Population File Instructions

Population specification is the first and most important step for an effective survey process. The links below provide detailed instructions on population definitions and instructions for compiling the data file. Schools using the Paper and Web+ modes need address information not required for Web-Only mode, so please be sure to use the instructions appropriate for your administration.

If you are not administering NSSE this year and are unsure what mode you would use, consult our mode decision-making tree to determine which would be best for you. You can then consult the appropriate population file instructions.