Pathways: Creating a Centralized Platform for the Exploration of Majors, Post-Secondary Institutions, and Careers
Abstract
As high school and undergraduate students navigate the complex landscape of college and career choices, they often encounter overwhelming amounts of digital information, leading to difficulty in making informed decisions. Deciding on a college and applying can be a daunting multi-step process, that has proven to incite stress and anxiety in high school students. Moreover, obtaining a degree does not guarantee job search preparation and can result in many students working in careers irrelevant to their field of study. To address these problems, this thesis project developed Pathways, an interactive college and career exploration website designed to engage and assist students in their search process. The website provides a space-themed, interactive interface to help users discover potential majors and explore different career paths that align with their interests and goals.
The project team incorporated feedback from stakeholders in the education field and usability testing to develop Pathways. The website was built using modern web development technologies, including React and P5.js. The project also involved creating and curating a college and career information database and developing a categorization system to match majors with relevant jobs.
The project results indicate that Pathways can potentially improve high school and undergraduate students' college and career exploration experience. Initial user testing showed that users found the website engaging, informative, and helpful in their search process. Ongoing evaluation and refinement of the website will be necessary to ensure its continued effectiveness and usability.