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Committee weighs two school-search designs to reduce term-selection errors
Summary
A UX team presented two design options to reduce student errors when selecting application type and term; committee members favored an approach that shows one institution record and prompts application-type/term selection afterward while preserving safeguards for early-admit students and dual-credit cases.
Apply Texas staff presented two alternative school-search designs on June 10 intended to reduce student errors when selecting application type and semester, and committee members offered detailed feedback about edge cases and implementation constraints.
Amy Zigner, a UX designer on the Apply Texas team, described Version A (show one to two results per school with semester selection after a user clicks Apply) and Version B (show a single result per institution and ask application type and semester on a secondary screen). "Version B could reduce those errors for high-school seniors specifically because they won't have multiple results to pick from," Amy said, noting the need for a richer details page that lists deadlines and application-type requirements.
Committee members raised concerns and suggestions. Christine Velasquez asked whether eligibility flags should block a user or only warn them, calling out early-admit students who may legitimately select an earlier term; Amy and other staff said flags should prompt users to verify information rather than automatically prevent progress. Connie Coleman and others recommended a warning that invites correction (for example, restating a detected graduation date) rather than a hard block.
Members also pushed for institution-driven limits on visible terms (so schools that do not offer dual credit would not show dual-credit application types) and for improvements in the initial screener that exposes the correct application types. Nicholas Medina and Jorge Dimas said Version B better matches many institutions' workflows and reduces confusion for students who otherwise apply to the wrong term or application type.
Staff said they will gather more feedback from college advising teams and development staff to assess feasibility and timeline and will share the designs after the meeting for further review.
Next steps: staff will refine the details page content (deadlines, essay/score requirements), consider language for eligibility flags, and consult institution partners before scheduling implementation work.
