Excitement and Strategy > Fear and Uncertainty
Hello! My name is Arjun and I’m a junior here at Pitt. I study bioengineering, and I’ve loved all the time I’ve spent researching and studying ways to improve the health care field through engineering. So, how did I end up at the College Decisionator?

I don’t know much about app development, or how to code. Not to mention, there’s a whole lot I have yet to learn about the crazy process of applying to college! But, I think the reason I’ve become the Lead Product Manager here at the College Decisionator is that I love thinking about design. As an engineering student, I’ve learned to constantly analyze systems, products, and designs and try to come up with improvements. My role at the College Decisionator is to find a better understanding of what our target audience (high school students) will find most engaging in an app and then design a journey and interface accordingly. So far, my colleagues and I have designed our “Journey Map,” which dictates the milestones and steps the students will reach as they make their way through the app. It’s been really exciting thinking about ways to “gamify” the app, or in other words how to design an engaging system reminiscent of a video game.

While bioengineering is dedicated to healthcare, I believe I will benefit from this role by gaining a greater perspective of design and customer (in lieu of patient) focus that is sure to help me in my future career. With the College Decisionator, I hope to delve into the perspective of high-school students and figure out the best way to set them up for success throughout their college application and decision-making process. I think the encouragement of my role at the College Decisionator to think from the prospective of other people will benefit me as a future engineer. The field of engineering is dedicated to coming up with better methods of helping the consumer, and with this experience that’s my entire focus!

It’s really difficult to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. We don’t have an answer as to what are the general fears, stresses, or questions that high school students have about the college decision. The thing is, this is what makes that journey so special. Rather than think of the college application process (something that should take at least a year) as a place for anxiety and uncertainty, with the College Decisionator I hope we can think of this process with hope, strategy, and excitement! Particularly for students that are coming from underprivileged backgrounds in which they don’t have academic advisors, my colleagues and I are thrilled to be looking at a better and more fun future for the application process.