[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-587894-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":84,"doc-detail-587894-en":134},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":77,"head_meta":79,"extra_data":81,"updated_unix":83},105,"en","the-changing-the-narrative-summary-report-august-2025","The Changing the Narrative-Summary Report - August 2025","","August 2025 summary report for “The Changing the Narrative” pilot project, describing a research-to-product approach used to develop the CollegeToolkit platform. The initiative targets underrepresented groups in postsecondary education by addressing barriers to college access, motivations, belonging, and information gaps. Research integrates a literature review and qualitative research (interviews and focus groups) plus creative testing and usability testing with students across Washington state. Key findings emphasize financial deterrents, communal motivation, trusted messengers, fragmented information, and the need for guided tools.",{"@graph":14,"@context":76},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-changing-the-narrative-summary-report-august-2025/587894/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-changing-the-narrative-summary-report-august-2025/587894.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Bintang","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-10","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":26},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68,72],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What is the goal of The Changing the Narrative pilot project?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"The project aims to make the college transition easier by developing messaging, media, and interactive tools that resonate with prospective students and their families, especially underrepresented groups.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How was the CollegeToolkit platform developed?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"The report describes a research-to-product approach combining social science and user-centered design methods, using literature review, qualitative research, creative testing, and usability testing.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What key barriers and motivations did the research highlight?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Financial barriers remain a major deterrent, and motivation is often communal. A lack of belonging also creates a significant barrier, while trusted messengers strongly influence decisions.",{"name":73,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":74},"What design recommendations emerged from usability and engagement findings?",{"text":75,"@type":63},"Users and testing emphasized engaging visual design plus clear navigation, terminology, and instructions, along with practical tools and a guided experience for applying for college and financial aid.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":78,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":80,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":82,"site_id":7},587894,1792063566,{"code":4,"msg":85,"data":86},"success",[87,91,95,99,104,109,114,118,123,126,130],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":100,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":105,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},8,30,"research-report",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":121,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":125},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":129},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":133},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":85,"data":135},{"doc_id":82,"user_id":136,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":137,"doc_module":4,"category_id":115,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":138,"file_id":139,"file_url":140,"file_type":141,"file_size":142,"view_count":26,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":143,"language":144,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":145,"faqs":146,"seo_title":147,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":83,"read_time":148,"preview_page_count":4},962085564381,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","1  \nAugust 2025  \nTable Of Contents  \nTable Of Contents 1  \nExecutive Summary 3  \nIntroduction 6  \n1. Literature Review 9  \nMethodology 9  \nFindings 10  \nPostsecondary Narratives 10  \nSocial and Cultural Factors of a College-Going Culture 13  \nInformation Consumption Preferences 14  \nRecommendations 17  \n2. Qualitative Research 19  \nMethodology 19  \nFindings 24  \nDeciding to Pursue Postsecondary Education 24  \nDrivers for Pursuing Postsecondary Education 29  \nFinding Information on Postsecondary Options 35  \nErroneous Assumptions about Postsecondary Education 37  \nRecommendations 40  \n3. Creative Testing 42  \nMethodology 42  \nFindings 44  \nThe Importance of Financial Concerns 44  \nAuthenticity and Belonging 44  \nEmpowering, Not Pressuring 45  \nRecommendations 48  \n4. Usability Testing 50  \nMethodology 50  \nPhase One: Moderated Interviews 50  \nPhase Two: Asynchronous Survey 52  \nFindings 56  \nUser Engagement and Visual Appeal 56  \nNavigational and Terminology Challenges 56  \nValue of Complementary User Behavior Analysis 58  \nRecommendations 59  \nConclusion 60  \nWorks Cited 61  \nChanging the Narrative-Summary Report 2  \nAugust 2025  \nExecutive Summary  \nThe Changing the Narrative Project  \nThe Changing the Narrative pilot project is a collaborative initiative between the Washington Student Achievement Council, Central Washington University 􀖤 CWU􀖥 , Sandbox Inc. supported by Lumina Foundation. The project aims to make the college transition easier by developing messaging, media and interactive tools that resonate with prospective students and their families. The project is especially targeted at underrepresented groups in postsecondary education who lack the knowledge, confidence, and networks to effectively navigate key decisions regarding their life after high school. Those groups include for instance first generation students, low-income students and students of color. The project was conceptualized and developed between September 2024 and August 2025.  \nResearch-to-Product Approach  \nThis report outlines the research-to-product approach used to create the 􀖪 CollegeToolkit platform, combining social science and user-centered design methods. The research had a dual purpose: to design a platform based on real user needs and to contribute to broader policy goals of increasing college attainment, especially for underrepresented students. The research involved two phases and included 102 participants from across Washington state, including students, higher education staff, and postsecondary education access professionals.  \nThe first phase, conducted from September to November 2025, focused on understanding the barriersand motivations for college access, particularly among underrepresented groups. This involved a literature review and qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups with 51 participants.  \nThe second phase, from February to April 2025, gathered specific feedback from students on the platform 's content and design. This included creative testing with 17 students and usability testing with 34 high school and university students to refine the interactive prototypes, ensuring the final platform effectively meets their needs.  \nKey Findings  \nThe research components, taken together, yielded rich, multi-dimensional, insights:  \n➔ Financial barriers remain a major deterrent. The cost of college, fear of debt, and the  \nadministrative burden of financial aid are hurdles for students, particularly those from underrepresented groups and adult learners. Many feel college is unaffordable and that financial aid information is difficult to find or understand.  \nChanging the Narrative-Summary Report 3  \nAugust 2025  \n➔ Motivation is often communal, not just individual. While economic security is a primary driver for pursuing postsecondary education, many underrepresented students are also motivated by familial obligations and a desire to be a role model for siblings or to honor their parents ' sacrifices.  \n➔ A lack of","cbCaijgKrzDnIrez","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijgKrzDnIrez","pdf",1408624,64,"English","# Executive Summary\n## The Changing the Narrative pilot project\n## Research-to-Product Approach\n## Key Findings\n## Key Recommendations","[{\"question\":\"What is the goal of The Changing the Narrative pilot project?\",\"answer\":\"The project aims to make the college transition easier by developing messaging, media, and interactive tools that resonate with prospective students and their families, especially underrepresented groups.\"},{\"question\":\"How was the CollegeToolkit platform developed?\",\"answer\":\"The report describes a research-to-product approach combining social science and user-centered design methods, using literature review, qualitative research, creative testing, and usability testing.\"},{\"question\":\"What key barriers and motivations did the research highlight?\",\"answer\":\"Financial barriers remain a major deterrent, and motivation is often communal. A lack of belonging also creates a significant barrier, while trusted messengers strongly influence decisions.\"},{\"question\":\"What design recommendations emerged from usability and engagement findings?\",\"answer\":\"Users and testing emphasized engaging visual design plus clear navigation, terminology, and instructions, along with practical tools and a guided experience for applying for college and financial aid.\"}]","The Changing the Narrative-Summary Report - August 2025 | PDF",161]