General
What is SENSE?
The Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) is a diagnostic tool that helps community and technical colleges understand students’ earliest experiences—from the point of entry through the first weeks of the academic term. SENSE focuses on how institutional practices, supports, and conditions affect early momentum, persistence, and success.
Why focus on the entering student experience?
Students’ earliest experiences often determine whether momentum builds or stalls. Research shows that progress in the first term is strongly associated with longer-term outcomes. By focusing on the front door of the college experience, SENSE helps institutions identify barriers and act early—before challenges compound.
What does SENSE measure?
SENSE captures students’ early experiences with:
- Onboarding processes (admissions, advising, orientation, registration, financial aid)
- Early academic engagement and behaviors
- Access to advising, academic supports, and essential services
- Basic needs security and mental health and well-being
- Belonging, connection, and early momentum
Administration
How is SENSE administered?
SENSE is administered online only, either through device-based administration in selected classes or through a broader online distribution to entering students. CCCSE works with colleges to determine the approach that best supports participation and data quality.
When is SENSE administered?
SENSE is typically administered during the fourth and fifth weeks of the fall academic term, allowing colleges to receive insight while there is still time to respond.
How long does the survey take to complete?
Most students complete SENSE in approximately 20 minutes.
Reporting & Results
When do colleges receive SENSE results?
Colleges receive results in two phases:
- Early (real-time) results during the survey administration period, supporting timely action
- Final reporting in early spring 2027, with weighted data and national context to support planning and evaluation
What do colleges receive with early SENSE results?
Early results provide college-level insight into students’ initial experiences, delivered through flexible dashboards. These results allow colleges to:
- View response patterns quickly
- Examine differences across student groups
- Identify early barriers and opportunities for intervention
Early results are unweighted and designed to support immediate conversations and action.
Will reporting include benchmark scores?
Because benchmarks depend on a specific set of items and a validated measurement structure, the previous benchmarks can’t be used with the redesigned SENSE instrument. Creating new benchmarks requires multiple administrations to develop and validate reliable, comparable groupings across colleges and student groups. In the meantime, reporting centers on the redesigned focus areas and timely results to support early-term action.
What do colleges receive with final SENSE reporting?
Final reporting includes:
- Weighted college-level results
- National comparison data
- Expanded options for disaggregating results and examining relationships among survey items
- Access to a student respondent data file
These results support strategic planning, accreditation, grant reporting, and continuous improvement.
How are results accessed?
All results are delivered through flexible data dashboards and downloadable data files for institutional use.
Who has access to a college’s SENSE results?
Access is provided to the college president and designated institutional contact. Colleges determine how results are shared internally.
Modules & Customization
What modules are included with SENSE?
Beginning with SENSE 2026, all participating colleges receive access to two standard 12-item special-focus modules at no additional cost, including:
The 2026 administration will include the Holistic Advising module and one other module of the college’s choice.
Can colleges customize SENSE?
Yes. Colleges may develop a custom module to explore institution-specific priorities (additional fees apply to custom modules).
Data & Privacy
Are student identifiers included in SENSE reporting?
Raw data files with student identifiers are available through a secure portal.
Can colleges disaggregate results by student characteristics?
Yes. Both early and final results allow colleges to examine differences across student groups, supporting analysis and action.
Getting Started
How much does SENSE cost?
CCCSE bases its SENSE 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.
Colleges may also receive discounts through joint participation or statewide systems. Contact CCCSE for detailed pricing information.
Who should I contact with questions?
For questions about administration, reporting, or participation, contact surveyops@cccse.org.
