# Diagnose where our college admissions funnel is losing students

Analyzes inquiry-to-enrollment conversion, yield, and summer melt to find where prospective students drop off.

- Topic: Data & Analysis
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Education, Analyze, Code, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/diagnose-where-our-college-admissions-funnel-is-losing-students

## Prompt

```text
Help me find where our admissions funnel is losing students.

**Institution type:** [e.g. "private 4-year", "public regional", "community college"]
**Funnel data by stage:** [PASTE - inquiries, applicants, completed applications, admits, deposits, enrolled (census), for this year and last 2-3 years]
**Segments available:** [e.g. in-state vs. out-of-state, first-gen, transfer, program, source, Pell eligibility]
**Financial aid data:** [discount rate, average net price, aid offer timing]
**Changes this year:** [e.g. test-optional, new CRM, FAFSA delays, new competitor]

Steps:
1. Calculate conversion at each stage (inquiry-to-app, app-to-complete, admit rate, yield, melt from deposit to census) and compare year over year.
2. Find the biggest leak by stage and by segment, not just overall.
3. Separate likely causes: process (incomplete apps, slow decisions), price (net cost, aid timing), fit (program, location), and competition.
4. Flag summer melt risks and the students most affected.
5. Recommend 3-5 actions by stage, each with the metric it should move.

Return: a funnel table with conversion rates, the top 3 leaks with evidence, recommended actions, and data I should pull next. Do not invent benchmarks; if comparing to peers, mark figures [CONFIRM SOURCE].
```

## What to fill in

- e.g. "private 4-year", "public regional", "community college"
- discount rate, average net price, aid offer timing
- e.g. test-optional, new CRM, FAFSA delays, new competitor
- CONFIRM SOURCE

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