Intake Process Enrollment Friction

In Simple Words

Opt-in enrollment is like mailing an invitation to a free community service and asking residents to fill out a website form to attend; even if people want the service, inertia and mistrust keep most from signing up. Reversing the flow—having residents register first and then selecting participants—eliminates the sign-up hurdle and fills every seat.

Research question

When support programs require eligible low-income students to proactively complete an opt-in electronic consent process after being selected, administrative friction dramatically reduces program take-up rates, even when the intervention offers substantial financial and coaching benefits.

Participants

N = 430 eligible students invited to participate in the Phase 1 treatment group at Tarrant County College.

Study Design

Comparative analysis of program take-up rates across Phase 1 (post-randomization outreach via email/letter) versus Phase 2 (pre-randomization intake consent).

Results

Phase 1 opt-in outreach yielded a low take-up rate of 22% (94/430 students), whereas Phase 2 pre-consent enrollment achieved an 87.3% take-up rate.

Takeaway

Require student intake consent and program registration prior to randomization or service assignment to maximize participant engagement and minimize administrative attrition.

Related findings

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• Extracurricular Non-Crowding Delivery →Education

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