Before diving into exploratory research, I sought to understand the underlying factors influencing students' decisions about education and debt. These questions guided my interviews with individuals directly affected by the issue, helping uncover key motivations, systemic challenges, and gaps in available resources.

• Why do individuals commit to significant debt without a clear understanding of the post-college job market, especially if they lack strong passion for their chosen field and have no concrete plan for repayment? What factors motivate this choice, and what systemic issues contribute to it?

• What resources are missing in pre-college education that could help prevent students from taking on unnecessary debt? What tools could be provided to better equip them?

• What information and support do students need to make more informed decisions about their educational and career paths?

To gain deeper insight into the challenges students face in higher education, I conducted a screener survey to select participants for in-depth interviews. I focused on individuals who experienced:

To gain firsthand insight into students' decision-making processes, I conducted virtual interviews with participants selected from the screener survey. I explored their reasons for choosing a college, their awareness and use of cost-saving strategies, whether their learning needs were met, and their understanding of student loans at the time of borrowing. These conversations provided a deeper look into the challenges they faced and the advice they would give their younger selves before pursuing a degree. By listening to their experiences, I gathered valuable perspectives that helped shape user-centered solutions in the design process.

I synthesized the interview responses into key themes, including motivations for attending college, cost-saving strategies, and financial frustrations. Recurring topics included a lack of preparation, advice they would give to their younger selves, and factors that influenced their choice of college. Participants also shared their financial successes and struggles, as well as reflections on their educational and career journeys. Lastly, they discussed their preferred learning styles and whether their educational experiences aligned with those preferences.

I organized the quotes and insights from my affinity mapping into two empathy maps: one for New Students and another for Returning Students. Key sentiments included feeling pressured to quickly develop a plan, a desire to make their parents proud, and the stress of seeing friends recruited by prestigious schools. Both groups expressed concerns about rising living costs and doubts about being able to pay off future debt. They feared missing out but reassured themselves that everything would work out, despite losing sleep over financial worries. Many saw student loans as a normal part of life, often signing contracts without fully understanding interest rates or repayment terms. For many, college was simply the next expected step, regardless of whether their degree aligned with their future career plans.

I developed two primary personas based on my research:

Goal – Marie wants a prestigious college experience but didn’t plan for the financial realities. After failing to secure a scholarship, she’s looking for affordable options to continue her education.

Pain Point – Marie is overwhelmed by the lack of guidance and affordable options for continuing her education without massive debt.

Pain Point – Andrew needs a flexible and affordable path to degree completion, ideally using previously earned credits.

To frame my design solutions, I created problem statements:

• How might we help students feel confident they’re taking the right steps to afford their education?

• How might we reduce the overwhelming feeling of navigating complex credit options?

• How might we provide users with personalized educational pathways that fit their budget and learning style?

I wanted to put myself in the shoes of my users, so I created user stories to keep the designs centered around real-life scenarios. These stories clearly outline user needs, guiding the design of the app to ensure it effectively supports their goals.

I began by sketching possible layouts and features, ensuring that accessibility and ease of use were central to the design. To explore a range of ideas quickly, I used the Crazy 8 Method, which allowed me to generate eight different layout concepts within eight minutes. This rapid ideation process helped me identify the strongest elements of each design. Key screens included a Degree Planner, where users could input their educational goals and receive a personalized plan, and a Credit Database for browsing alternative sources of college credits.

• Setting up a user profile with financial and educational preferences.

• Browsing and filtering affordable credit options.

• Tracking previously earned credits and creating a plan for degree completion.

To create the framework for Preedu, I began by organizing the key pages and their corresponding subpages, ensuring the app’s content would be intuitively structured for users. Understanding that users needed to find resources that aligned with their lifestyle, educational goals, and budget, I prioritized the layout based on how frequently each feature would be accessed. Critical tools like the Credit Database, Degree Planner, and Financial Aid were strategically placed in a left-to-right flow, following natural reading patterns. This order reflected the level of user engagement, with the most frequently navigated sections positioned first to streamline the experience. Each section was crafted to guide users through the steps of ersonalized educational planning, ensuring the app remained practical, accessible, and user-friendly.

I mapped out each action a user might take, from exploring the Credit Database to building a personalized Degree Plan, considering not only the starting and ending points but also the specific decisions, clicks, and interactions that would guide them. For example, if a user wanted to search for alternative credits, they would first browse the Credit Database, apply filters to narrow their options, select a program, and then be prompted to add it to their Degree Planner—all while staying within a logical, seamless path.

Moving from sketches to mid-fidelity wireframes, I mapped user flows for essential tasks:

• Personalized Degree Plan: Users input their goals, preferences, and financial constraints, and Preedu generates an optimal path to obtaining college credit.

• Credit Database: A curated list of alternative sources of credit, filtered by affordability and learning style.

• Guided College Prep Tasks: Step-by-step guidance through applications, financial aid, and course selection.

I wanted Preedu to feel warm, practical, and approachable, so I developed a brand style guide featuring earthy tones to evoke a sense of comfort and groundedness, aligning with the app’s mission to guide users through complex decisions with ease.

The brand’s identity is rooted in a balance of warmth and practicality, designed to make users feel supported and empowered. It embodies a friendly yet knowledgeable presence—like a trusted guide who provides clarity and insight without overwhelming the user. Every element, from messaging to visuals, aligns with this vision, creating an experience that feels both inviting and purposeful. The brand’s personality is a blend of reliability, encouragement, and innovation, ensuring users feel confident and in control of their journey.

Inspired by themes of exploration and discovery, the moodboard reflects a sense of adventure grounded in practicality. Earthy tones, soft textures, and approachable typography create an environment that is both calming and motivating. Imagery and UI elements were carefully curated to evoke a feeling of guidance—like a field map that helps users navigate complex decisions with confidence. This visual direction ensures that every design choice reinforces the brand’s mission while making the experience feel intuitive and inviting.

After addressing usability concerns, I refined the app’s UI, improving both its functionality and aesthetics. The final prototype featured a streamlined experience, with intuitive navigation and enhanced information hierarchy. Key features included:

• For individuals new to the process and unsure where to begin, the app enables the creation of a personalized member profile. This allows users to define their educational and financial priorities, providing a sense of direction and ownership over their goals.

• For those feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, the app offers filtering features that match users to opportunities based on a low/medium/high likelihood of eligibility. This helps narrow down potential options, such as affordable colleges, scholarships, or low-cost credit sources, making the decision-making process more manageable.

• For individuals new to the process and unsure where to begin, the app enables the creation of a personalized member profile. This allows users to define their educational and financial priorities, providing a sense of direction and ownership over their goals.

The goal of this testing phase was to assess the overall usability, design, and functionality of the Preedu app. Specific objectives include gathering feedback on the app's layout, ease of navigation, and whether users could comfortably filter credit options, update their degree plans, and access relevant information. The insights gained from this testing guided improvements to ensure Preedu effectively supports students in making informed educational choices.

The following questions were designed to gather insights on user impressions, ease of interaction, and potential areas for improvement.

• What is the overall impression of the app's layout, color scheme, design elements, and terminology?

• Is navigation within the app intuitive and effective in helping users find what they need?

• Are users able to easily exit sections and dismiss popups without difficulty?

• Can users successfully complete the tasks provided?

• Are there any additional features that would enhance the user experience when completing tasks?

• Are there any features that seem unnecessary or redundant?

• Are there any problem areas or obstacles in key user pathways within the app?

To evaluate the intuitiveness and ease of use of the application, users were asked to complete the following tasks with no guidance. They were encouraged to navigate naturally, providing honest feedback—both positive and negative—knowing that every insight would be highly valued to refine the user experience.

Usability testing revealed issues with button labels, navigation, confirmation pop-ups, and unclear directional guidance. In response, I refined the UI to improve functionality and aesthetics. The final prototype featured intuitive navigation, clearer information hierarchy, and a streamlined user experience, resulting in a more cohesive and user-friendly app.

Navigation Issues: Users found some buttons hard to click, as the clickable area was too small.

• Solution: Increased touchpoint areas to cover both icons and text for easier interaction.

Disorienting Pop-Ups: Confirmation pop-ups didn’t clearly indicate task completion.

• Solution: Added overlays behind pop-ups to better indicate that the task was finished.

Terminology Confusion: Some users were unfamiliar with terms like “high transfer-in policy.”

• Solution: Implemented pop-up tooltips to explain unfamiliar terms.

Through Preedu, users could explore educational pathways that prioritize affordability and personal fit. By simplifying complex tasks like credit transfers and financial aid applications, Preedu equips students to make better, more informed decisions about their education—potentially reducing student debt and increasing graduation rates, particularly for non-traditional learners.

This project was deeply fulfilling as it combined my passion for accessible education with the application of UX/UI design principles to solve a real-world problem. I loved seeing users engage with Preedu and express a desire for such a tool in their own lives, which made it even more rewarding to know that I had created a solution that could potentially ease the financial burden of higher education. The challenge of designing a complex yet user-friendly app was enjoyable, especially after receiving positive feedback from testers who wished such a resource had been available during their educational journeys.

If I could do it over, I would have revisited the site map throughout the project to refine content organization rather than sticking with the initial version. I also would have prioritized creating more detailed navigation paths earlier in the design process, considering granular decisions and user scenarios from the start.

Looking ahead, I plan to expand Preedu's features by adding tools like a college prep checklist, scholarship matching, a student loan repayment calculator, and deeper credit cataloging. These additional tools will further empower students to take control of their education and finances, making informed decisions that align with their long-term goals.