What College Project Should I Choose?

If you’re keen on the chess project, that's cool! It allows you to keep layering more features as you go along, which is a great strategy—just make sure you stay focused on the core functionalities first. That way, even if time gets tight, you'll have something solid to submit.

A chess engine could be a fantastic project! It’s complex enough to showcase your skills, but be prepared—it could take years to perfect. To keep it manageable, you should focus on key features like using the UCI protocol, implementing an x88 board representation, and developing a legal move generator. If you add a basic minimax search and a simple evaluator, you might even beat beginner players. Just keep in mind that debugging can take a lot of time, especially for beginners!

Building something unique is always a plus! Instead of going for a chess engine, consider finding a specific problem that you can solve with coding. This way, the admissions team will value your original approach over something more common. Think outside the box and tackle a small project that’s reflective of your interests.