Documentation

The Marianapolis College Prep mobile app is a free iOS app designed to make applying to college easier for Marianapolis students. The app provides access to everything one might need in the college admissions process and more.

Supported Devices

The app is available on iOS devices running iOS 10.0 or later:

• iPad (4th generation) or later,
• iPad mini 2 or later,
• iPhone 5 or later,
• iPod touch (6th generation)

Standard Use

Download and Install

Initial Setup

When asked, you should allow push notifications to receive important announcements from the College Placement Office. Then you will be prompted to sign in. There are three ways to sign in:

Students / Faculty

Parents / Guests

System Admins

Events

The Events tab has everything you will need to keep track of various events here on campus. The top of the view displays a list of upcoming events and college visits and users can set reminders or add those events to their calendar by tapping on the entries in that list. The tab also contains resources for the College Fair, College Colloquium, and more. Students even have the ability to sign up for Lunch & Learns at the tap of a button.

The Events tab also contains our DISC code scanner which allows students to scan a school's unique code to request additional information from them. To learn more about DISC, click here.

Explore

The Explore tab provides our users with tools and resources to aid in searching for a college. It includes links to information on financial aid, scholarship opportunities, athletics recruitment, and more.

This tab also contains our custom-built search tool and "My Colleges" list. Students will be able to search through our database of profiles for over 7,000 public and private institutions across the US. They can then save the schools they're interested in to their "My Colleges" list to keep track of where they are in the admissions process.

Testing

The Testing tab includes resources for many of the major tests you will need to take (or should consider taking) as you apply to college. Register for tests such as the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, or the ACT. You can also check your scores on previous tests and get free SAT practice through Khan Academy. There are also some resources available for students enrolled in AP® courses, such as AP® Central and the Digital Portfolio.

Apply

The Apply tab contains links to resources students may need during the application process. Naviance, the Common App, and applications for financial aid are all available through this tab.

Settings and Support

The Settings and Support sections can be accessed from the menu in the top right corner of the screen and offer exactly what you would expect. From here you can toggle our various services on and off, update your account settings, and access any additional services that may be provided (system admins and institutions). In the Support section you can find the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as well as ways to contact us or provide feedback about your experience with the app. Your feedback is critical to the continued development of our software and anything you send us will be greatly appreciated.

Services

College and Student Information Service

Digital Inquiry Service for the College-bound (DISC)

The Digital Inquiry Service for the College-bound or DISC, is an extension of our College and Student Information Service. DISC is offered exclusively to students and allows them to share their information with the colleges and universities of their choice*. Students will first be prompted to fill out a basic profile which includes demographic and contact information for the student. They can then share their profiles with schools they're interested in by scanning that school's unique DISC code.

API

Our API is intended for use with Marianapolis software and services. It provides open access to app data utilized by the College Prep app.

For more information about using our API, click here.

College Cloud

The College Cloud makes it possible for students to sync their app data across all of their devices. When the College Cloud is enabled, basic settings, the My Colleges list, and more will all be made available on every device where the user has enabled the service. We utilize Apple's CloudKit technology to ensure that data is handled seamlessly and securely. It also enables us to keep devices updated in realtime so that changes are reflected across all of your devices instantly.

For more information about iCloud, click here.
To enable the College Cloud, click here.

On-Campus Notifications

On-Campus Notifications take push notifications to a whole new level. Rather than being sent manually or at a specific date and time, you can now receive notifications based on where you are. This feature is built on Apple's iBeacon technology, which allows the app to determine your proximity to beacons placed around campus. Beacons are small one-way transmitters that emit a bluetooth signal with a unique identifier. When you are close enough to one of these beacons, your phone detects the signal and reacts by displaying the notification linked with the beacon's id. So for instance, if you were to walk in the front door and pass by a beacon, your phone would detect the signal and display a push notification that might say something like "Welcome to Marianapolis!"

Extensions

3D Touch

On devices supporting 3D Touch, users can launch a few pre-defined views using Home Screen Quick Actions. Simply apply a little pressure to the app icon with your finger to view all the available shortcuts.

With the exception of Home Screen Quick Actions, 3D Touch is not available anywhere else in the app.

Event Registration Web

Event registration is available online. Students can sign up for events such as Lunch & Learns and provide more detailed information if necessary (i.e. Food allergies). Admissions representatives will also use our online registration forms to sign up for events or to enroll in the College and Student Information Service.

For Institutions

Signing in as an institution

In order to take advantage of tools designed specifically for admissions representatives, you will need to sign in as an institution. To do so, you must first download the app. Once the app is installed, you will need to visit this page on that device. Follow the directions on that page to complete the setup process.

College and Student Information Service

The College and Student Information Service makes it easy for colleges and universities to learn more about our students and get in touch with them. When students are interested in your school, they'll scan your school's unique QR code, which will give you access to their profile and contact information. And we've made it easy for admissions representatives to access these profiles. Using our secure online portal, you can view individual student profiles or download a CSV file containing all of the profiles that have been shared with you. We hope this system will make it easier to connect with our students and give you the opportunity to interact with more of them.

Displaying your DISC code

DISC codes are unique QR codes generated specifically for your school which allow students to request more information from you. At events hosted by Marianapolis, your DISC code will likely be provided/displayed for you, however, if you ever want to display the code on your own, you can. You will need an iOS device with our app installed and you will need to have signed in as an institution (see above). Once you have done that, click here and the code should appear.

Accessing Student Profiles

Student profiles can only be accessed through our secure online portal or through our API. Once students have started sharing their profiles with you, you should receive an email containing instructions on how to sign in. If you have our app installed and you have signed in as an institution (see above), then you can also access the portal through the User menu in the top right corner of the screen.

The first thing you'll be asked to do anytime you access the online portal is to verify that you belong to the institution for which you are signing in. You will typically be asked to enter the email address we have on file for your institution to continue. Once we have verified that you work for the indicated institution, you will see a list of all the profiles that have been shared with you. Simply click on one of them to view more detailed information, or you may also choose to download all of the profiles in a CSV file.

Advanced

Development Mode Developer use only

Development mode allows developers to test certain features and services in the background without affecting end-users. Once enabled, the device is subscribed to a special push notification channel designated for testing purposes. Development mode can be enabled on approved devices by signing into the Control Console and using the configuration tools.

The Marianapolis College Prep app control console is a web-based utility designed for members of the college office, and system administrators. The console provides tools for configuring the backend system and updating the app's content.

Included Tools

• Events Manager
• College Fair Registrations
• Lunch & Learn Manager
• Push Notifications
• Beacon Manager
• App Configuration Tools

*Email address must be verified to use most of these tools.

Push Notifications

Push notifications can be sent to end-users through the Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) by using this tool. Users who have decided to allow push notifications will see a banner appear on their device with the message content and in some cases the badge app icon will display the number 1.

Trigger Methods

Push notifications can be triggered manually through the control console or by setting up iBeacons. To learn about iBeacons, click here.

All end-users are automatically subscribed to the "all-users" topic when they install the app. To send a message to everyone, sign into the control console, click Send Notifications, and fill out the form. Review the information in "Notification Payload" to understand what needs to be in each message.

Notification Payload

All notifications must include a body and it is recommended that you include a title. Additional parameters may also be provided as long as they conform to the following guidelines.

Message Required

The notification body is limited to 140 characters in length. This must always be provided in English and should not contain typos.

Title Optional

If included, the notification title cannot exceed 50 characters in length. The title should be kept short yet descriptive. Note that in some situations the title might not be displayed at all, so do not include critical information in the title.

Action Type Optional

This can be set using the type key. In the console use the input labeled "Action Type". If included, the key must match one of the options listed below. Note that these are case sensitive.

Web Content Optional

The webContent key must be set if the action type is set to "web" (see above). In the console this can be done by pasting a link into the field labeled "URL". This parameter only accepts valid URLs so be sure to include everything - even the protocol!

Payload Structure (APNS)

If you have a valid APNS Sandbox or Production certificate for this app and you are looking to send notifications to the app manually, the payload should be structured accordingly.

// JSON

payload = {

	type: 'web', // Action Type

	webContent: 'https://www.example.com', // Web Content - if applicable

	aps = {

		alert = {

			body: 'Come join our next Lunch and Learn today at noon!',

			title: 'Hello world'

		},

		sound: 'default'
	}

}
				

iBeacons

The On-campus Notifications feature utilizes Apple's iBeacon technology to send push notifications based on the user's location. To get started you will need to set up a beacon and create the notification data - referred to as an advertisement.

Setting up the Beacon

To set up a beacon you will first need to find an eligible device. Standalone beacons are available for purchase from a number of retailers, however Bluetooth LE capable iOS devices may also be used.

Using an iOS device:

Using a third-party device:

Creating the Advertisement

If you are using an iOS device and you have a verified admin account, you have the option to set the advertisement data when you go to broadcast. Otherwise, you will need to create the advertisement using the tools under the "Beacons" tab in the control console. To add an advertisement, click Add Beacon and fill out the form. See the descriptions below for more information about what each of the fields are asking for.

Minor Required

When a beacon is broadcasting, its signal contains its UUID (Universal Unique Identifier), Major, and Minor. All beacons operated by Marianapolis utilize the same UUID, but the major and minor will vary from one beacon to another. The major is used to identify the product or service the beacon is being used in conjunction with. The major must be set to 40 in order to work with the College Prep app. The minor is an identifier that represents an individual beacon. This is the only identifier you will have to worry about when creating an advertisement.

The app uses the minor it receives from your beacon to fetch the advertisement data with the same identifier. Therefore the value you enter in the console must match the value you use to configure your beacon. It doesn't really matter what you use as your minor when you set up your advertisement, as long as it is a whole number greater than 0 and less than 1000. Keep in mind that a minor value can only be used with one advertisement at a time.

Message Required

The body of the push notification that is displayed to the user when they approach the beacon. The message is limited to 140 characters in length and must always be provided in English.

Action Optional

You can enter an action key to enable certain functions when the user taps on your notification. If included, the key must match one of the options listed below. Note that these are case sensitive.

Link Optional

The link must be set if the action type is set to "web" (see above). This parameter only accepts valid URLs so be sure to include everything - even the protocol!

Managing Events

There are three tools available to help with managing specific events hosted by the College Placement Office. The Events tab allows you to update the list of upcoming events on the app's Events screen. The College Fair tab displays a list of schools who have RSVP'd to attend the upcoming College Fair and allows you to manage those responses. And the Lunch & Learns tab allows you to schedule events and see who has signed up through the app or online. Each of these tools require the user to have a verified admin account to use them.

Events Tool

In the Events tab you'll find a simple table with a list of upcoming events. By selecting an option in the table, you'll be able to adjust the details for that event by selecting the Modify Event button that appears above the table. If you'd like to remove an entry from the list you can do so using the Delete button within the Modify Event window. You can add events using the Add Event button. Just enter a name for the event, the date, and the time. If your browser doesn't support date and time pickers, enter the date and time in the format shown below.

College Fair Tool

The College Fair tab lists all of the responses from the College Fair registration form for invited institutions. You can modify or delete these responses by selecting the entry in the table. You can also toggle the registration form on and off using the button located above the table in the top right-hand corner.

Lunch & Learns Tool

In the Lunch & Learns tab you'll find a simple table with a list of upcoming events. By selecting an option in the table, you'll be able to adjust the details for that event, view attendees, or share a registration link with students. To modify an event's details or to delete it, select the event, then select the Modify Event button. You can add events using the Add Event button. Just enter a name for the event and include the date and time. If your browser doesn't support date and time pickers, enter the date and time in the format shown below.

Configuration Tools

The tools found under the "Configure" tab of the control console make it easy to access some of the app's more advanced hidden features. These tools are only available to users with admin accounts and may carry additional restrictions.

Toggles

Two of the app's tabs can be toggled on and off when content is unavailable: the College Fair tab and the College Colloquium tab. To enable/show these tabs, click the respective button. To disable/hide the tabs, click the respective button again.

API

Our API provides developers with access to core data utilized by the College Prep app. The documentation included below only covers a small portion of our API and its related services. For the full documentation please contact developer@marianapolis.org.

CASIS Endpoint

Overview

Handles API calls related to data stored as part of the College and Student Information Service

Web Client

The easiest way to utilize the CASIS endpoint is through the web client based at:

https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS

We recommend using the web client as it handles the use of the API for you. But for more advanced projects, communicating directly with the endpoint may be necessary. If you'd prefer to access the endpoint directly rather than through the web client, please contact developer@marianapolis.org.

Methods

Request

Parameters

Authentication

None required

Example

https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS/view.html?school=Test%20College

Response

If successful, the API response will have the following structure:

// JSON

{

	"name": string,

	"id": string

}
				

Request

Parameters

Authentication

This request requires email and password authentication through the Firebase project. If not already authenticated, see Self.signIn.

Example

https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS/profile.html?id=3xAmP1e&school=Test%20College

Response

If successful, the API response will have the following structure:

// JSON

{

	"first_name": string,

	"last_name": string,

	"address": string,

	"email": string,

	"phone": string,

	"cell": string,

	"gender": string,

	"birthday": string,

	"grade": string,

	"student_type": string,

	"first_gen": bool,

	"ethnicity": string,

	"interests": [string],

	"activities": [string],

	"SAT": string,

	"ACT": string

}
				

Request

Parameters

Authentication

This request requires email and password authentication through the Firebase project. If not already authenticated, see Self.signIn.

Example

https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS/download.html?school=Test%20College

Response

CSV file with all the shared profiles for the indicated institution

Request

Parameters

Authentication

The web client will ask the user to complete a verification question.

Example

Profile.view: https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS/auth.html?school=Test%20College&profile=3xAmP1e
Profiles.download: https://mprep-college.firebaseapp.com/api/CASIS/auth.html?school=Test%20College&profile=all

Response

This request will authenticate the web client for use with the API using email and password credentials. The credentials will be assigned and managed automatically by the client.

URL Scheme

The College Prep App takes advantage of our QuickLaunch API which allows developers to create specialized smart links. When a user taps on one of these links, they are taken directly to the specified content within the app itself. The API uses a unique URL scheme to accomplish this and you can learn more about how to use that below. You may also choose to link your application or website to our pre-configured redirect pages which handle using the API for you.

Last updated: August 12, 2018

Unless otherwise stated, any code samples on this site are licensed under the Apache 2.0 license.