Time to understand your situation.
We’ll discuss your academic interests, your family’s priorities and the practical constraints around your choices. That context guides our research, shortlist and application plan.
Adviik Singh Virat · Founder, The College Original
Hello, I’m Adviik.
I’ll be your adviser.
Choosing a university asks you to make decisions about a life you haven’t experienced yet. I started The College Original to help students and families work through those decisions with someone who takes the time to understand them.
A perspective shaped
by my own choices.
I’m currently pursuing the MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management (ISMM) at the University of Cambridge. Before that, I spent a year at the University of Manchester and then transferred to Cornell University, where I graduated in Materials Science and Engineering.
Those experiences inform the way I advise. We’ll look at the course, the way you’ll learn, the practical costs and the everyday reality of studying there. I want you to understand why a choice makes sense for you and be able to explain those reasons in your own words.
My strongest subject areas are engineering, materials, manufacturing, industrial systems and related management. My background also includes The Doon School in Dehradun and internships at PwC Business Advisory and the Reserve Bank of India. For other subjects, we’ll start with an honest conversation about whether my experience fits the help you need.
When you work with me, your context stays with the person doing the work. I conduct the meetings, research your options and review the drafts included in your package. We can return to your priorities as the application develops, question what no longer fits and make the next decision with a clear reason behind it.
The College Original is an independent advisory service. University and employer names describe my own background and do not imply endorsement or special admissions access.
“My life is my message.”
What you can
expect from me.
You should be able to ask a question openly, understand the answer and leave knowing what to work on. That’s the approach I bring to our time together.
Feedback you can use.
I’ll help you see where an idea needs more explanation, which details strengthen your account and how to give your writing a clearer structure. You’ll understand what needs work while keeping your own voice.
A familiar person throughout.
I’ll be the person you meet, the person who reviews your drafts and the person you email about the agreed work. We’ll have clear dates and a written scope, so you know what to expect from the service.
How I Built The College Original
The project behind the product
A Free Studio, Built Around Students.
The College Original is a freemium platform I founded and run alone alongside my studies. The Student Studio is free for every applicant. Personal advice is an optional paid layer that funds the free product.
A Free Place to Work
University research, deadlines, experiences and drafts belong together. The Studio brings them into one workspace, with personal guidance available when a student wants it.
Built Around Application Work
Designed and shipped the Student Studio, onboarding, payments, booking, document review and an admin workspace, with privacy controls so each student’s records stay their own.
Learning What Helps
Public-site visits and clicks, where visitors allow analytics, help me understand how people find the Studio and services. Private drafts and reflections stay out of that measurement.
Learning From Students
Advise students directly, then turn repeated questions into Studio features and guides, so the free product gets better with every conversation.
How the model
works.
Free: every self-directed tool, including planning, university research, experience records, writing workspaces, application tracking and the full guides library.
Paid, optional: one-to-one meetings, written reviews and feedback on drafts. Scope and full price are shown before payment.
Principles: no ghost-writing, no admission predictions, no profile scores. Students keep ownership of their work.
Built by one founder. University names describe my own background and do not imply endorsement.
A stronger application starts with your next step.
Bring a question, an idea or an unfinished draft. Leave with something to work on.