The number of universities adopting advanced card technologies is growing at a rapid rate, and for good reason. Smart card technology enables more secure transactions, and the advent of mobile credentials on smart phones aligns with the expectations of the modern student.

However, flip over virtually any student ID card and chances are you’ll still find a mag stripe. In our coverage from 2014 ColorID’s corporate marketing manager, Mark Degan, offered his insights into the world of the mag stripe, detailing how and why the old guard of ID card technologies is still being used on campus decades after its invention.

In the piece, learn about coercivity levels -- specifically high coercivity (hico) and low coercivity (loco) -- and which option campuses have traditionally deployed. Also learn about the history of mag stripes, the life and death of the "junk stripe," and get an in depth rundown of the advantages and shortcomings of the technology.

More advanced card options are now fully viable, and making the move to more robust card technologies like contactless and mobile isn't just advisable, it's necessary. But it's important to look back at the technology that laid the foundation for the modern campus card. For the rest of the story on mag stripes, check out the full writeup from 2014.