Frequently Asked Questions
Joining
- Who can join The Applicant Panel?
- How can I join The Applicant Panel?
- Can my friend do surveys for me?
- If I join The Applicant Panel, do I have to go on and join The Student Panel?
Earning Incentives
- I’ve just done a questionnaire; where’s my incentive?
- How come some people win prizes as well as getting points?
- Will I be able to choose which voucher I want?
- How much are the vouchers worth?
Taking Part
- Why can't I find any questionnaires to complete on the website?
- Do I HAVE to take part in a survey when I am invited to do so?
- On average, how long do surveys take to complete?
- Why don’t I get invited to take more surveys?
- Why did you invite me to take a questionnaire if I then get screened out?
- How do I know what the right answers are?
- How long can I stay on The Applicant Panel?
- Will it be easy to join The Student Panel?
Keeping up-to-date
About Opinionpanel
My Privacy and Rights
- Will you send me spam or sell my name to someone who does?
- Why should I join?
- How often will you send me surveys?
- How do I leave The Applicant Panel?
Technical issues
Joining
Who can join The Applicant Panel?
Anyone applying through UCAS to study at a UK university or higher education institution can join the panel.
How can I join The Applicant Panel?
You can only join The Applicant Panel by invitation. If you've applied to university through UCAS and have agreed to receive their emails, then look out for our invitation and just follow the link.
Can my friend do surveys for me?
We look for differences in responses to questionnaires by members' demographics (things like gender, age, course and personal interests). So it is important that the person who originally joined Opinionpanel is the only one to complete the questionnaires.
If I join The Applicant Panel, do I have to go on and join The Student Panel?
No, you don't have to join The Student Panel when you go to university. But if you do go to a UK university, you might want to join The Student Panel so you can keep taking surveys and enjoying the benefits of being involved.
Earning Incentives
Will I be able to choose which voucher I want?
Yes, we'll usually give you a choice between a voucher from WHSmiths or Boots.
How much are the vouchers worth?
The vouchers are normally worth £1.
I’ve just done a questionnaire; where’s my incentive?
When you complete a questionnaire for The Applicant Panel, we’ll usually give you a money off voucher to spend on the high street. These are sent to you by post and will usually be mailed within two weeks of taking the survey.
How come some people win prizes as well as getting points?
Sometimes we offer a prize draw for a gift like a digital camera or a magazine subscription, as well as the usual incentives. It’s usually on projects that need a bit of an extra reward, for example if it’s a particularly tricky questionnaire. We’ll tell you about them if they crop up, but normally we just offer high street gift certificates.
Taking Part
Why can't I find any questionnaires to complete on the website?
We invite you to complete questionnaires by email, not directly from the web site. This is because we have to select panellists for our questionnaires very carefully to ensure representativeness. That means not everyone is selected for every questionnaire.
Do I HAVE to take part in a survey when I am invited to do so?
No, you only complete the surveys you have the time and interest in completing. Obviously you only earn vouchers when you participate.
On average, how long do surveys take to complete?
Typically about 10 minutes - although some may be slightly longer and some may be shorter.
Why don’t I get invited to take more surveys?
We select who gets invited to each survey on the basis of meeting quotas for representativeness such as gender, age and region. Within these requirements, selections are random, so it’s difficult to predict just how often we’ll invite you. Keep your profile up-to-date to maximise your chances of being contacted.
Why did you invite me to take a questionnaire if I then get screened out?
When we invited you, we needed responses from panellists fitting your profile, based on gender, age etc. By the time you came to complete the survey, that quota will have filled up. Some groups are very small so this can occasionally happen even if you respond quickly.
How do I know what the right answers are?
There are no right or wrong answers. Just respond truthfully.
How long can I stay on The Applicant Panel?
You can stay on the Applicant Panel until you start university, or decide to withdraw from the application process. But once you’re at university you can join The Student Panel and keep earning incentives. Click here to find out about The Student Panel
Will it be easy to join The Student Panel?
YES, it will be quick and simple to move onto The Student Panel since we've already got a lot of your details.
Keeping up-to-date
I’ve changed my email address / home address / etc
Please keep us informed of any changes by logging in and choosing ‘My profile’. This helps maximise your chances of being contacted.
I’ve forgotten my login details
Click here to receive a reminder of your login details.
About Opinionpanel
Who is Opinionpanel?
We are a market research company. We comply with the market research society's code of conduct and will never pass on your details to any third party, we will never sell to you, send you special offers etc. We have been running for nearly four years and have built up a solid reputation for our student and graduate panels and research findings.
How does Opinionpanel make its money?
By selling 'space' on our questionnaires to clients interested in the views of University applicants. We pass on the overall results of our surveys but we never pass on your personal details.
My Privacy and Rights
Will you send me spam or sell my name to someone who does?
No and no. All your details remain private. Your details will not be passed on to any third parties and we will not try and sell or market to you.
Why should I join?
Opinionpanel surveys are likely to be relevant, interesting, influential, quick and easy. You get to earn you vouchers for every survey you complete and we send you feedback on the results to give you an idea of what you and other university applicants are saying.
How often will you send me surveys?
That depends on many factors. Respondents tend to be selected on the basis of their demographic profile, so it's impossible to predict how often any one profile will be picked. We do endeavour to contact everyone fairly.
How do I leave The Applicant Panel?
Just log in and select the "unsubscribe" option, or reply to any of our emails with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. We’ll email you back to confirm that you’ve been unsubscribed.
Technical issues
I am having technical problems completing a survey. What should I do?
Contact us by email at info@opinionpanel.co.uk
