grad admissions apply now badge

[nhummel]

On the grad website I noticed that Erin has an apply now button different from the `official' one.

I'm pretty sure I know why. From the wiki the snippet of code to add that badge, is more or less (at the moment) for undergrads. Yes, that page points to the grad college where you click on their apply now badge.

It's because of this, they have their own that goes to the grad addmissions form.

I've created a `new' badge, so the only difference is the target of the link.

You can view it at http://euler.unl.edu.

I can see deparments that on the prospective ugrads pages putting the apply now badge. But why force grad students to to go a apply now page that is basically not for them, so why not use a badge for them?

If people thing this is a good idea, I'll commit things to the cvs.

Ned

[Erin Paseka]

I'm conflicted on this.

On one hand, I'm all for consistency in template usage and feel a little guilty about putting a nonstandard badge/button in a location intended for other things.

On the other hand, false consistency is worse than inconsistency. If it doesn't do the same thing, should it look exactly the same, in exactly the same place? The title tag and the status bar will tell people where they're going, but it's not obvious that it would be any different. If I'm thinking about applying for a Ph.D. in Math and in the course of exploring I've clicked the regular Apply Now badge on the UNL or Math homepage, I won't be eager to click it again when I see it on the Grad Studies page or a Math page for grad applicants.

Plus, the philosophy of my office dictates that visitors to our website be hit over the head with opportunities to get to our online app. If I replace my red blob in the whitespace with a standard badge across the colored bars, people will first claim that I've removed it entirely and then howl that it's not visible enough.

What's the primary goal with this idea? Cleaning up nonstandardness on the Grad Studies page, or giving everybody an easy way to put a grad-specific badge on their grad-specific pages?

[nhummel]

What's the primary goal with this idea? Cleaning up nonstandardness on the Grad Studies page, or giving everybody an easy way to put a grad-specific badge on their grad-specific pages?

Giving everyone an easy way to put a gras specific badge on grad specifi pages.

The only reason the badge is where is is now is, well, that's the only page I have.

I'm conflicted on this.

As am I.

That's why I'm trying to get some sort of discussion going so we can come up with some sort of solution.

Maybe we need a ``become a phd'' badge.

Ned

[rcrisler1]

I'd go with the same basic PSD but change the wording.

[Erin Paseka]

Our Apply Online button didn't pass QA:

Should move "Apply Online" out of the college navigation area. Suggested solutions include using the "Apply Now" badge in global navigation, or moving the button into the content area.

Suggestions were appreciated but not exactly embraced. The existing global "Apply Now" badge links to Undergrad's app page only; we can't let our traffic get lost on that detour. And moving the button into the content area defeats its entire purpose: a very visible link to our app from darn near every page on our site. (Yes, I could put it in every page's body and build in whitespace to retain visibility, but aesthetically... blech.)

Let's discuss some other options, like these:

1. Keep the button where it is, but adjust it and/or the definition of "college navigation" to eliminate the conflict.
   
   What specifically makes it illegal there? (Undergrad Admissions got approved, so apparently I was wrong about graphics being verboten in that zone. If our current graphic isn't template-tastic enough, we're open to replacements.) College navigation: We the college want people to navigate to our application! This was conceived as a place for universal links across a set of subsites, so when subsites aren't applicable and it's only one link across one site, is that really so inappropriate?
   
2. Put a grad-specific Apply Now badge in the designated badge spot.
   
   "Apply Now" with "Graduate" and "Studies" curved along the top and bottom has potential. Could that be done without text getting microscopic? Also, since visibility of this link is a HUGE priority for us, as is clear visual distinction from the general badge, we would want something with more contrast than red on red/grey.
   
   A grad-specific badge up there in all-UNL territory makes sense if it's widely adopted by other sites on their grad-app-related pages. However, even if the dean of Grad Studies sent letters to 80 grad departments encouraging them to use the badge, I would fall over from shock if more than half a dozen of them did. If the badge is seen only on the Grad Studies page, having it in "global" pagespace makes little sense.

Discussion please! We would like to resolve this and get site approval.

[nhummel]

"Apply Now" with "Graduate" and "Studies" curved along the top and bottom has potential. Could that be done without text getting microscopic? Also, since visibility of this link is a HUGE priority for us, as is clear visual distinction from the general badge, we would want something with more contrast than red on red/grey.

A grad-specific badge up there in all-UNL territory makes sense if it's widely adopted by other sites on their grad-app-related pages. However, even if the dean of Grad Studies sent letters to 80 grad departments encouraging them to use the badge, I would fall over from shock if more than half a dozen of them did. If the badge is seen only on the Grad Studies page, having it in "global" pagespace makes little sense.

I'm willing to give modifing the grad badge a go while I'm home over the next few days. Suggestions on colors?

Ned

[Erin Paseka]

I like the contrast of the secure badge (like on WAM), so perhaps something in a similar gold color, or a silvery grey. Something light/bright enough to not get lost in the header stripes. Thanks, Ned!

[nhummel]

I like Ned's "Become A PHD" solution for that one. I'd prefer to create those badges if Ned doesn't mind.

Don't mind at all.

I'll still hack away at things, just so there are a few more options to look at. I'm thinking of converting the current one a vector image for various reasons and going from there.

Ned

[Erin Paseka]

Re: badges:

"Become a PhD" = prohibitively narrow. It has a nice sound to it, but the PhD is just one of maybe 16 graduate degrees we confer and we need a solution appropriate for all of them. Doing three badges (undergrad, grad, and PhD) when two of them should be functionally identical is complication without benefit.

Portal = bad for Grad Studies. Undergrad is essentially providing a portal for the Apply Now badge now, and creating a new portal is no improvement for us. If someone browsing the Grad Studies site tries to get to our application, we can't send them off to another site (Undergrad or anybody else) and make them skim a page, find the appropriate link, and get sent back to the Grad Studies page that we would've given them in the first place.

Re: use of college nav area

Okay, so Undergrad got a special exemption for their image. Imagine we scrap our image and put a plain text "APPLY ONLINE" link in that spot. Would it still be a violation? If so, why? How would that interfere with the user learning that that spot is for links that will be the same across a whole site?

[saltybeagle]

Okay, so Undergrad got a special exemption for their image. Imagine we scrap our image and put a plain text "APPLY ONLINE" link in that spot. Would it still be a violation?

I think a plain text link would be fine for that area. I have a sense that the rule against images up there is pretty firm so as to prevent things like this:
http://chemistry.unl.edu/

[nhummel]

I'd prefer to create those badges if Ned doesn't mind.

So what fonts did you use for the text and the fancy thingy?

I've found things close for the text, but nothing quite right.

Thanks,
Ned