Dive Brief:
- More than 20% of students who intend to enroll in college never make it to campus, according to an NPR report based on an analysis of students in the Boston area.
- There are a variety of factors which account for this — including mistakes in administrative paperwork that leave students unable to access necessary scholarships and a lack of access to professional counsel, like guidance counselors, during the summer before college enrollment when they may need support.
- Researchers found that, nationally, the summer melt can range from 10% to 40%, and it disproportionately affects students from low-income backgrounds or with parents who didn't attend college, though high school students may also find difficulty in parsing grant aid versus loan aid and determining how much they will have to pay back if they don't have assistance.
Dive Insight:
There is an increased understanding among educators and administrators about the need to combat "summer learning loss" by offering remedial instruction, opportunities and options for summer education and enlightenment, as well as in-school programs for interested students. Educators hope that such options may lessen the impact the summer break may have on a student when they reenter school in the fall.
Administrators may need to take a similar approach to combating "summer melt" by understanding that their responsibilities may extend beyond graduation into the summer of transition between high school and college. School and district leaders could try to secure funding to retain guidance counselors during the summer in an advisory capacity, benefiting students facing the pressure of financial aid applications during the summer. Additionally, school leaders could establish relationships with community organizations who may be able to act as a resource for students while their former high school is closed for the break.