4 Ways to Improve the Usability of Higher Education Websites

My team at Sparkbox recently usability tested four higher education websites with college-bound high school students as part of our best practices for mobile navigation research. While watching these prospective college students perform a few basic tasks that included finding admission deadlines, the sticker price of room and board, and most critically, if the school had a major they were interested in, we noticed a few common issues.

Four ways many higher education websites could improve their user experience:

  • Use clear, familiar navigation labels

  • Invest in the organization and navigation of degree programs

  • Be transparent about costs and important dates

  • Optimize site search

Fixing these issues could improve a prospective student’s user experience of any college or university’s website, resulting in a less frustrating and more positive impression of the school.

Julie Young