The document describes Minnesota's Summer Nudging program, which sends text message reminders to college-bound high school graduates over the summer to help reduce "summer melt", where students fail to enroll in college in the fall. It discusses how the program was inspired by a Harvard study and launched as a pilot in 2013. The program has since expanded to reach more students each summer. It also covers the nudges' content, plans for future growth, evaluation methods and limitations. The overall goal is to increase college enrollment rates through this low-cost intervention.

1. Summer Nudging 2015
Minnesota Office of Higher Education

2. Outline
● Summer Melt
● Causes of Summer Melt
● Harvard Study: Summer Nudging
● Summer Nudging at OHE
● The Nudges
● Plans for the Future
● Mass Media
● Organizational Chart
● Evaluation
● Stakeholders
● Data Collection Methods and Procedures

3. “Summer Melt”
Approximately 1 in 5 college bound students fail to matriculate in the fall.

4. Causes of Summer Melt
Extra responsibilities at home--summer jobs, taking care of family members, etc.
No sustained support from guidance counselor
First generation college student; no parents, guardians, siblings have attended college
Complexity of forms (i.e. FAFSA and medical insurance policies)

5. Harvard Study: Summer Nudging
A Harvard study by Benjamin L. Castleman and Lindsay C. Page found that
“an automated and personalized text messaging campaign to remind students of
required college tasks substantially increased college enrollment....”
In other words, a gentle reminder, or ‘nudge’ helped students
succeed in going to college!

6. Summer Nudging at OHE
Year 1: 2013, launched the pilot program in two high schools and nudged 100
students.
• Idea formulated from the Communications Department (Jen Fox) from an email
from the Harvard Study
• Contacted Get Ready Program Counselors (partners) to work with caseloads over
the summer months holding office hours, making calls, printing transcripts
• Met with students in English classes during the school year
• Sent out 15 text messages over summer

7. Summer Nudging at OHE
Year 2: 2014, OHE began to work with seven high schools and college
access programs throughout Minnesota.
• Media outreach used
• Expanded to 600 students
• Same 15 nudges as year 1
• Conducted pre/post survey- received 20 of 300 resposes; although not
statistcally signigicant, responses were exclusively positive

8. Summer Nudging at OHE
Year 3: This summer (2015), OHE is working with seven high schools that
specifically serve low-income and students of color, nudging approximately
375 students.
• Addition of 2 Interns : Program Assistant (“nudger”, grants, presentations, future
models) and Program Evaluator (survey, twitter, Facebook)
• 10 schools involved
• Students targeted at sites; needs basis
• Pre/Post surveys

9. Summer Nudging at OHE
Currently, provide students:
●Email and text message reminders, or “nudges”
●Office hours for additional assistance
●Availability to speak over the phone with Program Assistant, Kat Klima
●Resources on social media—Facebook & Twitter

10. Summer Nudging at OHE
• Cost Effective
• Money from Women of Wise Grand and Century College as well as other agency
monies
• “The marginal cost of each message is about $0.01”
• $7 per student with the option of adding partners

11. Topics Covered by the Nudges
FAFSA
Transcripts
Placement Exams
Orientation & Class Registration
Student Account Creation
Health Insurance
Housing
Paying for college
Transportation
Financial Aid & Counseling Resources
Have u tried (and succeeded in) logging into ur
student account online? U should try! When is
ur college's orientation? How are u getting
there?
Yes I have already signed in. My orientation is
in July and my grandma is taking me.

12. Plans for the Future
Nudging begins Junior year of high school
Parents and guardians can also sign up to be nudged
Ability for students to sign up on a website to be nudged
Collaboration with colleges and universities

13. Mass Media Presence
• https://twitter.com/MNSummerNudging
• Minnesota Public Radio: Summer Nudging Interview with Jen Fox
• Alex Friedrich, Reporter, Higher Education

14. Organizational Chart
Summer Nudging
Manger
Program Evaluator
(Intern)
Students
Partners
(Counselors)
Program Associate
(Intern)

15. Evaluation
Inputs: Leading to an activity which effect the end goal.
• What is invested?
• Unprepared students, school counselors, program staff, phones, computer,
internet, school visits, summer melt book, office hours, bilingual
communication

16. Evaluation
• Question: Is the rate that college-intending high school graduates
matriculate into college in the fall after high school graduation
increasing as a result of receiving summer text messages that include
the tasks required for college and connect them to professionals who
offer college-going assistance?

17. Evaluation
Outputs: Activities and Participation
• What is done?
• Text, respond/converse, email, phone calls, office hours, outreach & sign up, parent
outreach
• Who is reached?
• Students who are prepared for college, college ready parents, more developed network
of schools

18. Evaluation
Outcomes-Impact: Short Term, Medium Term, Long Term
“Benchmarks”
• This Year (2015): 1, 000 students, signed up and signed consent form- want
to know FAFSA completion, self-autonomy
• In 5 Years: Individual level opt-in
• Ultimate Impact: No need for nudging!

19. Stakeholders
• Who are they?
• Primary: students
• Secondary: MDE, governor, OHE, commissioner, taxpayers (remedial
education), counselors, parents, colleges, college access and community
programs

20. Stakeholders
Influence
Interest
low
low
high
high
Family
Community & College Access
Programs
Students
Interns (Staff)
Counselors
Colleges
MOHE
MDE
Governor
Commissioner
Taxpayers

21. Data CollectionMethods and Procedures
• Data Collection:
• Consent Form
• Pre/Post Survey
• No other proposed data collection currently

22. Data CollectionMethods and Procedures

23. Data CollectionMethods and Procedures
What to evaluate? (Short Term)
• What students had full or partial completion of the program?
• Conduct a pre/post knowledge survey with participants
What to evaluate? (Long Term)
• Program identification and branding
• Scalable programming
• Continued program development = New logic model

24. Data CollectionMethods and Procedures
Limitations of External Factors:
• Texting on a Phone
• Staff Capacity
• Technology Access and Validity
• Funding
• Changes in Financial Aid Policy
• OHE Focus Change
• Students can opt out of program

25. So What?
• For the Program:
• Summer bridge programs, like Summer Nudging, are needed to help ALL
students stay on track for college.
• Critical for underrepresented and first generation college students to receive
added assistance

26. So What?
• Evaluation Purposes:
• Very new program which leaves lots of room to continually search for ways to
better measure outcomes.
• More capacity in staff number allows for more opportunities to collect data,
• Stakeholders vary in the involvement/concern for the program, but a piece of
workforce planning for the future of the state and nation.