Company History
In 1988, Allen Firstenberg, then director of Rockwell International’s R&D group in software and information sciences, watched his daughter struggle with paper-based college applications while using a typewriter to fill in the same information on multiple forms. This inspired him to pioneer the development of the first electronic college admissions form, thus simplifying a repetitive and time-consuming college application process.
This innovation led to several other technical advancements, including:
- The first company to develop and market electronic applications and computer-based multimedia campus tours to colleges and universities.
- The first company to develop and implement fail-safe, client-server architecture in support of online applications and other student services.
- Pioneered the capability to automatically transfer student data to universities' student information system databases, via electronic data exchange.
By the mid-1990s, XAP was pioneering the introduction of college student services over the Internet through the development and implementation of the California State University Student Services website (www.csumentor.org).
In 2006, XAP acquired Bridges Transitions, the leading provider of online career guidance and exploration tools in North America. The union of the companies provides a robust combination of online tools to help students and adults gain personal insights to skills and interests, and then turn those insights into career and educational goals — including exploring, planning and applying to college.
Today, XAP supports more than 25 statewide college-access portals and offers more than 35 products to help increase college and career success. Over 40 million students and their families have used XAP’s tools to help them explore, plan and apply to college. XAP’s tools are available in over 8,000 middle and high schools in North America. The company provides college application services to more than 900 colleges and universities, and processes more than 4 million electronic applications and 1.5 million electronic transcripts annually.
Our ongoing accomplishments are possible because of a dedicated and knowledgeable workforce of more than 120 professionals located at our Culver City, California, and Kelowna, British Columbia, locations.
XAP is an active member of several leadership organizations in the education field, including:
- The American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers
- Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council
- EDUCAUSE
- Education Finance Council
- National College Access Network
In addition, XAP works with a number of companies to deliver an enriched service to schools and students alike. And we provide ongoing support to the Institute of College and Career Success, an industry thought-leadership organization located in North Carolina and at the website (www.theiccs.org).
