DCAN Update | June 26, 2020
DON'T LOSE MOMENTUM
Support from DCAN this summer!
Dear Colleagues:

Can you believe it - it's finally summer! With the graduation celebrations in the history books, it's time to focus on our collective next steps...

Avoiding summer melt.

Just what is summer melt? It's a phenomenon in which a high school senior applies, gets accepted and commits to a college but ultimately does not show up in the fall.

On a typical year, between 10% and 40% of college-intending seniors will "melt."

This year, disruptions and uncertainties caused by the pandemic could lead to higher summer melt rates. Early findings are troubling:
  • A recent poll of graduating seniors found that only 20% of respondents still plan to enroll in their first-choice school.
  • Another survey found that as many as 24% of seniors may change or abandon their postsecondary plans.
  • 16% of students are considering a gap year.

That's where DCAN comes in - we're here to help everyone this summer!

Over the summer, we'll offer regular workshops and provide 1-on-1 advising. Our counselors and advisers are trained and ready to help high school students, parents and college students with the following issues:

  • College Applications: Gauging, assessing and supporting students applicant pool
  • FAFSA/Financial Aid: Support with FAFSA completion, verification and appeal support
  • Financial Plan: Supporting students in understanding the financial commitment of a school selection and making a 4-5 year draft plan of how they'll manage any semester-based debt. 
  • Housing/Living: Support with student housing requirement submissions, help the student understand the housing process and draft a plan.
  • Enrollment Transition: Ensuring students completed all institutional requirements for officially enrolling (enrollment deposit, orientation registration, placement exams, health insurance waivers, etc.).

Our summer newsletters will highlight those workshops and other opportunities, so please stay tuned!

In this issue, you'll also find information from the Detroit College Ambassadors and College Board Opportunity Scholarships.

With anticipation,

Onjila Odeneal
Acting Executive Director, DCAN
SUMMER STUDENT SUPPORT
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
Time Management:
July 2, 1 p.m.
Join DCAN as we discuss how to improve time management skills, better preparing students for that next test or big project. Register here .

College Prep Checklist:
July 9, 1 p.m.
Not sure what else you need to start college in the fall? Join us to discuss everything students need to do before classes begin.
UPDATES FROM THE DETROIT
COLLEGE AMBASSADORS
Detroit College Ambassadors Celebration, July 18
The Ambassadors will share the year in a glance, go over goals for the upcoming year and induct seven new ambassadors.  
College Care
Package Giveaway
The Detroit College Ambassadors are sponsoring a College Care Package Giveaway for 10 lucky seniors!

Students must send one paragraph on why post secondary education is important to  ambassadors@detroitcan.org by July 1.

Two mini fridge grand prizes will be awarded!
COLLEGE BOARD OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS
The College Board Opportunity Scholarships provide a digital college planning guide to plan, prepare and pay for college.

Students who complete steps in the program are eligible for scholarships ranging from $500 to $40,000 .

During this time, every junior in the class of 2021 can stay on track to plan for and apply to college by taking these three actions this summer: 

  • Sign up for the College Board Opportunity Scholarships at cb.org/opportunity
  • Explore colleges and build a starter college list on BigFuture 
  • Practice for six or more hours with Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy
CONNECT: Detroit College Access Network