Start Smart Coaching
Become a Start Smart Coach!
With SAM’s research and data capacity, we now know the local story of “Summer Melt” and are empowered to take action.
Summer Melt: the difference between the number of students who report plans to attend some form of post-secondary training and the actual number of students that enroll.
SAM’s study of post-secondary enrollment patterns for Spartanburg County high school seniors revealed a need for action. Not only was “summer melt” a real issue for our students, but the rates of melt had been increasing steadily for at least six years!
In 2020, SAM piloted a Start Smart program to determine if having coaches provide text-based support and encouragement throughout the summer would help improve enrollment for students identified as “at-risk” for melting. Infographic about our summer 2020 pilot
Now in an expansion phase, our Start Smart program is recruiting coaches for 2021.
Call to action: Enroll as a Start Smart Coach!
Make a lasting difference in the life of a young adult by volunteering to be a coach for either a soon to graduate or recently graduated Spartanburg County high school student.
Coaches will provide texting support and accountability to students, helping them navigate the pathway to college enrollment.
Time Commitment: weekly texting – that’s all!!
Coaches will be assigned up to three students to help them navigate the transition to college.
FREE Training provided.
Per Spartanburg County School policy, a background check is required. SAM will coordinate and cover fees for volunteer background checks.
Thinking beyond graduation:
It is not too early to start thinking about scholarships and financial aid.
The team at Study.com recently developed several comprehensive financial aid and scholarship guides for college students to share information about different resources that can be utilized to fund a college education. We've created an in-depth, expert-verified Guide to FAFSA and Financial Aid and also published a number of comprehensive scholarship guides to help all students in their journey to gaining a degree. Study.com also created guides to support specific student populations: