Introducing TxCAN’s Peer Cohort Program Playbook

The Peer Cohort Program Playbook is a resource designed to guide two-year and four-year higher education institutions in establishing peer cohort programs to support incoming first year students. The playbook was developed in collaboration with United for College Success. 

In 2023, TxCAN hosted its inaugural Pitch Competition in search of scalable practices to combat summer melt. According to the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), “summer melt is the phenomenon of college-intending students who have applied to, been accepted by, and made a deposit to a college or university, but fail to matriculate to that college (or any other) in the fall following their high school graduation.” There were three finalists and the winning pitch was the SQUADS program from the Houston-based nonprofit EMERGE. Their standout approach included evidenced-based practices to address summer melt, boost student persistence, and tackle capacity challenges in the transition from senior year of high school to the first year of college. 

From Pitch to Playbook 

That winning pitch led to the creation of the Peer Cohort Program Playbook. Over the past several months, TxCAN in collaboration with United for College Success developed this practical guide for campuses looking to launch or refine peer cohort programs that support students transitioning into their first year of college. 

 What You’ll Find In The Playbook 

• Program Launch Milestones: An overview of 10 key milestones for launching a successful peer cohort program. 
• Timeline: A high-level program timeline that provides an ideal flow of a college transition support peer cohort program.  
• Recruitment Strategies: Effective approaches for identifying and attracting a diverse, committed cohort of student leader participants.  
• Outreach Toolkit: Designed to provide ready-to-use, customizable resources to effectively promote and engage students in the peer cohort program. 
• Program Evaluation: Tips and methods to assess the program’s impact, ability to drive continuous improvement for student success, and demonstrate impact through data driven outcomes.  
• Hyperlinks: The beginning of each section includes icons that are clickable. For print versions, page numbers are listed. 

Why Peer Cohorts Matter 

Before developing the playbook, United for College Success conducted a literature review to better understand how cohort models can effectively support first-year college students. Their research shows that students who receive structured support from peers are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and persist. The literature review also emphasizes the importance of fostering a strong sense of community within cohorts among student leaders. When peer cohort programs include intentional relationship-building, students report higher motivation, satisfaction, and persistence. 

Ready to See the Playbook? 

The playbook is now available to you! Whether your institution is exploring peer cohort models or looking to strengthen existing programs, we invite you to dive in. 

Download the Peer Cohort Program Playbook here. 

Click here to learn more about the winning pitch and EMERGE’s Peer Cohort model.