EdCast Preventing Summer Melt Posted September 4, 2013 By Matt Weber Why do so many college-eligible students -- recent high school graduates who have been accepted to college and in some cases have even enrolled -- decide over the summer that college is just not for them? "Summer melt," as this phenomenon is called, claims 10-20 percent of college-eligible students a year according to the U.S. Department of Education, a great number of whom are low-income minority students. In this edition of the EdCast, Lindsay Page, Ed.M.'04, Ed.D.'11, and doctoral candidate Ben Castleman -- coauthors of a new resource for the Strategic Data Project, The Summer Melt Handbook -- discuss the effects of "summer melt" and what they're doing to help prevent it. About the Harvard EdCast The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iTunes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field. EdCast An education podcast that keeps the focus simple: what makes a difference for learners, educators, parents, and communities Explore All Articles Related Articles EdCast The Diversity Bargain News Lost in Translation New comparative study from Ph.D. candidate Maya Alkateb-Chami finds strong correlation between low literacy outcomes for children and schools teaching in different language from home EdCast What Summer School Can and Can't Do Whether summer school is the right solution to make up for lost academic time in COVID.