Pathway

Pathway is an AI-powered execution engine designed to help students from under-resourced universities bridge the gap to competitive, global research and industry opportunities.

Architecture

Pathway operates on a privacy-first, hybrid architecture:

1. Deterministic Eligibility Engine — A rule-based engine that evaluates academic standing, regional restrictions, and project proof-of-work against a curated database of 45 vetted programs. Executes entirely in the local browser with zero hallucinations regarding program deadlines or eligibility criteria.
2. Serverless AI Proxy — A Vercel Serverless Function (/api/anthropic) that securely handles communication with Anthropic. This hides the API key from the client, preventing leakages and removing the cost-barrier for students.
3. Claude Ghostwriter & Strategist — An AI layer using claude-sonnet-4-6 to parse resumes, translate raw student experiences into professional application assets, and dynamically translate the full UI into 12 languages.

Model Routing

Task	Model	Why
Resume signal extraction	claude-haiku-4-5-20251001	Fast, cheap structured JSON
Engine output translation	claude-haiku-4-5-20251001	High-volume text, cost-sensitive
Profile narrative	claude-sonnet-4-6	Quality mentor-voice writing
Application pack / Bridge plan	claude-sonnet-4-6	Complete emails, SOP drafts

Core Features

• Privacy-First PDF Parsing — Resume text is extracted entirely on the local client using pdf.js. Sensitive data never leaves the browser unless explicitly passed to the API.
• Deterministic Profile Analysis — Evaluates student profiles and identifies realistic immediate opportunities and near-miss programs from a database of 45 programs across 50+ countries.
• Gap Identification & Bridge Planning — Identifies the top blockers for near-miss programs and generates a 4-week actionable bridge project sprint.
• Live Application Pack Streaming — Streams complete cold emails, SOP drafts, and resume bullets using Claude Sonnet in real-time via SSE.
• Interactive AI Refinement — Users can prompt Claude within the generated document to shorten, pivot tone, or add emphasis.
• 12-Language Support — The full UI and all AI-generated engine outputs translate dynamically into: Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic (with RTL), Swahili, and Indonesian.

Tech Stack

• React 18 + Vite 5
• Vanilla CSS (no UI framework)
• Anthropic API — claude-sonnet-4-6 + claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
• pdf.js (client-side PDF parsing, no server)

Setup

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

2. (Local Dev) Add your Anthropic API key to .env:

   VITE_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key_here
   

3. (Production/Vercel) Add your key to Vercel Environment Variables:

   • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: Your secret key.
   • VITE_PROXY_URL: /api/anthropic

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

   Note: To test serverless functions locally, use vercel dev instead.

Ethics & Transparency

• No Fabrication — Pathway never invents experience. Claude acts as a ghostwriter, translating your real work into professional language.
• Deterministic Rules — Eligibility scoring is hardcoded and auditable. AI is not used to guess deadlines or program requirements.
• Privacy First — PDF resume parsing happens 100% locally in your browser. Data is only sent to Anthropic if an API key is provided.
• Global Access — We leverage Claude to dynamically translate UI and outputs, ensuring under-resourced students globally can navigate complex application processes in their native language.

Limitations & Access

Who this tool cannot currently serve well:

• Students without English literacy — the interface and all program data is English-only.
• Students without reliable internet — the matching engine works once loaded, but the initial page load and Claude AI features need connectivity.
• Students on low-end mobile devices — the current layout is desktop-first and may be difficult on small screens.

What we did to minimize barriers:

• No API key required — the full eligibility engine and program database runs locally in the browser.
• No account, no tracking — open the page and use it.
• Five required fields only — CGPA, country, skills, goal, branch. Nothing gatekeeping.
• Free — no paywall, no freemium limits.

What is planned:

• Mobile-first redesign — most students in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia access the internet primarily on phones.