CoApp is a free web platform that helps students navigate the U.S. college application process. It offers personalized essay feedback using Cohere AI, a detailed Common App manual, and aims to expand with community review and test prep features.

This project was built to support underserved students while working to improve my full-stack web development skills.

🚀 Try it now: https://hailemariammersha.github.io/coapp/

• 📝 Essay Submission – Students paste and submit their college essays.
• 🧠 AI Feedback – Cohere AI provides constructive writing feedback.
• 📘 Common App Manual – Step-by-step guidance through the U.S. application process.
• 🔒 Built-in extensibility – Ready to support volunteer reviews, login, and progress tracking.

coapp/
├── index.html        # Essay submission UI
├── manual.html       # Step-by-step Common App guide
├── style.css         # Styling for the site
├── script.js         # JavaScript logic for the frontend
└── backend/
├── server.js     # Express backend with Cohere integration
└── .env          # Stores API key for Cohere

git clone https://github.com/hailemariammersha/coapp
cd coapp

Open index.html with Live Server in VS Code or view it live here.

cd backend
npm install express cors dotenv node-fetch

Create a .env file:

COHERE_API_KEY=your_cohere_api_key_here

Start the backend server:

node server.js

✅ Or deploy the backend to Render and update the frontend fetch URL accordingly.

• Volunteer review dashboard
• Firebase or OAuth authentication
• College application tracker
• Integrated test prep resources (SAT, TOEFL)

This project is currently developed by Hailemariam Mersha as part of a learning and social impact initiative. Contributions and collaborators welcome.