A deposited student isn’t the same as an enrolled student.

And in the gap between those two moments, a lot can change.

Each year, admissions teams work hard to earn a student’s “yes.” But after that deposit is submitted, many institutions reduce their communication, or it evolves to be more transactional. The emotional momentum that carried a student to commit begins to fade. That’s where melt begins.

The challenge isn’t just how to get students to deposit. It is how to keep them connected, confident, and excited all the way through arrival.

The Challenge: Deposit Doesn’t Guarantee Enrollment

Summer melt isn’t just about logistics. Yes, forms go unfinished, and deadlines get missed. But more often, melt is driven by uncertainty.

Students reconsider. They feel less connected. Another school reaches out. Doubt creeps in.

The period between deposit and move-in is one of the most vulnerable points in the enrollment funnel. It is also one of the most underutilized opportunities for engagement.

The Insight: Belonging Drives Follow-Through

Students are more likely to follow through on a decision when they feel a sense of belonging.

Belonging isn’t built through reminders and checklists alone. It is built through signals that say, “You’re part of this now.”

Branded merch, when used intentionally, becomes one of those signals. It makes the decision tangible. It turns an abstract commitment into something students can see, wear, and share.

This is not about sending items for the sake of sending them. It’s about reinforcing identity at the exact moment it matters most.

The Strategy: Extend the Commitment Moment

Too often, the deposit is treated as the finish line. In reality, it should be the starting point of a new phase of engagement.

Here are three ways admissions teams can use branded merch to extend that moment and reduce melt risk.

1. Commitment Kits That Reinforce Identity

Sending a thoughtfully designed commitment kit shortly after deposit helps students feel recognized and included.

The most effective kits aren’t random assortments. They’re cohesive, branded experiences that reflect the institution’s personality and values. Each year, Augusta University sends a thoughtful welcome box to its incoming students that includes a sweatshirt, a custom calendar, a journal, and a book for parents. The mailing box resembles an Augusta-bound suitcase that stood out in students’ mailboxes. 

Apparel often plays a central role in welcome kits because it allows students to publicly identify with their choice.

When a student puts on a sweatshirt or displays a sticker, they aren’t just using an item. They’re signaling their decision to themselves and to others.

That signal matters.

2. Amplify the Celebration

Deposit season is filled with moments worth celebrating. Institutions that lean into those moments create energy that extends beyond the individual student.

Encourage students to share their decision on social media. Create a unifying visual element that ties those posts together. Use merch as part of that visual identity so students feel like they’re participating in something bigger than themselves.

At Drake University, this idea took shape through the Bulldog Bonus Choice Store, a campaign designed to both celebrate deposits and strengthen commitment. Instead of sending the same item to every student, Drake gave deposited students a choice among several branded items, including a blanket, a knit beanie, or a flag.

This shift toward choice did more than increase excitement. It gave students a sense of ownership in the experience. Selecting an item required an action, and that action reinforced their decision to commit.

Because the experience was integrated directly into Drake’s CRM system, the team could also track participation in real time. That visibility created a valuable layer of insight, helping identify which students were actively engaging after deposit.

The results were significant. Seventy-one percent of deposited students claimed their Bulldog Bonus item. Among those students, the melt rate was just 6.8 percent. In contrast, 38 percent of students who deposited but did not claim their item ultimately melted.

While multiple factors always influence melt, the contrast between these groups highlights an important point. When students take an active step to engage after depositing, they’re far more likely to follow through.

Each item was fulfilled quickly and included a prompt encouraging students to share their selection and celebrate their decision publicly. The result was a wave of student-driven content that extended the campaign’s reach while reinforcing commitment through both action and visibility.

This kind of shared celebration builds community before students ever step on campus.

3. Stay Present Throughout the Summer

The initial excitement of depositing fades quickly if it’s not reinforced.

Strategic touchpoints throughout the summer can help maintain momentum. This doesn’t require constant outreach. It requires thoughtful, well-timed moments that remind students why they chose your institution.

A mid-summer surprise. A small item tied to orientation. A piece that connects to a campus tradition.

At the University of Pikeville, this approach took shape through a three-part mailing campaign designed to keep deposited students engaged from early summer through arrival. Rather than relying on a single moment, the admissions team created a sequence of experiences that built on one another.

The campaign began in early June with a pair of branded socks and a message encouraging students to take the next step toward their future. Later in the summer, students received a yard sign announcing their next destination, paired with a prompt to share their excitement publicly. The final touchpoint arrived closer to move-in and included a collection of branded items: stickers, a laundry bag, and a flag.

Each delivery served a different purpose, but together they created a consistent presence in students’ lives during a critical period of uncertainty.

The impact extended beyond excitement. Orientation attendance increased from 80 percent to 95 percent, and the institution saw overall enrollment growth while peer institutions experienced declines. Just as importantly, students and families responded directly, sharing messages that reflected a stronger sense of connection and confidence in their decision.

For a student, especially one navigating the college process for the first time, these moments reinforce a simple but powerful message. You are wanted here. You made the right choice.

Each touchpoint says the same thing in a different way. You belong here. We’re expecting you.

The Outcome: Momentum That Lasts

Reducing melt isn’t about a single tactic. It’s about maintaining momentum.

When students feel connected, recognized, and confident in their choice, they are far less likely to reconsider it.

Branded merch, used strategically, helps sustain that feeling. It reinforces identity. It creates visibility. It keeps the institution present in a student’s day-to-day life.

The deposit may mark the moment a student says yes.

What follows is just as important.