DESSE Frequently Asked Questions

The Dual Enrollment Survey of Student Engagement, or DESSE, is an online survey that helps colleges understand how high school students experience college courses taken for both high school and college credit.

Enrollment and outcome data can tell colleges who participates in dual enrollment and whether students complete their courses. DESSE provides additional information about how students experience college-level learning, relationships, advising, support, belonging, and preparation for future education and career opportunities. 

DESSE examines students’ experiences with:

DESSE is designed to be shared with all high school students who are concurrently enrolled in credit courses at the college during the spring term administration window.

DESSE is administered online in a format compatible with both computers and mobile devices. Students will need individual codes, provided to CCCSE by the Survey Coordinator, to access the survey.

DESSE is intended to be administered in a three to four week window that can start as early as 4 weeks into the spring semester and ending no later than the May deadline.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

No. DESSE is framed around students experiences with a given college, therefore the college must be the entity participating in the survey. 

On August 15, 2027, CCCSE will share college level frequencies along with the raw data file with the Survey Coordinator and college president.

Institutional reports will become available to the college president and Survey Coordinator on August 15th.

Yes. DESSE results can help colleges examine differences in student experiences across available student characteristics, high schools, course locations, delivery formats, and program arrangements. The specific options available depend on the data collected and applicable reporting requirements.

Access is provided to the college president and designated institutional contact. Colleges determine how results are shared internally.

Beginning with DESSE 2027, all participating colleges will receive one standard module of CCCSE’s choice and the opportunity to add one custom module. See Options and Rates. 

Yes. Colleges may develop a custom module to explore institution-specific priorities (additional fees apply to custom modules).

Raw data files with student identifiers are available through a secure portal.

Yes, results allow colleges to examine differences across student groups, supporting analysis and action.

CCCSE bases its DESSE membership fees on enrollment data reported through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). A base fee chart is available for review. Additional pricing details for your college are available through the CCCSE Pricing Guide. 

Registration for DESSE is open from late summer through October 31 prior to the administration.

If you have any questions about registration, please email info@cccse.org. 

For questions about DESSE participation or administration, contact surveyops@cccse.org.