Why Some Requests Aren’t Confirmed Immediately

Most requests are confirmed immediately. However, approximately 25 percent of education verification requests require manual research by schools. We refer to these as “pending” requests and there are a number of factors that can make a request more likely to fall into a pending status.

• Requests without Social Security numbers or birth dates are up to 30 percent more likely to require school research.
• Requests without a date of birth are 16 percent more likely to enter into a pending status.
• Newer degrees are more likely to result in a pending status:
  • Nearly four times more likely if the degree was issued within the last six months
  • Twice as likely if the degree was issued within the last two years
• Requests made to two-year schools are 53 percent more likely to result in a pending status.

Knowing the factors that make a request more likely to be sent to schools for research and less likely to get an immediate response can help you set your customers’ expectations on timing for their requests.