Summer Melt Prevention Strategy

A framework for understanding "summer melt" in college enrollment and how Meet Your Class is solving this $11B problem affecting universities nationwide.

The Summer Melt Problem

• Occurs when students renege on enrollment deposits at the last moment
• Costs higher education system over $11B annually
• Example: Christ College experienced 33% vacancy rate due to summer melt
• Particularly affects tuition-dependent schools

Meet Your Class Solution

• Platform connecting prospective students before campus arrival
• Key metrics:
  • 400,000+ account creations in 2 years
  • $600,000 revenue through freemium model
  • 61% reduction in summer melt at Christ College
  • Expected to add $1.7M back to Christ College's top line

Business Model

• Revenue structure:
  • Smallest schools: ~$20,000 per year
  • Larger institutions: Up to $200,000+ per year
• Current scale:
  • 8 university partners for upcoming admission cycle
  • B2C platform feeds into B2B product development

Strategic Advantages

• Integration with popular social media platforms
• Data analytics help universities:
  • Identify at-risk students
  • Allocate resources effectively
  • Build excitement among prospective students
  • Create support networks

Future Vision

• Empower students with:
  • Tuition negotiation knowledge
  • Better college fit decisions
  • Tools for long-term success planning
• Focus on improving overall student experience
• Goal: Become primary platform for college decision-making

Note: Advisors suggest keeping this as a bootstrapped business targeting $50M valuation rather than seeking venture funding for $1B+ outcomes.