A Trickle or a Torrent? Understanding the Extent of Summer "Melt" Among College‐Intending High School Graduates1. (17th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castleman, Benjamin L.; Page, Lindsay C.
• Is Part Of: Social science quarterly. Volume 95:Number 1(2014)
• Page Start: 202
• Page End: 220
• Publication Date: 2013-04-17
• Subjects: Political science -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-4941

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ssqu12032-sec-0010" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>The object of this study was to examine whether college‐intending, low‐income high school graduates are particularly susceptible to having their postsecondary education plans change, or even fall apart, during the summer after high school graduation. College access research has largely overlooked this time period. Yet, previous research indicates that a sizeable share of low‐income students who had paid college deposits reconsidered where, and even whether, to enroll in the months following graduation. We assess the extent to which this phenomenon—commonly referred to as "summer melt"—is broadly generalizable.</p> </sec> <sec id="ssqu12032-sec-0020" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We employ two data sources, a national survey and administrative data from a large metropolitan area, and regression analysis to estimate the prevalence of summer melt.</p> </sec> <sec id="ssqu12032-sec-0030" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Our analyses reveal summer melt rates of sizeable magnitude: ranging from 8 to 40 percent.</p> </sec> <sec id="ssqu12032-sec-0040" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Our results indicate that low‐income, college‐intending students experience high rates of summer attrition from the college pipeline. Given the goal of improving the flow of low‐income students to and through college, it is imperative to investigate how to effectively intervene and mitigate summer melt.</p> </sec> </abstract>