Many Colleges Expect Higher-Than-Usual ‘Summer Melt’

A majority of colleges that responded to a new survey saw an increase in the number of students who made deposits by May 1 to lock in their spots for this fall’s class. But two-thirds of the colleges surveyed expected higher-than-usual “summer melt,” which occurs when students who made deposits fail to show up on the campus. The survey, conducted by Noel-Levitz, a consulting company, includes responses from about 330 public and private four-year colleges and universities.