Every year, high school seniors who will be the first in their families to attend college fall victim to what’s called “summer melt." But this summer, because the pandemic has closed schools and eaten away at household finances, the risk is even higher.

Some colleges and universities, as well as nonprofit organizations, are trying to keep students on their college path with virtual summer bridge programs, texting, and remote peer-counseling.

For millions of college students, internships can be a steppingstone to full-time work, a vital source of income, and even a graduation requirement.

But like so much else, summer internships have been upended by the pandemic. Students who had locked down internships as early as September are now jobless. Many low-income undergraduates, already saddled with student loans, are concerned that a jobless summer could put them at a disadvantage in future application cycles, making it harder to find full-time work after graduation.