_single = find_and_assert @$section, ".student-specific-container .request-response-error"
+    @$request_response_error_progress = find_and_assert @$section, ".student-specific-container .request-response-error"
+    @$request_response_error_grade = find_and_assert @$section, ".student-grade-container .request-response-error"
     @$request_response_error_all    = @$section.find ".course-specific-container .request-response-error"
 
     # start polling for task list
@@ -119,6 +120,8 @@ class StudentAdmin
     @$progress_link.click (e) =>
       e.preventDefault()
       unique_student_identifier = @$field_student_select_progress.val()
+      if not unique_student_identifier
+        return @$request_response_error_progress.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
 
       $.ajax
         dataType: 'json'
@@ -126,7 +129,7 @@ class StudentAdmin
         data: unique_student_identifier: unique_student_identifier
         success: @clear_errors_then (data) ->
           window.location = data.progress_url
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error getting student progress url for '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_progress.text "Error getting student progress url for '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
 
     # enroll student
     @$btn_enroll.click =>
@@ -140,7 +143,7 @@ class StudentAdmin
         url: @$btn_enroll.data 'endpoint'
         data: send_data
         success: @clear_errors_then -> console.log "student #{send_data.emails} enrolled"
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error enrolling student '#{send_data.emails}'."
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_progress.text "Error enrolling student '#{send_data.emails}'."
 
     # unenroll student
     @$btn_unenroll.click =>
@@ -153,12 +156,16 @@ class StudentAdmin
         url: @$btn_unenroll.data 'endpoint'
         data: send_data
         success: @clear_errors_then -> console.log "student #{send_data.emails} unenrolled"
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error unenrolling student '#{send_data.emails}'."
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_progress.text "Error unenrolling student '#{send_data.emails}'."
 
     # reset attempts for student on problem
     @$btn_reset_attempts_single.click =>
       unique_student_identifier = @$field_student_select_grade.val()
       problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_single.val()
+      if not unique_student_identifier
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
       send_data =
         unique_student_identifier: unique_student_identifier
         problem_to_reset: problem_to_reset
@@ -169,15 +176,21 @@ class StudentAdmin
         url: @$btn_reset_attempts_single.data 'endpoint'
         data: send_data
         success: @clear_errors_then -> alert "Success! Problem attempts reset for problem '#{problem_to_reset}' and student '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error resetting problem attempts for problem '#{problem_to_reset}' and student '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_grade.text "Error resetting problem attempts for problem '#{problem_to_reset}' and student '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
 
     # delete state for student on problem
-    @$btn_delete_state_single.click => confirm_then
-      msg: "Delete student '#{@$field_student_select_grade.val()}'s state on problem '#{@$field_problem_select_single.val()}'?"
-      ok: =>
+    @$btn_delete_state_single.click =>
+      unique_student_identifier = @$field_student_select_grade.val()
+      problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_single.val()
+      if not unique_student_identifier
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
+
+      if window.confirm "Delete student '#{unique_student_identifier}'s state on problem '#{problem_to_reset}'?"
         send_data =
-          unique_student_identifier: @$field_student_select_grade.val()
-          problem_to_reset: @$field_problem_select_single.val()
+          unique_student_identifier: unique_student_identifier
+          problem_to_reset: problem_to_reset
           delete_module: true
 
         $.ajax
@@ -185,12 +198,18 @@ class StudentAdmin
           url: @$btn_delete_state_single.data 'endpoint'
           data: send_data
           success: @clear_errors_then -> alert 'Module state successfully deleted.'
-          error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error deleting problem state."
+          error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_grade.text "Error deleting problem state."
+      else
+        @clear_errors()
 
     # start task to rescore problem for student
     @$btn_rescore_problem_single.click =>
       unique_student_identifier = @$field_student_select_grade.val()
       problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_single.val()
+      if not unique_student_identifier
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
       send_data =
         unique_student_identifier: unique_student_identifier
         problem_to_reset: problem_to_reset
@@ -200,18 +219,19 @@ class StudentAdmin
         url: @$btn_rescore_problem_single.data 'endpoint'
         data: send_data
         success: @clear_errors_then -> alert "Started rescore problem task for problem '#{problem_to_reset}' and student '#{unique_student_identifier}'. Click the 'Show Background Task History for Student' button to see the status of the task."
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error starting a task to rescore problem '#{problem_to_reset}' for student '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_grade.text "Error starting a task to rescore problem '#{problem_to_reset}' for student '#{unique_student_identifier}'."
 
     # list task history for student+problem
     @$btn_task_history_single.click =>
+      unique_student_identifier = @$field_student_select_grade.val()
+      problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_single.val()
+      if not unique_student_identifier
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_grade.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
       send_data =
-        unique_student_identifier: @$field_student_select_grade.val()
-        problem_urlname: @$field_problem_select_single.val()
-
-      if not send_data.unique_student_identifier
-        return @$request_response_error_single.text "Please enter a student email address or username."
-      if not send_data.problem_urlname
-        return @$request_response_error_single.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
+        unique_student_identifier: unique_student_identifier
+        problem_urlname: problem_to_reset
 
       $.ajax
         dataType: 'json'
@@ -219,13 +239,14 @@ class StudentAdmin
         data: send_data
         success: @clear_errors_then (data) =>
           create_task_list_table @$table_task_history_single, data.tasks
-        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_single.text "Error getting task history for student+problem"
+        error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_grade.text "Error getting task history for student '#{unique_student_identifier}' and problem '#{problem_to_reset}'."
 
     # start task to reset attempts on problem for all students
-    @$btn_reset_attempts_all.click => confirm_then
-      msg: "Reset attempts for all students on problem '#{@$field_problem_select_all.val()}'?"
-      ok: =>
-        problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_all.val()
+    @$btn_reset_attempts_all.click =>
+      problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_all.val()
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_all.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
+      if window.confirm "Reset attempts for all students on problem '#{@$field_problem_select_all.val()}'?"
         send_data =
           all_students: true
           problem_to_reset: problem_to_reset
@@ -236,12 +257,15 @@ class StudentAdmin
           data: send_data
           success: @clear_errors_then -> alert "Successfully started task to reset attempts for problem '#{problem_to_reset}'. Click the 'Show Background Task History for Problem' button to see the status of the task."
           error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_all.text "Error starting a task to reset attempts for all students on this problem."
+      else
+        @clear_errors()
 
     # start task to rescore problem for all students
-    @$btn_rescore_problem_all.click => confirm_then
-      msg: "Rescore problem '#{@$field_problem_select_all.val()}' for all students?"
-      ok: =>
-        problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_all.val()
+    @$btn_rescore_problem_all.click =>
+      problem_to_reset = @$field_problem_select_all.val()
+      if not problem_to_reset
+        return @$request_response_error_all.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
+      if window.confirm "Rescore problem '#{@$field_problem_select_all.val()}' for all students?"
         send_data =
           all_students: true
           problem_to_reset: problem_to_reset
@@ -252,6 +276,8 @@ class StudentAdmin
           data: send_data
           success: @clear_errors_then -> alert "Successfully started task to rescore problem '#{problem_to_reset}' for all students. Click the 'Show Background Task History for Problem' button to see the status of the task."
           error: std_ajax_err => @$request_response_error_all.text "Error starting a task to rescore this problem for all students."
+      else
+        @clear_errors()
 
     # list task history for problem
     @$btn_task_history_all.click =>
@@ -259,7 +285,7 @@ class StudentAdmin
         problem_urlname: @$field_problem_select_all.val()
 
       if not send_data.problem_urlname
-        return @$request_response_error_all.text "Enter a problem urlname."
+        return @$request_response_error_all.text "Please enter a problem urlname."
 
       $.ajax
         dataType: 'json'
@@ -279,11 +305,18 @@ class StudentAdmin
 
   # wraps a function, but first clear the error displays
   clear_errors_then: (cb) ->
-    @$request_response_error_single.empty()
+    @$request_response_error_progress.empty()
+    @$request_response_error_grade.empty()
     @$request_response_error_all.empty()
     ->
       cb?.apply this, arguments
 
+
+  clear_errors: ->
+    @$request_response_error_progress.empty()
+    @$request_response_error_grade.empty()
+    @$request_response_error_all.empty()
+
   # handler for when the section title is clicked.
   onClickTitle: -> @task_poller?.start()
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
index 001987ec18..f3fc7b6054 100644
--- a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
+++ b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@
   -->
 
   <hr>
+</div>
 
+<div class="student-grade-container action-type-container">
   <h2>${_("Student-specific grade adjustment")}</h2>
-
+  <div class="request-response-error"></div>
   <p>
     <!-- Doesn't work for username but this MUST work -->
   ${_("Specify the {platform_name} email address or username of a student here:").format(platform_name=settings.PLATFORM_NAME)}