Digital Ocean Gradient AI Agent Version: michael-3 Branch
What Makes This Branch Special
The michael-3 branch introduces an AI-powered degree planning system that balances course difficulty across semesters using real grade distribution data.
AI Agent on Digital Ocean's Gradient AI Platform
- Deployed using DigitalOcean's Gradient AI infrastructure with the llama3-8b-instruct model
- RESTful API integration with Bearer token authentication
- Automated agent discovery and configuration scripts
CougarGrades.io Integration for Course Difficulty The system leverages cougargrades.io's public grade distribution data to:
- Calculate average GPA per course
- Classify course difficulty levels based on historical performance
- Make data-driven decisions about course combinations
Smart Semester-by-Semester Difficulty Balancing The implementation uses a sophisticated balancing algorithm that:
- Targets 15 credits per semester using bin-packing logic
- Automatically resolves prerequisite dependency chains before course placement
- Evaluates each semester's overall difficulty and redistributes courses to prevent overwhelming workloads
- Generates complete 8-semester degree paths from start to graduation
Technical Architecture
- Node.js/Express backend with rate limiting and security middleware
- 130+ line structured AI prompt engineering that guides the model to consider workload balance, prerequisites, and course categories
- Vanilla JavaScript frontend with real-time plan visualization
- RESTful API design with health checks, major listings, and plan generation
The Innovation Unlike traditional course planners that only check prerequisites, this AI agent considers:
- Historical course difficulty from real grade distributions
- Cognitive load balancing across semesters
- Prerequisites and course sequencing
- Credit hour optimization
The result: Students get personalized degree plans that are not just feasible, but manageable, preventing burnout semesters while maintaining steady graduation progress.
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