Course Material Redesign
Since 1984, Carnegie Prep has offered academic support for students and families in Fairfield and Westchester counties and beyond. Founded in Greenwich, CT, Carnegie Prep prepares students to meet the challenges of standardized testing, academic classes, and college admission, offering resources for students at all levels.
With the introduction of the College Board’s new digital SAT test format in 2024, Carnegie Prep needed to rebrand their existing course materials. I revamped the existing SAT, PSAT, SAT/ACT Diagnostic and ACT course textbooks to ultimately create a cohesive set of materials that accurately reflect the brand.
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Project Goals
Goal 1
Create a unified and branded set of course materials for Carnegie Prep while retaining distinct visual identities for each booklet.
Goal 2
Ensure that SAT/PSAT materials reflect the College Board’s new Bluebook platform and that ACT materials mimic the ACT’s booklet format to enhance students’ test-day experience.
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Process & Approach
I began the process by conducting a thorough review of the existing SAT/ACT materials, as well as the College Board’s new Bluebook app, to ensure alignment in both visual styles and layout. For the design strategy, I created distinct covers for each booklet using bold, branded coloring. To mirror the digital testing environment, I designed the SAT/PSAT booklets to reflect the look and feel of the Bluebook app. Additionally, I developed a layout for the ACT materials that allowed for a seamless reading experience, placing passages on one side and questions on the other to minimize unnecessary page flipping.
Pre-Redesign. The original SAT Reading and Writing spiral bound booklet.
A sample of the College Board’s Bluebook app. Each practice and example question for the redesign course materials was intended to mirror this new format. The textbooks should provide a realistic look and feel to the new test to best help students prepare.
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Results
The new SAT Reading and Writing textbook was redesigned to convey Carnegie Prep’s brand while also reflecting the new digital adaptive format of the test.
The PSAT, SAT, SAT/ACT Diagnostic and ACT booklets. Unlike the SAT course materials, the ACT related booklets needed to reflect the existing paper-based test while still maintaining a consistent visual identity. Additionally, all ACT practice materials needed to be in a layout that allows for a seamless reading experience with passages on one side and questions on the other, reducing unnecessary page flipping.