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InviteEducation
11-20 employees
Education, Technology, Tools
Planning for college is one of the biggest financial challenges many families face. With tuition, housing, scholarships, and credits, the numbers can be overwhelming. While parents often turn to digital tools for guidance, confusing or incomplete applications only add to the stress. This was the issue with the university costs planning app—its clunky interface and limited features left parents feeling unsupported, highlighting the need for change.
The original version of the application aimed to help parents estimate and manage college expenses, but its execution fell short. The interface was unintuitive, the financial tools were basic, and the platform couldn’t scale to meet growing demand. As a result, families found it hard to navigate, and the application simply couldn’t grow alongside the increasing demand for better financial planning solutions.
When we partnered on the project, our goal was to provide parents with more than just a tool—we wanted to offer a reliable partner in education planning. The redesign focused on three key improvements: a clearer, more intuitive interface; advanced financial tools; and an architecture ready for future growth.
We started by reimagining the experience through design, using Sketch and InVision to prototype and validate ideas early on with stakeholders. Once the direction was clear, we rebuilt the app with Ruby on Rails and deployed it on Heroku, leveraging AWS for asset management and the Apartment Gem for scalability. The result was more than just a technical upgrade—the experience for parents was transformed. The interface became friendlier and easier to navigate, while new financial tools gave families deeper insights into scholarships, course credits, and opportunities to save. With a scalable architecture in place, the platform is now equipped to grow alongside users’ needs.
The revamped application quickly became a far more valuable resource for families. Parents can now confidently estimate costs, explore financial strategies, and manage the complex planning for higher education. What began as a confusing, limited tool had become an essential guide, helping families prepare for one of life’s biggest investments.
The new platform does much more than crunch numbers—it empowers families. By combining intuitive design, richer tools, and robust scalability, the application has evolved from a source of frustration into a trusted ally. For parents navigating the complexities of college costs, this change is transformative.
If you’re interested in developing a similar platform or learning more about our software development services, please feel free to reach out to us.
