3 Easy Fixes to Improve Your Inquiry Form

Every college wants more inquiries. But what if your biggest barrier to capturing leads is... your inquiry form itself?

Too often, prospective students click “Request More Info” and then abandon the form. Why? Because it’s:

❌ Too long

❌ Too complicated

The good news? Fixing this doesn’t require a complete overhaul. A few small but strategic changes can dramatically improve your form’s effectiveness—and help you capture more inquiries.

Here’s what to focus on.

1. Make It Short—Or Split It into a Two-Step Form

💡 Fewer fields = higher completion rates. Every extra field you add creates friction. If a student wants to request information, don’t make them work for it.

Instead of overwhelming them with a long form upfront, use a two-step approach:

Step 1: The Quick Conversion Form

• Keep it ultra-short (First Name, Last Name, Email, Academic Interest, Enrollment Year).

• Focus on capturing the lead first—not gathering every possible detail.

• Once submitted, immediately move them to Step 2.

Step 2: The Optional Follow-Up Form

• After submission, the student sees a second form saying: “We’d love to learn more about you!”

• Include optional fields for things like extracurriculars, specific interests, and communication preferences.

• If they don’t fill it out immediately, send a personalized email inviting them to complete it later.

5-Minute Fix:

• Reducing form fields boosts conversion rates by up to 50%. (Formstack, 2023)

• Multi-step forms increase submissions by 214% in some industries. (Venture Harbour, 2022)

Concerned about the retention from one form to an optional one? When I implemented this at a university, we had an 86% completion rate from form one to form two!

Try This: Remove one non-essential field right now and see if conversion rates improve.

2.  Don’t Waste the “Thank You” Page—Make It Work for You

💡 The moment after a student submits an inquiry form is critical. Right now, what happens when someone fills out your form? If your confirmation page just says: "Thanks! We’ll be in touch soon."

…you’re missing a huge opportunity.

What to Do Instead:

• Give them a next step. Example: “Explore what makes [Your College] unique—check out student stories here.”

• Make it engaging. Include a video, student testimonials, or a link to your virtual tour.

• Add a clear CTA. Whether it’s "Schedule a Campus Visit" or “See Scholarship Opportunities,” don’t let this be a dead-end.

And Don’t Forget the Auto-Reply Email

Your first email should:

• Thank them for reaching out

• Confirm their inquiry was received

• Provide a next step (schedule a visit, watch a student video, check out a blog)

Why It Works:

• Colleges with immediate engagement see higher yield rates than those relying on delayed follow-ups.

• Students are still engaged right after they submit—don’t let that momentum go to waste.

Try This: Check your thank you page. Does it give students a clear next step? If not, update it!

3. Make Sure It’s Mobile-Friendly (Because That’s Where Students Are)

💡 80% of prospective students complete inquiry forms on their phones. (EAB, 2023)

If your form isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing students.

• Is the form easy to read on a small screen?

• Are dropdown menus and checkboxes tap-friendly?

• Can students complete it in under a minute on mobile?

Why It Works:

• The average form conversion rate on mobile is 21.5%. (Feathery.io, 2023)

• Fixing mobile usability improves first-time submission accuracy from 42% to 78%. (Formidable Forms, 2023)

Try This: Open your form on your own phone. If it’s clunky, flag it for an immediate mobile update. The clunkiest of forms often come from those that are embedded, so make sure you are testing as you create your inquiry forms!

Final Thought: Inquiry Forms Should Be Fast, Simple and Mobile-Friendly

If a prospective student wants more information, don’t make them work for it. Every extra step you remove = more inquiries you may gain.

Here’s your quick-fix checklist:

✅ Cut one non-essential field or test a two-step form.

✅ Check your thank-you page—does it give students a next step?

✅ Test your form on mobile and make sure it’s user-friendly.

Because the best inquiry forms don’t just collect leads—they create momentum!