Explore

WATCH: 74 Explains — What Is ‘Summer Melt’? And Could Text Messages Reverse the Disturbing Trend?


Summer melt, the disturbing national phenomenon of thousands of college-accepted teens falling off the map in the summer months after high school graduation, ultimately failing to matriculate at college, affects anywhere from 10 percent to 40 percent of America’s campus-bound students. The highest rates of summer melt are found among students from low-income families and first-generation students — those who are the first in their families to go to college. Now America’s largest charter school network has launched a texting pilot program that sends alumni “nudges” throughout the summer in hopes of keeping them on track. The 74 explains…

—Edited by James Fields

Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

Republish This Article

We want our stories to be shared as widely as possible — for free.

Please view The 74's republishing terms.





On The 74 Today