Four Year Survey

Survey sections

1. Challenges to student success

2. Student-office interactions

3. Student views of the institution

Four-Year Survey (Live Demo)
Four-Year Survey (PDF)
Institutional Report (PDF)

The survey has three main sections: challenges to student success, student-office interactions, and student views of the institution.

1. Challenges to student success

The Challenges section asks students about the challenges they faced during the current semester. There are over 80 unique challenges to student success across five different areas.

Finances and financial aid

Where did you have issues paying expenses? Please check all that apply.

  • Books, software, and other supplies
  • Tuition and fees
  • Living expenses (rent or mortgage, food, healthcare)
  • Childcare
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with the financial aid office? Please check all that apply.
  • Gave me wrong information
  • Process was unclear
  • Unable to answer questions
  • Errors processing paperwork
  • Delays in getting money
  • Difficult to meet with, speak to, or email staff
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with military and employer tuition benefits? Please check all that apply.
  • I did not know process for obtaining benefits
  • Experienced delays receiving benefits
  • Received wrong information about benefits
  • None of the above

Academic support services

What issues did you have with academic advising? Please check all that apply.
  • Difficult to meet with, speak to, or email advisor
  • Told to take course not needed for certificate/degree/transfer
  • Not told about course needed for certificate/degree/transfer
  • Websites and handouts about courses and programs were incorrect
  • None of the above
What issues did you have registering for courses? Please check all that apply.
  • Had a registration hold
  • Course not offered at times I needed
  • Course was offered but full
  • Course not offered this semester
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with tutoring? Please check all that apply.
  • Tutoring hours not convenient
  • Tutors not available when I need assistance
  • Tutoring not available in the subject area I needed
  • Tutoring not helpful
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with the computer and science labs? Please check all that apply.
  • Lab hours not convenient
  • Lab busy when needed
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with the library? Please check all that apply.
  • Staff not helpful
  • Resources I needed not available online
  • Hours not convenient

Campus environment

What issues did you have with other students? Please check all that apply.
  • Did not feel welcome due to my sexual orientation
  • Did not feel welcome due to my gender identity
  • Did not feel welcome due to my race or ethnicity
  • Did not know many other students
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with parking? Please check all that apply.
  • Parking on or near campus is too expensive
  • Difficulty finding parking on or near campus
  • Difficulty getting parking pass
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with safety and crime on campus? Please check all that apply.
  • Campus not safe
  • Was a victim of a crime
  • Parking lots not safe
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with activities outside of class? Please check all that apply.
  • Overcommitted to student groups (clubs, sports teams, Greek life)
  • Spent too much time socializing
  • Difficulty finding activities that interest me
  • Difficulty finding activities that fit my schedule
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with housing? Please check all that apply.
  • Roommate problems
  • Live too far from campus
  • Difficulty finding on-campus housing
  • Difficulty finding off-campus housing
  • None of the above

Success in courses

What issues did you have doing college-level work? Please check all that apply.

  • Poor study skills
  • Poor planning and time management skills
  • Required level of math was difficult
  • Reading or writing assignments were difficult
  • Not motivated to study
  • Skipped too many classes
  • Took too many classes
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with faculty? Please check all that apply.
  • Took too long to grade assignments
  • Feedback on assignments not helpful
  • Not concerned about my academic success
  • Not responsive to email
  • Not available to meet in person
  • Not helpful outside of class
  • Did not teach well
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with online classes? Please check all that apply.
  • Lack of interaction with other students
  • Lack of interaction with faculty
  • Difficulty taking exams at testing center
  • Difficulty learning the material on my own
  • Difficulty using course technology
  • Difficulty keeping up because of no regular class times
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with being a transfer student? Please check all that apply.
  • Some courses did not transfer in
  • Courses outside major are difficult
  • Courses in major are difficult
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with academic majors? Please check all that apply.
  • Graduation delayed due to changing major
  • Courseload too heavy due to changing major
  • Can't decide on a major
  • None of the above

Work and personal life

What issues did you have with work? Please check all that apply.
  • Work schedule is not flexible during the semester
  • Work schedule conflicts with classes
  • Work schedule prevents me from using campus resources (library, tutoring, labs, etc.)
  • Pay is not enough to cover expenses while in school
  • Work hours do not leave me enough time to study
  • None of the above
What health and disability issues did you have? Please check all that apply.
  • Faculty did not provide necessary accommodations for my disability
  • Disability services did not provide necessary support
  • Campus is difficult to navigate with my disability
  • Emotional/mental health issue
  • Physical health issue
  • Pregnancy and childbirth
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with transportation to campus? Please check all that apply.
  • Campus transportation system not reliable
  • Public transportation not reliable
  • Car or carpool not reliable
  • Travel to campus takes a long time
  • None of the above
What issues did you have with family? Please check all that apply.
  • Family does not support me going to college
  • Difficulty finding childcare
  • Difficulty dealing with health of family
  • Difficulty balancing demands of family
  • None of the above

2. Student-office interactions

This section asks students about their experiences with five campus offices chosen by the college. Office names are customized for each campus, so that students see office names they recognize. Our research indicates that students want office staff who are 1) accessible, 2) concerned about helping them, and 3) can effectively solve their problem.

Office usage

Have you contacted or interacted with OFFICE NAME during this semester?
  • Yes ［If yes, students are prompted to answer dimension questions for this office］
  • No ［If no, students are asked about the next office on the list］

Dimensions of interaction

How available were OFFICE NAME staff when you interacted with them?
  • Very available
  • Somewhat available
  • Somewhat unavailable
  • Very unavailable
How concerned were OFFICE NAME staff about addressing your issue?
  • Very concerned
  • Somewhat concerned
  • Somewhat unconcerned
  • Very unconcerned
How effective were OFFICE NAME staff when addressing your issue?
  • Very effective
  • Somewhat effective
  • Somewhat ineffective
  • Very ineffective

3. Student views of the institution

Instead of generic satisfaction questions, this section asks students to evaluate their educational experience in more meaningful ways.

Recommend to a Friend

Based on your experiences, how likely are you to recommend INSTITUTION NAME to a friend?
  • Very likely
  • Somewhat likely
  • Somewhat unlikely
  • Very unlikely

Value of their education

Considering the overall value of the education you have received so far from INSTITUTION NAME, is it …
  • A good value, worth more than you paid for it
  • A fair value, worth what you paid for it
  • A poor value, worth less than you paid for it

Purpose for taking courses

What is your purpose for taking courses at INSTITUTION NAME? Please choose the response that best fits your purpose.
  • Self-improvement
  • Increase job and career opportunities
  • Prepare for a four-year degree

Is education meeting their goal

［Students are asked only one of these questions, based on their response to the question about why they are taking courses.］
How well is your education at INSTITUTION NAME helping you improve yourself?
  • Very well
  • Fairly well
  • Somewhat
  • Not at all
How well is your education at INSTITUTION NAME increasing your job and career opportunities?
  • Very well
  • Fairly well
  • Somewhat
  • Not at all
How well is your education at INSTITUTION NAME preparing you for a graduate study?
  • Very well
  • Fairly well
  • Somewhat
  • Not at all
Four-Year Survey (Live Demo)
Four-Year Survey (PDF)
Institutional Report (PDF)
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