Admissions questions that show where applicants nearly gave up
Ask applicants how applying went, from the forms and fees to the wait for a decision. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What admissions survey questions tell you
Admissions survey questions ask applicants and new students about the road to enrolling: how easy the application was, where it got hard, how helpful staff were, whether fees were clear and what nearly stopped them. An applicant who gives up halfway leaves a place empty, and few write in to say why.
Ask right after an application is submitted, while the forms are fresh, and again after enrollment for the questions about the program and the start date. Show the survey on the confirmation page or put the link in the confirmation email, and pick five to seven questions. Use one of the two contact questions, for applicants who want to hear back.
Each written answer is read as it arrives and given a theme, a sentiment and an urgency, so an applicant stuck on a missing document can get a call before the deadline. Give each response an owner in the inbox, or send it to HubSpot so admissions sees it next to the applicant's record.
- Questions
- 15
- Best asked
- Right after the application is submitted
- Industry
- Education
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 15 admissions and enrollment questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
How applying went
Start with the effort score, then find where it got hard: documents, fees, staff or the wait for a decision.
- 01Customer effort
How easy was the application process?
A customer effort score for the application, on a 7-point scale. Results shows the average and the share who found it easy; select a low score to see where those applicants got stuck.
- 02Multiple choice
Where did it get hard?
Picks every place the application got hard, with Nowhere for applicants who had no trouble. Results shows bars with each share, so the step that loses applicants stands out.
- 03Stars
How helpful were the admissions staff?
How helpful the admissions staff were, in stars. Read it next to Contacting someone on the previous question: few picks there and a high rating here mean staff help once applicants reach them.
- 05Yes / No
Was the fee structure clear?
A plain check on the fees. Results shows the share that said yes; select No to read what those applicants wrote about what nearly stopped them.
- 04Ruler
How many days did you wait for a decision?
The wait for a decision in days, on a ruler. Results shows the median and the middle half; compare the median with the wait your website promises.
The decision to enroll
What drew applicants in and what nearly kept them away, read together when you plan open houses and campaigns.
- 07Text
What nearly stopped you from enrolling?
Asks what nearly stopped the applicant. Each answer gets a theme and a sentiment, so cost, timing or a confusing form shows up as a pattern.
- 08Big scale
How confident are you in your choice of program?
How confident the applicant is in their program choice, from 1 to 10. A low score before term starts is a reason for an advisor to get in touch.
- 10Yes / No
Did you attend an open house?
Whether the applicant came to an open house. Select Yes in Results to compare their confidence and effort scores with those of applicants who didn't.
- 06Multiple choice
How did you hear about us?
Where the applicant heard about the school, from search to an open house. Results shows a donut with each share, which helps when you split the recruitment budget.
Program and start date
Which program and when, so you can filter every other answer by program and plan each intake.
- 09Dropdown
Which program did you apply to?
Which kind of program the applicant chose. Select one in Results to filter the whole page, since graduate and short course applicants may find different steps hard.
- 14Date
When would you like to start?
The start date the applicant prefers. Results shows a calendar of picked dates, which helps when you plan intakes or add a start date.
Next steps and documents
How applicants want to hear from you, where to reach them and their documents. Use one contact question per survey.
- 11This or that
For information you prefer
Two pairs: email or phone, a brochure or a video. Results shows a split bar per pair, which helps you choose how to send offers and next steps.
- 12Contact
Where can we send your next steps?
Asks where to send next steps. Results shows a table of names and emails; use this or the other contact question in a survey, since both collect the same thing.
- 15Contact
How can admissions reach you?
How admissions can reach the applicant. Use it in a survey shared by link, where you don't already have the applicant's details, and leave it out of an email survey.
- 13File upload
Upload your transcript or latest report card
Lets the applicant attach a transcript. Files appear in a gallery in Results and with the response in the inbox. File upload is on every plan, 1 per survey on Free; ask only for documents admissions needs.
Tips for asking about admissions and enrollment
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask the moment they submit
Show the survey on the confirmation page or send the link in the confirmation email. A week later, the hard step is half forgotten.
- 02
Ask applicants who stopped
Applicants who stopped halfway have the most useful answers. Send the effort score and the open question to applications that went quiet.
- 03
Keep one contact question
Pick either contact question and leave the other out. Asking twice for the same details reads like a form error.
- 04
Call before the deadline
Give urgent answers an owner in the inbox the same day. An applicant stuck on a document can still enroll when someone calls in time.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about admissions and enrollment
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Right after an application is submitted, and again after enrollment. Usertick sends to a contact list now or on a scheduled date, and there is no automatic send from your application system, so send in daily or weekly batches.
Yes. Show the survey inside the page or as a popup on the confirmation page, triggered on page load, so applicants answer while the form is fresh.
Yes, on every plan, with the file upload question (1 per survey on Free). Ask only for the documents admissions needs, and keep identity documents in your own application system.
Yes. Select a program on the program question in Results, and the whole page filters to the applicants who chose it.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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