How a high school student built an Code Efficiency Reviewer Project to stand out in College Applications

Introduction: Project to stand out in College Applications

Most students learn to code with a simple goal in mind: make it work. If the program runs and produces the right output, it feels complete. In real engineering, that is only the beginning.

Professional engineers think in terms of efficiency, scalability, and tradeoffs. They ask questions like: Is this solution fast enough? How does it behave as inputs grow? Where does it waste memory or computation? These questions rarely appear in high school coursework, yet they define real-world software development.

Admissions officers at selective universities understand this gap. That’s why a project like Code Efficiency Reviewer, built by Charishee Modgil, sends a strong signal. It moves beyond surface-level coding and into systems thinking, an area where very few high school students operate.

Why code efficiency is a serious computer science problem

Introductory programming focuses on correctness. Computer science focuses on constraints.

According to a 2023 report by Google Engineering Productivity Research, performance bottlenecks and inefficient code paths account for a significant portion of system failures and cost overruns in large-scale software systems. Inefficiency is not just an inconvenience. It affects reliability, cost, and user experience.

From a technical perspective, efficiency matters because:

• Algorithms scale non-linearly

• Memory usage affects performance and stability

• Poor design choices compound over time

• Optimization requires understanding, not guessing
  

A student who builds a tool to analyze and improve code efficiency is engaging with the core of computer science rather than its surface.

What makes a code efficiency project meaningful

Many student tools labeled “code analyzers” simply reformat code or check syntax. These are useful but shallow.

Weak code analysis projects often:

• Focus on style alone

• Apply fixed rules without context

• Ignore runtime behavior

• Lack justification for recommendations
  

Strong code efficiency projects demonstrate:

• Awareness of time and space complexity

• Identification of redundant operations

• Understanding of algorithmic tradeoffs

• Clear explanation of why a change matters
  

Code Efficiency Reviewer belongs firmly in this second category.

Case study: Charishee Modgil’s Code Efficiency Reviewer

Charishee Modgil approached programming with a question most students never ask: Why does some code feel slow or wasteful even when it works correctly?

Rather than building another application, she chose to build a tool for developers.

The problem the project addresses

Many beginner and intermediate programmers write code that:

• Uses unnecessary loops

• Recomputed values repeatedly

• Consumes excess memory

• Scales poorly with larger inputs
  

These inefficiencies are invisible at small scales but become serious problems in real systems.

The goal of Code Efficiency Reviewer was to analyze code and provide feedback on performance-related issues, helping programmers write better, more efficient solutions.

What Code Efficiency Reviewer does

The tool evaluates source code and:

• Identifies inefficient patterns

• Flags redundant computations

• Highlights potential performance bottlenecks

• Suggests optimizations with reasoning
  

Rather than simply stating “this is inefficient,” the system focuses on explanation, helping users understand the underlying issue.

Technical approach and tools

The project reflects a realistic systems workflow:

• Parsing and analyzing code structure

• Evaluating algorithmic complexity patterns

• Detecting nested loops and repeated operations

• Generating human-readable feedback

• Comparing alternative approaches where relevant
  

Why admissions officers value systems-oriented projects

Many students apply to computer science programs claiming passion for coding. Admissions officers look for evidence of engineering mindset, not just familiarity with syntax.

From an admissions perspective, Code Efficiency Reviewer demonstrates:

• Depth of understanding

  The student thinks beyond correctness to performance and scalability.

• Abstract reasoning

  Efficiency analysis requires conceptual thinking, not memorization.

• Tool-building mentality

  Creating developer tools signals maturity and usefulness.

• Clear technical communication

  Explaining why code is inefficient matters as much as detecting it.
  

These qualities strongly align with success in top computer science and engineering programs.

Comparing Code Efficiency Reviewer to typical CS projects

Typical High School CS Project	Code Efficiency Reviewer
Application-focused	Infrastructure-focused
Output correctness	Performance awareness
Single-use program	Reusable developer tool
Limited abstraction	Strong abstraction
Moderate admissions signal	High admissions signal

This contrast explains why systems-level projects stand out quickly.

The hidden skill this project develops: thinking in constraints

Most school assignments reward unlimited resources. Real engineering never does.

Code Efficiency Reviewer required reasoning about:

• Time vs space tradeoffs

• Readability vs optimization

• When optimization matters and when it doesn’t

• How to justify recommendations logically
  

These decisions mirror those faced by professional engineers, researchers, and systems designers.

What an ideal systems-learning environment looks like

Projects like this rarely emerge from isolated practice alone. Strong outcomes usually come from environments that provide:

• Mentorship

  Guidance on algorithmic thinking and performance reasoning.

• Structured escalation

  Moving from simple patterns to complex analyses.

• Critical review

  Challenging assumptions rather than accepting surface solutions.

• Outcome-driven learning

  A tool that can be demonstrated, tested, and defended.
  

These conditions reflect how systems thinking is cultivated in top universities.

FAQ

1. Is code efficiency too advanced for high school students?

No. Efficiency concepts can be introduced early when paired with structured reasoning and examples.

2. Do colleges care about optimization over creativity?

Colleges care about engineering judgment. Optimization reflects disciplined creativity.

3. Does this project help outside CS admissions?

Yes. Systems thinking applies to data science, engineering, and applied mathematics.

4. Is mentorship important for projects like this?

Mentorship helps students distinguish meaningful optimization from premature optimization.

Closing perspective: why Code Efficiency Reviewer matters

From a mentor’s standpoint, projects like Code Efficiency Reviewer are rare because they require restraint. Instead of building something flashy, the student builds something foundational.

Charishee Modgil’s project reflects a shift from learning how to code to understanding how software behaves under pressure. That shift is exactly what selective colleges look for when identifying future engineers.

Programs like BetterMind Labs are designed to support this level of thinking through mentorship, realistic engineering workflows, and outcome-driven projects. For families evaluating advanced computer science pathways, exploring structured programs at bettermindlabs.org is a logical next step when the goal is depth, not surface credentials.

Interested in building similar projects? Read Top Summer Programs for 9th and 10th Graders