The National Student Survey started today, which gives final years the chance to show their satisfaction to the general public on the education they have received here at Imperial. The results of the NSS are used in national league table rankings, so be honest when you are filling it in, as prospective students and other interested parties will be using this data to compare the quality of education each university and course offers. The NSS also raises important issues that College and the Union can respond to. Every year the Union publishes a response to the NSS with the aim of improving the student experience across the whole College.

Last year, 71% of final years filled in the NSS and we are hoping to beat this percentage to give a more fully representative view of how satisfied Imperial’s students are. To help make the survey as useful as possible we have a few tips to those who have yet to complete it:

1. Rate your entire degree, not your final year. 

The NSS is very different to SOLE. Use SOLE to discuss the positives and negatives of your year and NSS for the positives and negatives of your whole degree.

2. Don’t be neutral. 

On many questions you will these options: strongly agree, slightly agree, neutral, slightly disagree, strongly disagree. Neutral responses give us no indication as to whether things need improving or are going very well. Make your voice count.

3. Give detailed comments on open text boxes. 

There are free-text boxes on the survey. Be as detailed as possible if you want to make an impact.

So if you are a final year, fill in the survey now.

You can also win a £20 Union Shop voucher or a summer ball ticket for completing the survey!

Also, you don't need to wait until a survey to make changes in your Department. Your Representatives meet key teaching and administrative staff regularly to fix issues and pass on praise; find your rep here.