Summer Counseling

Summer counseling is designed to help college-intending high school graduates complete the steps needed to enroll in college and start their college careers. These programs provide services during the months between high school graduation and college enrollment (typically 1-2 months, approximately 1.5 months on average) and involve outreach by college counselors or peer mentors via text messaging campaigns, email, phone, in-person meetings, instant messaging, or social media. Summer counseling intervention services are typically set up through students' high schools, though some programs may be based in colleges or nonprofit organizations. These intervention services provide college-intending individuals with information about tasks required for college enrollment (e.g., finalizing financial aid, completing the FAFSA, arranging on-campus housing, signing up for placement tests, selecting classes, organizing transportation to campus), as well as assistance in overcoming unanticipated financial, informational, and socioemotional barriers that prevent college entry. The frequency of contacts with college-intending students ranged from once every 5 days to once every 2 weeks. Counselors or peer mentors are trained on how to review required college paperwork and are given tools to guide their interactions with students.