Introduction: The game would look somewhat like the graphic that follows. The grids are supposed to reflect the empty grids on the FAFSA and all the steps you have to take leading up to graduation. The large rectangles are for cards (one for penalties, one for opportunities, and two for college applications).

Overview: I chose to focus my game on the college application process. While I know this isn’t exactly the most unique idea or experience, I felt it was the most recent event in my life that could be turned into a game in a sensible way. The goal then became to make a game representative of my process, but relative and malleable to the experiences of other people as well. In essence, it would be similar to Monopoly and The Game of Life in style and gameplay, but incorporate the satirical comedy of the people who created Buzzed and Cards Against Humanity.

Objective: Predictably, the ultimate goal of the game is to go to college. There are different styles of gameplay that coincide with different ways to win. For example, players could agree to try to get into the highest ranked colleges, and whoever gets the top one wins. Another method would be for players to write down a list of their safety, target, and reach schools before the game starts, and whoever gets into the most of the colleges on their list is the winner.

Gameplay: This game is a multiplayer game. Each player chooses a character that represents a bias in college applications to play as, and with each character comes pros and cons. For instance, one character might be a stereotypical athlete, and throughout the game they may struggle with academic challenges, but their athletic abilities will get them recruitment opportunities. Another could be the valedictorian, who then gets academic perks at various points in the game, and so on. Based on where players land, there are good cards and bad cards. The bad is an academic penalty card (anything from failing a test to getting detention) which serves as a setback. The good is an extracurricular opportunity, which can do anything from improving your application to earning money. Throughout the game itself, players can choose which colleges they apply to (with each having risks and rewards involving application fees and chances of getting in), but they have to apply to at least four and no more than eighteen schools.

Conclusion: Though the game is not fully developed, I think it would be pretty fun to play. Everybody here has been through this experience in some way, so it really is very relatable and easy to understand if it is familiar to you. It doesn’t exactly reflect a story of my life, but moreso the fact that I am a people pleaser (hence my desire to let everyone make their own choices in the game). It also shows that this was a very difficult time for me, but that I now look back on it in a comedic way, knowing that my stress is what got me where I am today and that everything happens for a reason.