Reduce Summer Melt: Practical Strategies for Higher Education

The summer crunch is here, and institutions are looking for effective ways to reduce summer melt. At the same time, high school graduates and their families are navigating big decisions—identifying the best educational fit and finalizing a plan to cover the cost. 

For students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, the period between graduation and move-in is often filled with uncertainty. Reversing the melt trend takes more than reminders—it demands strategic, student-centered outreach from every corner of the enrollment team. 

So what can enrollment management leaders—from admissions and advising to financial aid, the registrar, and student accounts—do to help students cross the enrollment finish line? This post outlines practical, high-impact strategies to reduce summer melt and support students through this critical transition. 

What Strategies Reduce Summer Melt?

The drivers of summer melt are often a mix of financial uncertainty and communication gaps. Students who commit in May quietly disengage by August—not because they’ve changed their minds, but because they’ve lost clarity, confidence, or connection. 

That’s why reducing melt starts with resources two key actions:  

• Ensuring resources are visible and accessible 
• Delivering outreach communication that feels personal and timely 

When institutions meet students where they are—and stay with them through every step—they build the trust and momentum needed to carry students from commitment to campus. 

Make Student Support Accessible

The specific needs of students may vary, but the accessibility of opportunities to engage should not be based on speculation or guessing. The short answer is always to meet the student where they are. 

Ask 10 students about their preferred method of communication and you might get 10 different answers.  That’s why a multichannel approach is the foundation for success. To stay engaged with students throughout the summer, focus on multiple forms of accessibility and communication – depending on the tools and capacity within your institution.  

Multi-channel means giving students options in how they communicate and receive information. In pre-cycle planning, review your CRM or Student Information Systems to set up preferred methods and use that data to tailor your approach. 

Use Polls and Surveys to Identify Student Concerns

Don’t speculate what students are concerned about, it today’s digital age, the access and anwsers are there, all you have to do is ask. Provide surveys or “polls” using social media or email to engage the student in identifying their biggest fears or questions around showing up in the fall.   

• What’s causing hesitation? 
• What are they unsure about?  

For example, fear of the unknown, fear of not fitting in, fear of lack of funding, etc. Respond to the identified areas on a one-on-one level using personalized video messaging, emails, phone calls, texts, and other methods to address their specific concerns and offer reassurance. 

Help Students Understand College Cost Breakdown

The saying “money talks” holds true in higher education, too—especially in the weeks between high school graduation and the first day of class. Even students that are academically prepared will hesitate in the face of financial uncertainty.  

Ellucian’s Student Voice Report reinforces how even modest aid changes matter: 

“Almost half of students say a $5,000 difference in scholarship aid would change their top school choice.” 

Financial aid clarity is a key factor to ensure follow through on enrollment. Institutions should go beyond award letters and offer transparent breakdowns of actual costs and what is due out of pocket. A simple “Plan to Pay” worksheet can help students and families understand the financial reality.

A variety of examples are available online to draw inspiration from: 

• Penn State Abington Example PDF 
• Trevecca Nazarene University Example 
• New York University Geneseo Example 

The goal is clarity. When students and families can visualize the financial path ahead, they’re more likely to stay on track. 

Offer Virtual One-on-One Financial Planning Sessions

When students have a clear cost breakdown, providing personalized support can make all the difference in getting them to take action.  

Financial aid is becoming more central to enrollment, but 80% of students who applied for financial aid say they never met one-on-one with an aid administrator. It’s often a capacity issue – with many financial aid professionals managing over 2,000 cases per year, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for personal outreach. That’s where virtual sessions become a great tool. 

High-Impact Virtual Session Checklist: 

• Keep it short and structured (15–30 minutes)
• Include both financial aid and student accounts staff 
• Review the award letter together 
• Confirm the itemized student bill 
• Use the “Plan to Pay” worksheet live with the student 
• Clarify payment options and deadlines 

Strategically using technology can create space for high-value touch points—especially students who are at risk of melt without them. 

Want to get more from your tech stack?
Read Build a Financial Aid Technology Strategy for Maximum ROI for actionable insights that help you align tools, teams, and timelines.

Connect Prospective Students with Peers

Provide opportunities for incoming students to connect with current students from a range of financial backgrounds. Peer connections offer valuable insight into how others have successfully managed both academics and finances during their first year. 

These peer connections can take many forms: 

• In-person meetups with current students 
• Virtual Q&A panels or student-hosted webinars 
• Phone introductions or text-based welcome messages 
• AI-powered chatbots designed with real student stories and FAQs 

Want to see what this looks like in practice? 
Read FAS Consultant Sean Hudson’s experience as a first-year parent, as he and his family navigated Xavier University’s student engagement strategy—from stadium welcome events to ongoing peer-led engagement. 👉 Read the blog [at this link.]

Provide a Summer Task Checklist

Make a task checklist available via the student portal or an AI chatbot. This checklist should guide students through key steps, such as completing Loan Entrance Counseling and signing the Master Promissory Note for those using federal student loans. Ensure deadlines and requirements are clearly explained and easy to follow. 

Turn Down the Heat with Financial Aid Services

Don’t let the summer overwhelm your financial aid team. Let’s start a conversation on ways to help your team implement strategies to beat the summer melt and prepare for a strong fall term.