Summer Transition 2025
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Summer Transition Hubs Support
For our college-bound seniors, the summer after graduation can be challenging. Now beyond the support of their school and not yet part of their postsecondary community, students face an array of complex college-entry tasks to navigate and deadlines to meet. During this time even the best-prepared can fall prey to the phenomenon identified in national research as Summer Melt - without the resources to meet challenges that occur, many find their aspirations to attend college literally melting away.
Los Angeles Unified’s initiative in response to Summer Melt will be holding Summer Transition Hubs. These hubs will ensure all graduates have a consistent point of contact with a college/high school counselor.
Summer transition supports have helped seniors seeking personalized guidance to resolve issues that threatened to delay or block their place in college. In addition to in-person advising, counselors have sent mass communications with reminders and tips and responded to results in the Senior Exit Survey, and answering student specific concerns by phone or email.
Summer Transition Hubs will be available region wide for the Class of 2025. These hubs will be staffed with multiple counselors. Counselors will complete a tracking sheet identifying the Class of 2025 student(s) they support and what supports were provided. A google link for students is also provided, as capturing student voice advocates for future funding.
Introduction: Why Summer Melt Happens
Summer melt occurs when high school seniors, who have successfully graduated and earned acceptance to a postsecondary institution, do not enter their chosen college in the fall. Counselors supporting the successful transition to college can optimize their effectiveness by working with students after graduation and identifying students at a greater risk of melting. In high school, students typically have a school counselor who supports them with college planning and the application process. However, after graduation, students are left to continue the process on their own. Obstacles such as extensive and time-consuming paperwork, family responsibilities, pressure not to attend college or leave home, fear and doubt, and limited college knowledge can influence a student’s choice to not attend. Since many students at your school may exhibit difficulties with transitioning, it is helpful to identify students at a higher risk of melting. These students will need a more intensive form of outreach/advising to ensure they transition to college. However, even students who appear to be in command of their college transition may need check-ins to ensure deadlines are met.
Using the Senior Exit Survey to Collect Data and Identify Students
Using Senior Exit Survey Results to Reach Out to Students at Higher Risk of Meeting
Use this Job Aid to learn how to access the data from the Senior Exit Survey. With this data, a spreadsheet program like Excel can be used to sort and filter to create groups of students that require support. For example, students who identify themselves as “not confident” about attending college can be a group who would benefit from receiving support from a counselor during summer. An automated call from Blackboard Connect or an email sent using Naviance can remind this group of students that a counselor will be available during summer.
The following are instructions on how to run a report to use the data from the Senior Exit Survey to identify students at risk of experiencing Summer Melt. Staff with 1A to 2C roles have the access to run this report.
For support in accessing and using the report in Naviance, use this job aid located here:
Additional Supports
Contact a Division of Instruction staff for additional guidance with identification and support of students at risk of Summer Melt.
Communicating with Students for Summer Transition Hub Support
Communication with students and families to make them aware of counselor availability for transitioning to college should occur before and during the summer months.
Communication Before Summer Break
Communication During the Summer
Communicating With Students en Masse
Communicating with Higher Risk Students
Resources for Transition to a Postsecondary Institution
Click on button to view a resource
Student Resources
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Counselor Resources
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Student Resource A: Steps to Make Your College Plan a Reality
Colorful posters graphically outlining general but important steps that students should take for a successful transition to college.
Download Make College a Reality
Student Resource B: Spring Senior Exit Checklist
Counrselor will write their names and contact information if they are going to available during the summer. They can also share information about the Summer Transition Hubs throughout the district.
Download Spring Senior Exit Checklist
Counselor Resource A: Common Scenarios and Suggested Actions to Prevent Summer Melt
Checklist for students with more detailed information on steps students should take for a successful transition to college.
Counselor Resource B: Contacts to Support the Prevention of Summer Melt
Contact information for colleges and universities that are frequently accessed to support student transition to college or university.
Counselor Resource D: Extra Support and Resources for Speciality Transition Topics
Detailed information on supporting students with financial aid and college enrollment and milestones. Contains links for additional resources divided by topic.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid award letters and tuition bills may be difficult to interpret. Award letters include the following components: the costs of attendance (COA); the amount offered by the college in grants, scholarships, federal work study, and federal loans; the expected family contribution (the difference between the COA and the amount of aid offered); and the remaining amount that would need to be financed through other sources (e.g., savings, external grants and scholarships, part-time jobs, or other loans).
Tuition bills are generally sent during the summer before college, although precise timing varies by institution. Some colleges will send the tuition bill electronically to students’ campus email addresses; others will send by mail.
Students often don’t understand the difference between grants and scholarships (financial aid they don’t need to pay back) and loans (aid they do need to pay back).
Students may also not be aware of what options they have for the type of job covered by the federal work study program at their college.
DIRECTING STUDENTS TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
INTERPRETING FINANCIAL AID AWARD LETTERS
EVALUATING LOANS
TUITION BILLS AND PAYMENT OPTIONS
FAFSA COMPLETION and VERIFICATION PROCESS
SEARCHING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS
NAVIGATING COLLEGE LOGISTICS AND MILESTONES
From signing up for summer bridge to registering for courses, navigating college can be quite daunting for a new college student. Particularly in the summer after senior year and during their first few months of college, students may need support getting through their college’s specific administrative processes. This section provides a brief overview of some of the key steps in the college enrollment and registration process.
DIRECTING STUDENTS TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
COURSE REGISTRATION
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS AND STUDY SKILLS
STUDY SKILLS
TIME MANAGEMENT
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