Removing Application Barriers: How Small Changes Can Drive Big Enrollment Gains

Angela Corby
Jul 29
3 min read

College students sitting on the university green

Colleges and universities spend significant time and resources getting prospective students to the application. Money spent on marketing channels, admissions and administrative staff, technology, and program development to attract students. But too often, the application itself becomes the biggest obstacle.

Every extra click. Every unnecessary question (even if it’s nice to have information!) Every requirement that doesn’t directly support an admissions decision creates friction, and friction costs you students. Complexity is not a measure of prestige. An overly complicated application process doesn't make your institution more competitive—it creates barriers that can deter qualified students before they ever engage with your institution. In a competitive enrollment environment, a streamlined application experience is a far stronger signal of a student-centered institution.

The good news? Application barriers are often low-hanging fruit. They're easy to measure, relatively simple to address, can quickly improve the student experience and application completion rates, and in turn, can increase student enrollment.

Where Applications Break Down (and How Data Shows You Exactly Where)

Application drop-off isn’t a mystery. With the right analytics in place, institutions can see precisely where students disengage:

Account creation pages with high abandonment rates
Multi-page applications where completion drops sharply after page one
Required documents that stall momentum before submission
Questions that add time but little admissions value
Unclear instructions or application requirements
Mobile application experiences that are difficult to navigate or complete

When teams look at application funnels the same way they look at paid media or landing page performance, patterns emerge quickly. By addressing these points of friction, institutions can improve conversion rates and enroll more students—often without spending more on marketing or adding resources.

Less Friction ≠ Lower Standards

One of the most common concerns we hear is this:“If we make the application easier, will we hurt our academic reputation?”

The data consistently says no.

Simplifying an application doesn’t mean lowering standards, it means being intentional about when and why you ask students for information.

The strongest applications focus only on what’s required to make an admissions decision. Everything else can—and often should—wait until after submission or admission.

What Removing Barriers Looks Like in Practice

Urban College (Boston-based liberal arts institution)

This associate-degree–focused college identified a major drop-off at the very first step: creating an account. By removing the account creation requirement and allowing students to start the application immediately, they reduced abandonment and saw a meaningful lift in completed applications. Same students. Same programs. Less friction.

UNE Online – Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health (PBPH) Program

UNE Online’s Post-Bacc Pre-Health application performed exceptionally well for one key reason: simplicity.

A single-page application
No account creation required
No reference letters or recommendations upfront
Simple requirements and simple instructions

The result? Strong application volume without compromising academic rigor. Admissions still gathered what they needed, just at the right moment in the journey.

Ask Only What You Truly Need

A strong rule of thumb: if a question doesn’t influence an admissions decision, it doesn’t belong in the application.

Common examples to reconsider:

“How did you hear about us?”
Detailed demographic or preference questions
Supplemental questions better suited for onboarding or advising
Non-essential recommendation letters for programs where recommendations are not used in the review process
Career interests that do not affect program admission

These questions are valuable, but not at the point of application. They can be captured later through surveys, CRM workflows, or post-admit communications without slowing momentum.

Move Supporting Steps to After Admit

References, recommendation letters, and supplemental documents are important for some programs, but requiring them before submission can stop otherwise qualified students from applying at all.

A more effective approach:

Allow students to submit the application first
Trigger automated, supportive follow-up communications for next steps
Use clear deadlines and reminders post-admit

This keeps students moving forward instead of stuck in limbo.

The Bigger Picture: Applications as an Experience

Students don’t separate marketing, applications, and enrollment—they experience them as one journey. When the application feels unnecessarily difficult, it sends a signal (intentional or not) about how the institution operates.

Institutions that remove application barriers aren't lowering standards or cutting corners. They're creating a more student-centered experience—one that respects students' time, reduces unnecessary stress, and demonstrates a commitment to meeting students where they are. By using data to eliminate friction and simplify processes, institutions show that student success begins long before a student arrives on campus.

And the payoff is real: more completed applications, healthier funnels, and stronger enrollment outcomes—without spending more on top-of-funnel marketing.