Montana University System
Design. Develop. Evaluate. Iterate.
CMS
Modern Campus
Services
Brand, Strategy, UX, Design, Content Writing & Migration, Development, Marketing
Launched
2020, 2021, 2024, 2025
THE CHALLENGE
Reaching the 40%
Nearly 40% of Montana high school graduates do not pursue postsecondary education at all. Montana University System (MUS) oversees the state’s 16 colleges and universities and set out to increase the number of students seeking degrees. ApplyMontana, the state’s single application to all 16 schools, needed a website to promote awareness about the benefits of a degree, all of the MUS schools, and ultimately drive applications.
Over the past five years, we have partnered with MUS to create and expand awareness of ApplyMontana and the college application process. By continually reviewing data, goals, and iterating our work, we have created a living and breathing university system website that is helping make college more accessible for many Montana residents.
Over the years, we have:
- Created a microsite to spur awareness of ApplyMontana
- Designed a student-centered site designed around the college application process
- Improved wayfinding of colleges with an interactive map
- Simplified the financial aid process through a quiz and suite of custom content
- Amplified the reach of the new site through brand and advertising
See how ApplyMontana has become a nationwide example of what states can do to reduce friction, clarify career and college options, and elevate the value of a college education for students.
Driving College Applications in Montana
EARLY MOMENTUM
Microsite. Macro Impact.
ApplyMontana needed a credible starting point right away. A lightweight, temporary microsite introduced core messages, set expectations for students and families, and offered counselors a reliable link to share across districts.
This allowed for awareness of ApplyMontana to grow while a full redesign, content creation, and development process took place.
NEW WEBSITE BUILD
Full-Scale Web Launch
A new sitemap, visual design, and content strategy drove a fresh and complete ApplyMontana website. Offering everything from college information to financial aid to dual credit and more, the site launched to attract high school students, parents, guidance counselors, and adult learners.
An interactive quiz linked career pathways and location to programs and credentials, and career-first imagery aligned with client needs to focus on the end result for most college degrees: future job security and economic success.
INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
Every Campus Front and Center
With so many schools across such a vast area, few high schoolers are aware of all 16 MUS institutions. That’s why an interactive map developed for the top of the home page was a next logical step for the Montana University System website.
Quick-scan cards on an interactive map present essentials such as location, key info, and a link to the school page. The experience illustrates the breadth of MUS opportunities and shortens the path from curiosity to exploration without adding complexity to the navigation.
FAFSA QUIZ & CONTENT
Making Aid Crystal Clear
As graduates opt-out of postsecondary school and into the workforce, an astounding amount of financial aid goes unclaimed each year.
One strategy to buck the trend has been make the financial aid application process as seamless—and predictable—as possible. We created a suite of custom pages with financial aid information, as well as an interactive 7-10 question quiz that helps students and families understand what they need to do to apply.
Amazing having a true partner on board. Far and away your team had personalities and expertise that made a long and sometimes stressful project incredibly engaging for all of us.
PAID ADVERTISING
Integrated Campaign Lift
After launch, MUS partnered with our sister agency RDW Group on branding and paid advertising to drive qualified traffic to the portal. Media and message worked in tandem with the site’s clear paths to action, producing statewide awareness, drawing over 16 million impressions and 1,000 clicks to the application.
The coordinated approach ensured that interest generated by the campaign met a system-wide university website designed to convert, reinforcing ApplyMontana’s role as the state’s front door to college.
Our relationship with Montana University System continues to this day, working together to get more students interested in the right postsecondary options for them.
We would love to hear from you
Want to learn more about this project or engage in a conversation about challenges at your institution?