Skooltify Mobile App: Simplifying School Applications for Parents & Students

Summary

Skooltify is a mobile app designed to streamline how parents and students discover, apply to, and track school applications. The platform provides a one-stop solution where families can search for schools, view photos and videos, explore admission requirements, pay application fees, and track application progress in real time.

Beyond applications, Skooltify fosters trust and engagement by enabling parents to leave reviews, connect with schools through direct contacts, and even book entrance exams. An AI-powered chat assistant further personalizes the experience, helping parents quickly get answers to questions like “Which schools are closest to my house?”

By transforming what is often a complex and fragmented process into a seamless digital journey, Skooltify empowers families to make informed decisions while helping schools attract and manage applicants more efficiently.

Goal

The goal was to design and build a mobile app that simplifies the end-to-end school application process for parents, reduces confusion around requirements and fees, and increases visibility for schools by showcasing their strengths through rich media and reviews.

Outcome

Within the first launch phase, Skooltify enabled early adopters to:

Save time by managing the entire application process from one app.

Discover and shortlist schools using intuitive filters and AI-powered search.

Access clear, step-by-step tracking of application progress.

Engage more confidently with schools thanks to transparent reviews, direct contacts, and real-time notifications.

My Role
Product designer
Team
6 cross-functional partners (Product, Engineering, Research, Marketing, Ops)
Duration
<3 months

My responsibilities

User Research
User Flows
Wireframing
High Fidelity Prototype
Visual Design
Interaction

Defining the problem

For many parents, applying to schools is stressful and disorganized. Information is scattered across websites, paper forms, and word-of-mouth referrals. Parents often face:

  • Unclear admission requirements.
  • Manual payment processes.
  • Difficulty tracking the status of applications.
  • Lack of transparency on school quality, facilities, and reviews.

On the other side, schools struggle to showcase their unique value and handle application management efficiently.

Problem Statement ✶︎ How might we help parents seamlessly discover, apply to, and track schools—while giving schools the tools to better present themselves and manage applicants?

Research Analysis
  • Competitor Analysis: Many school management or listing platforms lack real-time application tracking, AI-powered guidance, and a balance of both school and parent perspectives.
  • User Interviews: Parents emphasized frustration with unclear steps, hidden fees, and poor communication from schools. They wanted one trusted place for transparency and updates.
  • Journey Mapping: We visualized how parents currently move from school discovery to application to acceptance, revealing pain points at each step.
  • Key Insights
    • Parents want clarity and transparency (fees, deadlines, requirements).
    • Families prefer mobile-first solutions for on-the-go tracking.
    • Reviews, photos, and videos greatly influence school choice.
    • A conversational interface (AI chat) helps reduce decision fatigue.
    Solution Strategy
    • Parents can browse schools with rich profiles (photos, videos, reviews) and see clear breakdowns of fees, requirements, and deadlines.
    • Applications can be submitted directly in the app with step-by-step tracking, status updates, and notifications.
    • An AI chat assistant answers natural language questions (e.g., “schools near me”) and provides personalized school recommendations.
    • Parents can contact school reps directly, leave reviews for transparency, and book application exams through the app.

    Impact

    Post-launch pilot results showed:

  • 45% faster application completion by parents using Skooltify compared to traditional processes.
  • Higher parent satisfaction, with positive feedback on transparency and tracking features.
  • Increased visibility for schools, with media-rich profiles driving more applications.
  • The AI chat assistant became a standout feature, helping parents reduce confusion and find suitable schools quickly.