FAFSA Friends

FAFSA, Simplified. No Stress, Just Support.

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Inspiration

Filling out the FAFSA is a stressful and confusing process usually leading to frustration, delays, and missed financial aid opportunities. Many students and families struggle with gathering documents, understanding complex questions, and avoiding errors that could impact their financial aid. We wanted to create a solution that simplifies the FAFSA process, making it more accessible and stress-free for everyone.

What it does

FAFSA Friends is an AI-powered financial assistant designed to help students and families navigate the FAFSA process easily. Key features include:

  • AI Chatbot: Provides real-time help, answering FAFSA-related questions.
  • Document Upload & Autofill: Users can upload PDFs (ex. W2 forms or tax returns), and our system scans and parses important information needed for completing the FAFSA.
  • Secure Account & Data Storage: Users can save their progress, view uploaded documents, and revisit their information anytime.

How we built it

We developed FAFSA Friends using a combination of technologies. Streamlit powers the web application interface, while Gemini AI helped with creating the chatbot experience. The front-end was built using React Native with JSX and TypeScript to have a smooth and responsive UI. Firebase was integrated for authentication and data storage, ensuring users' information remains secure. Google Cloud APIs were also used for document processing, enabling automatic extraction of critical financial data from uploaded PDFs.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges we faced was integrating a PDF scanner and parser to accurately extract financial information. Ensuring the AI chatbot provided relevant and reliable responses to FAFSA-related questions also required fine-tuning. Additionally, setting up seamless authentication and maintaining data security was crucial to ensuring a smooth user experience.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of successfully incorporating Gemini AI to power an intuitive chatbot that simplifies FAFSA-related inquiries. Developing an efficient document scanning and parsing system was another major achievement, allowing users to easily extract key financial details from their documents. Most importantly, we are proud of how much we learned throughout this process, as many of us were working with these technologies for the first time.

What we learned

Throughout this project, we got a lot of hands-on experience with AI integration, authentication systems, and document processing. We learned how to troubleshoot complex tech challenges and learn and understand new frameworks. More than anything, we realized that continuous learning and perseverance are important to building meaningful solutions.

What's next for FAFSA Friends

Moving forward, we would like to integrate FAFSA Friends directly with FAFSA accounts to help with application autofill. We also plan to expand support beyond FAFSA to other complex financial aid forms, making financial assistance more accessible to a broader audience. We also hope to improve the AI chatbot to provide even more personalized financial guidance, making sure that every student can confidently complete their financial aid applications.

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