It’s the middle of summer and the last thing on your mind is back to school, right? The high temps, the beach, the downtime, COVID-19 – it’s enough to make anyone forget about school for a while!
The reality is that fall is around the corner and it’s never too late to start on preparing for college and avoiding the dreaded “summer melt” – that time during the summer months when one in five college bound students fail to enroll at all in the fall after high school graduation. Below are a few things students can do to ensure their plans for fall don’t, well, melt away…
- Apply to college – It’s not too late! Two-year and four-year state colleges allow students to apply up until a few weeks before classes begin in the fall. Four-year universities in Florida still have openings. Florida has 15 four-year colleges that are still accepting students. Technical colleges are still accepting applications, as well. Check respective school websites for deadlines or click HERE.
- Explore your school – Once you’ve been accepted, take a day or two to visit the college campus and become familiar with the places you will frequent. Once you have a student number, you can access your new college’s online job portal to research work-study or campus jobs. Visit the school’s website for information about clubs and organizations you may be interested in joining once classes begin.
- Seek out resources – Learn what resources are available for students who might need additional guidance. Student resources such as academic tutoring, mental wellness, students with disabilities, first-generation groups or advising, career advising or veterans’ services, are all great places to start for those students with questions or concerns.
Read the most recent Harvard University study about summer melt.
