Toolkit for college access and success

LUMINA + WSAC

Mixed format

Research, marketing and impact

UX/UI design

UX copywriting

Web development

Illustration

Live-action production

Motion graphics

Editing

Sound/music

@CollegeToolkit is a collaborative initiative between Sandbox, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), Lumina Foundation, and our partner college Central Washington University (CWU). The project sought to develop messaging, media, and interactive tools to help make the transition to post-secondary more accessible for students and families in underrepresented groups who often face added barriers in navigating life after high school.

Through research and stakeholder engagement, we examined the cultural and social factors that influence college-going mindsets among prospective students and their families, identifying the messages and tools that could best support their journey.

Explore the platform

The College Toolkit is an interactive, multimedia microsite, designed to provide prospective students and their families with the resources and confidence they need to apply to college. Every resource on the site is informed by user feedback: we performed comprehensive user research, content and concept validation testing with current and prospective students to ensure every webpage, video, and feature on the toolkit was relevant, useful, and practical.

The finished site includes personal stories from CWU students, a comprehensive guide to applying for financial aid, with plain-language explanations of federal and Washington-based grants, scholarships, and loans, a section dedicated to university application preparation, including tips on timelines, essay writing, and eligibility criteria, as well as a profile of CWU highlighting available programs and campus resources.The site also includes a page for families and guardians with resources outlining how they can support students through the college application process.

At the core of the College Toolkit are profile videos of real CWU students. Early consultation with stakeholders revealed that the most effective way to engage our audience was through relatable, real-life stories told by peers who had successfully navigated similar challenges on their path to higher education. In response, Sandbox produced four student profile videos featuring CWU students whose experiences reflected the barriers identified during research and focus groups—including financial struggles, lack of confidence, and navigating coursework with learning disabilities. Each participant was carefully selected to represent common motivations, concerns, and lived experiences among Washington families considering college.

We also developed a longer, documentary-style video following a first-generation student and her family as they worked through the college application and financial aid process. The film captures the practical and emotional dimensions of pursuing higher education, showing how these efforts can create new opportunities and uplift families.

This project is grounded in research. Sandbox combined social science and user-centered design methods to ensure the platform reflected real student experiences and needs. Working with our partners, we conducted two phases of research involving 102 participants across Washington state, including current and former CWU students, high school students, CWU staff, and postsecondary access and student support professionals. The first phase explored the barriers and motivations surrounding college access through interviews and creative testing focus groups, providing key insights that shaped the site’s content, design, and overall user experience. The second phase involved usability testing to ensure the site’s design, navigation, and interactivity allowed users to easily and intuitively find the information they needed. Insights from both phases directly informed the site’s structure, language, and interactive features. Although the site highlights CWU students, the platform is built to serve all aspiring college students. Discussions are underway for potential state-wide expansion.

Learn more about our methodologies