Counselor

Inspiration# AI Chatbot Counselor for International Students

About the Project

Inspiration

The inspiration for developing this AI chatbot counselor stemmed from the challenges faced by international students in the U.S. Many students struggle with understanding complex processes, such as visa regulations, academic support resources, and finding internships. As an international student myself, I recognized the gap in accessible information and support, which led me to create a chatbot that could provide immediate assistance and guidance.

What I Learned

Throughout the development of this project, I gained several valuable insights:

• Natural Language Processing (NLP): I learned how to implement NLP techniques to analyze user inputs and extract meaningful information, particularly when parsing resumes to identify relevant skills.
• Chatbot Development: I gained practical experience in building a conversational AI using Rasa, understanding intents, entities, and dialogue management.
• User Experience (UX) Design: I recognized the importance of creating a user-friendly interface and flow, ensuring that users could easily navigate the conversation with the bot.
• Problem-Solving: Encountering and resolving various technical challenges enhanced my problem-solving skills and adaptability in a coding environment.

How I Built the Project

1. Environment Setup: I began by setting up a Python environment and installing Rasa, a powerful framework for building conversational agents.
2. Project Initialization: Using Rasa, I created a new project structure that included essential files for training data, configuration, and actions.
3. NLP Implementation: I developed a resume analysis feature using spaCy to extract skills from user-uploaded resumes. I integrated this with a JSON database of internships to match user skills with relevant opportunities.
4. Creating Intents and Stories: I defined user intents related to internships and resume uploads, and created conversation paths to guide users through interactions with the bot.
5. Testing and Iteration: After training the model, I tested the chatbot extensively, refining the responses and interactions based on user input.

Challenges Faced

• Complexity of NLP: Initially, I faced challenges in accurately extracting skills from resumes due to the variability in language and phrasing. Iterating on the extraction logic required continuous testing and adjustment.
• Integration Issues: Integrating the resume analysis function with the Rasa action server posed some difficulties, particularly in handling user input and returning appropriate responses .
• User Interface Design: Designing an intuitive user interface for the chatbot proved challenging, as I wanted to ensure a seamless user experience without overwhelming users with too many options.
• Time Management: Balancing the project timeline with other academic responsibilities was a significant challenge, requiring effective prioritization and focus.

Conclusion

Overall, this project not only allowed me to apply my technical skills but also fueled my passion for creating solutions that can genuinely help others navigate their challenges. The experience of developing an AI chatbot counselor for international students has motivated me to explore further advancements in conversational AI and user support systems. We couldn't get our backend to work so are just submitting a very simple chatbot :(

What it does

How we built it

Challenges we ran into

Accomplishments that we're proud of

What we learned

What's next for Counselor

Built With

• node.js
• python