By Lindsay Page, Aizat Nurshatayeva, Ellen Bryer, and Christina Claiborne of The Annenberg Institute at Brown University and Katharine Meyer of The Brookings Institution
Reading time: Seven minutes
A new EdResearch for Action brief outlines how schools and districts can design and deliver supports to ensure college-intending high school graduates successfully enroll in college.
Each year, thousands of high school graduates who intend to go to college never make it to campus, a phenomenon known as summer melt. Nationally, about 10% to 20% of college-intending students fail to enroll in the fall. Among low-income students, melt rates are significantly higher.
Students who do not enroll in college the fall after high school are much less likely to re-enroll later, which limits their long-term economic prospects and deepens systemic inequities in education and the workforce. While college might not be the best path for everyone, postsecondary education remains a powerful driver of economic security and opportunity. Furthermore, between 10 and 17% of young adults ages 18 to 25 in the US have been disconnected from both school and work, neither enrolled in school nor working, in the past decade.
In a recent EdResearch for Action brief, we outlined design principles and evidence-based practices for schools and districts to reduce summer melt. Our findings are below! The kinds of supports described in this brief could make a meaningful difference for many of these young people, helping them access college and expand their opportunities for the future.
What causes summer melt?
There are several roadblocks that can cause summer melt. Many students struggle to interpret financial aid award forms and letters or are caught off guard by unanticipated costs, such as housing deposits, meal plans, or student health insurance. Others believe their aid is finalized when key forms or verifications are still incomplete. These financial uncertainties can delay or derail enrollment decisions, especially for students with limited family support to navigate the process.
Even when students are confident they can afford college, students must navigate complex and unfamiliar enrollment tasks: submitting forms, signing up for orientation, completing placement tests, and more. Without support from high school counselors or clear communication from colleges during the summer months, many students miss key deadlines or get stuck trying to access portals and complete tasks.
Finally, students may face social and emotional barriers to enrollment. Shocks from disruptive events, feelings of uncertainty, impostor syndrome, fear of leaving home, or doubts about whether college is "for them" can grow during the summer. These internal hurdles can be especially powerful for first-generation college-goers and those without strong networks of college-going peers.
Who should “own” summer melt work?
While summer melt occurs in the “gap” between high school and college, both districts and colleges have critical roles to play in supporting students through this transition. Districts are well-positioned to reach recent graduates because they already have the data, relationships, and communication infrastructure to stay connected with students. Colleges, in turn, have better insight into the tasks students must complete before enrollment and can tailor outreach to students’ specific needs and milestones.
How can districts assess the extent of summer melt for their students?
Districts can’t intervene if they don’t have good data on students’ risk of melting. Senior exit surveys, especially when completed close to graduation, can capture students’ plans, deposit status, and summer contact information. When student exit surveys aren't available, school counselors could assemble their own records on students’ reported college-going plans.
Districts can then compare these intention measures with enrollment records from the National Student Clearinghouse, or partnerships with local colleges can help districts estimate melt rates and target support for subsequent cohorts of students.
What strategies can schools and districts implement to reduce summer melt?
We identified four primary models with strong evidence of reducing summer melt by targeting a combination of
Reducing financial aid uncertainties,
Supporting the completion of complex pre-enrollment tasks, and
Helping students overcome social and emotional barriers.
Behavioral Nudges and Messaging
These programs use text message communication or other digital tools to deliver timely reminders and task-specific guidance. They are highly scalable and cost-effective. Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) have found that text messaging campaigns can
reduce summer melt by up to 10 percentage points. Example programs
include the “Pounce” summer melt chatbot at Georgia State University, the OtterBot chatbot used by the Washington Student Achievement Council, and a text message campaign from Texas school districts that increased students’ completion of college-going
steps and increased enrollment for students who did not qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.
Counselor-Led Summer Outreach
Staff (often school counselors or trained advisors) conduct one-on-one outreach during the summer to help students navigate and complete critical college enrollment steps. RCTs have found that students who received counselor-led outreach starting in their junior year were seven percentage points more likely to enroll in college than those who did not. Example programs include a counseling partnership between Albuquerque Public Schools and the University of New Mexico that increased enrollment for Latino males.
Peer or Near-Peer Support
These programs rely on current college students or recent graduates to guide students through summer tasks, leveraging relatability and lived experience. RCTs have found that peer and near-peer mentors increase four-year college enrollment and are especially impactful for Black, Latino/a, and low-income students. High schools are well-positioned to identify recent graduates who have enrolled in college and can serve as mentors to current high school students.
Summer-Bridge Programs
These are pre-college academic or orientation programs offered during the summer to prepare students for the transition to college. Evidence shows that summer bridge programs can boost academic preparedness, increase student aspirations, and improve college completion. While these programs typically are run by and housed on college campuses, high schools and districts can play a crucial role in establishing partnerships with local institutions and providing insights into the bridge activities that would be most useful for their student populations.
Design principles for reducing summer melt
Whether implementing text-message outreach or a summer bridge partnership, we identified key design principles for districts and partners to follow that will improve the likelihood of reducing summer melt.
Content
Start early and extend support beyond graduation Effective programs start as early as junior year and extend into the post-graduation period, when traditional guidance structures fade and students face critical next
steps on their own.
Focus supports on students most at risk Students from low-income families, first-generation college-goers, and those attending community colleges face the highest melt rates. Targeting these students ensures limited resources
are allocated where they are needed most.
Provide clear, proactive financial guidance Confusion about financial aid, housing, or registration often derails students. Proactive, easy-to-understand communication, especially in students’ home languages, about aid packages,
required documents, and key deadlines can be effective at keeping students on track.
Delivery
Build trust between support providers and students Students are more likely to respond to support from people and institutions they know, relate to, or affiliate with. Successful programs build on existing trust by training school counselors, hiring recent alumni as mentors, or partnering with college staff to offer credible, consistent guidance.
Use personalized, actionable communication Whether through text messages, chatbots, or in-person outreach, the most effective efforts tailor messages to a student’s intended college, deadlines, and next steps. Clear,
personalized guidance with direct links to action is more likely to prompt follow-through than general reminders.
Infrastructure
Equip staff with data access Programs are more effective when they have access to key student data. Access to real-time college application and financial aid information allows for timely interventions.
Train and support staff Summer melt programs are more effective when they provide training and supervision for staff. Well-trained, supported mentors can address both logistical and emotional needs of students.
Combine digital tools with human connection Technology can help scale outreach but cannot fully replace person-to-person support. Effective models pair low-cost digital nudges with one-on-one advising or individualized follow-up
to address complex questions and keep students moving forward.
Recognizing the importance of continuous support
While there are many programs offered to high school students or to college students, too often programs fail to provide continuous support through the summer transition, at a time when students often need the most support and counseling.
About EdResearch for Action
EdResearch for Action–a joint initiative of Results for America and the Annenberg Institute at Brown University–brings together education leaders, policymakers, and researchers to partner on effective, evidence-based strategies for improving schools.
EdResearch for Action briefs summarize the evidence base on key topics and provide K-12 education decision-makers and advocates with practical, operational guidance for using that evidence to achieve positive outcomes for students.
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