Why We Made This Change
When we first built AdmitBase, the dashboard had a handful of features and a simple menu. Over time, as we added analytics, the application tracker, community data, ROI calculators, cross-program comparison, and more, the navigation grew with it. By the time we hit ten menu items — five in the top bar and five more hidden in a dropdown — we knew the experience was starting to feel cluttered.
Several of you told us as much. Emails to support@admitbase.com mentioned feeling overwhelmed by options, not knowing what to click first, and features that seemed to exist for someone further along in the process. That feedback was honest, specific, and exactly what we needed to hear.
Our team sat down, mapped out the typical user journey from signup to application submission, and redesigned the navigation around it. The goal: show you what you need, when you need it.
How It Works Now
Instead of showing every feature upfront, the navigation reveals itself as you progress through your admissions journey:
When You First Sign Up
You see two items: Dashboard and Schools. That is it. Your first job is to set up your profile, enter your GPA, and start browsing schools. The navigation reflects that focus.
After You Run Your Matches
Once your match scores are calculated, Favorites appears in the nav. You now have data to work with, and saving schools to a shortlist is the natural next step.
After You Favorite Schools
Applications appears. You have a list of schools you care about — now you can start tracking your applications, deadlines, and statuses.
Tools Dropdown
Analysis features like the Score Calculator, Analytics, ROI Calculator, and Cross-Compare live in a Tools dropdown. Community features appear there too, once you have enabled community sharing. This keeps the primary nav clean while keeping every tool one click away.
What About Features I Already Use?
Nothing has been removed. Every feature is still accessible from the same URL. If you have bookmarked a page, it still works. If you are a power user with favorites, applications, and community sharing all active, you will see the full navigation immediately.
The only change is how the menu is organised. Features you have not reached yet are tucked away rather than taking up space.
Profile Moved to the User Menu
Your profile settings are now in the user menu (top right, click your email). This follows the pattern most web applications use and frees up a navigation slot for features you use more frequently.
We Are Still Listening
Navigation is one of those things that is easy to get wrong and hard to get exactly right. If this new layout works for you, great. If something feels off or you find yourself hunting for a feature, let us know at support@admitbase.com. We would rather adjust than assume.
