Laura Owen

Benjamin L. Castleman

Lindsay C. Page

In this article, the authors address what is called the "summer melt," where academically-accomplished, college-intending high school graduates fail to enroll anywhere in the year following high school, or do not attend the quality of institution (measured, for instance, by graduation rates) at which they have the academic credentials to be admitted. The authors' research focused on investigating whether college-ready, college-intending recent high school graduates benefit when high schools and universities collaborate to support their transition to college. Some questions included: (1) Do students who receive proactive outreach from a high school- or college-based counselor during the summer enroll in college at higher rates than students who do not receive outreach?; (2) Are students differentially responsive to outreach from counselors stationed at a university versus counselors stationed at their high school? ; and (3) Are student groups less represented on the University of New Mexico campus more responsive to proactive outreach than students that are more represented on campus? The study demonstrated that student groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education, such as Latino males, are more susceptible to having their college plans fall apart during the summer after high school graduation. In addition, the study also showed that concentrated and targeted outreach to underrepresented groups during the summer months can have a profound effect on whether they successfully matriculate, increasing their enrollment by 13 percent. Outreach from counselors stationed at the college side was particularly effective, suggesting that proactive communication and the offer of support from students' intended college may helpfully reinforce students' sense of belonging at and welcome from higher education institutions. The following are appended: (1) References; and (2) Tables and Figures.

Experimental Evidence from Albuquerque, New Mexico

Do College-Ready Students Benefit When High Schools and Colleges Collaborate?

Under increasing pressure to raise graduation rates and ensure that students leave high school college- and career-ready, many school and district leaders may believe that, when students graduate with college acceptances in hand, their work is done. But as Benjamin L. Castleman and Lindsay C. Page show, summer can be a time of significant attrition among college-intending seniors—especially those from low-income families. Anywhere from 10 to 40 percent of students presumed to be headed to college fail to matriculate at any postsecondary institution in the fall following high school. Summer Melt explores the complex factors that contribute to this trend—the absence of school support, confusion over paperwork, lack of parental guidance, and the teenage tendency to procrastinate. The authors draw on findings from fields such as neuroscience, behavioral economics, and social psychology to contextualize these factors. Drawing on a series of research studies, they show how schools and districts can develop effective, low-cost, scalable responses—including counselor outreach, peer mentoring, and using text messages and social media—to help students stay on track over the summer. Summer Melt offers very practical guidance for schools and districts committed to helping their students make the transition to college.

Supporting Low-Income Students Through the Transition to College

Summer Melt

Summer Melt is a timely book that combines neuroscience and psychology to answer a major question in pre-college education: How can we get students to stay focused? This book shares tech-inspired solutions and advice for getting students back on track.

For decades schools have invested substantial resources in boosting educational outcomes for disadvantaged students, but those investments have not always generated positive outcomes. Although many communities have expanded school choice, for example, families often choose to keep their children in failing schools. And while the federal government has increased the size of Pell Grants, many college-bound students who would be eligible for aid never apply. Then there is the troubling trend of “summer melt,” in which up to 40 percent of high school graduates who have been accepted to college, mostly from underserved communities, fail to show up for the fall semester. In The 160-Character Solution, Benjamin L. Castleman shows how insights from behavioral economics—the study of how social, cognitive, and emotional factors affect our decisions—can be leveraged to help students complete assignments, perform to their full potential on tests, and choose schools and colleges where they are well positioned for success. By employing behavioral strategies or “nudges,” Castleman shows, administrators, teachers, and parents can dramatically improve educational outcomes from preschool to college. Castleman applies the science of decision making to explain why inequalities persist at various stages in education and to identify innovative solutions to improve students’ academic achievement and attainment. By focusing on behavioral changes, Castleman demonstrates that small changes in how we ask questions, design applications, and tailor reminders can have remarkable impacts on student and school success.

Benjamin L. Castleman

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