for
Winnow is an admissions equity project funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2023 and built in partnership with the University of Maryland College Park.
This platform strives to provide a transparent and ethical college browsing tool for prospective students.
The Problem
There is an overwhelming amount of information about colleges being published online. Students don’t know which sites they can trust—and which ones might be selling their personal data.
Many existing platforms either require paid subscriptions, present biased data, or offer information about only a select group of colleges, making access inequitable and user-unfriendly.
The Winnow Brand
Finding the perfect college can be a daunting task. We wanted the Winnow brand to be inviting, different, and fun.
Background
In the digital age, the seemingly endless college search data is scattered across numerous platforms, many of which are commercialized or government-backed. As a result, prospective students often grapple with fragmented and biased information .
Recognizing this gap in the college search landscape, The Gates Team envisioned a centralized platform: a college search web app designed with privacy at its core and a user-centric approach.
64 Robots architected a solution that allows Winnow admins to input data from any source and display it on a fully A11Y accessible platform.
Frontend Methodology
Guided Search Experience: From the outset, Winnow guides users through the college search process, delivering accurate results based on personalized data input during onboarding.
Advanced Search & Filter: Empowering users to take control of their college search journey, Winnow features a versatile search and filter module. In line with its mission, Winnow prioritizes filters most relevant to low-income, first-generation students of color.
Customizable Favorites: Students can curate a list of their favorite colleges, broken down into three levels of interest.
Resource Library: A systematically organized resource library features videos, PDFs, and downloads for extended research.
By prioritizing privacy, accessibility, and user experience, Winnow revolutionizes the college search process.
Prospective students, especially those from under-served demographics, now have a formidable ally in their quest for higher education.
The transformative power of technology
Winnow epitomizes the transformative power of technology when harnessed for social equity . By offering a centralized, user-friendly, and unbiased platform, it not only democratizes information access but also levels the playing field for all prospective students in their college search journey.