Every spring, our seniors cross the stage, diploma in hand, college acceptance letter already sitting at home, and it feels like the hard part is over. Yet for thousands of students across the country, the summer between high school and college is where the journey quietly stalls. Researchers call it “summer melt,” and it often comes down to something small: a missed deadline, a confusing form, a question with no one around to ask.
20–30%
of college-accepted high school graduates in urban districts never make it to the fall semester, a number that climbs even higher among low-income students, with attrition rates as high as 40 percent.
At Take Stock in Children, and specifically through our Take Stock in College and Career program, we know college success doesn’t start in the fall. It starts with a strong transition. That’s why Summer Melt programming is such a key part of how we support our graduating seniors all the way to their first day on campus and beyond.
What Take Stock in Children Does
- Our staff work one-on-one with students on the tasks that tend to trip students up, things like orientation, housing, and class registration.
- We help students navigate FAFSA verification, award packages, and scholarship requirements, so funding is in place before the semester starts.
- We stay in touch through regular texts and check-ins to keep deadlines from slipping by unnoticed.
This kind of steady, personal support works, and research backs it up.
66.4% → 72.1%
One national evaluation found that personalized text reminders to students and their families about key college tasks increased enrollment among low-income students from 66.4 percent to 72.1 percent, nearly a 6 percent jump from something as simple as staying in touch. It’s exactly the kind of outreach our own texting campaigns are built on.
18 texts • 9 emails • 101 support cases
In July 2026, our Take Stock in College and Career team has already sent 18 text check-ins and 9 emails to more than 1,900 new high school graduates. The team has 101 student support cases they’re actively working on to ensure every student stays on track for their first day of class.
That’s what Summer Melt programming is really about. Not just helping students get into college, but making sure they actually get there. It means fewer students falling through the cracks, more students starting the fall with confidence instead of confusion, and a stronger sense that someone still has their back after high school graduation.
Because for our students, success was never just about walking across that stage. It’s about what comes next, and we’re with them every step of the way.