A Year 13 student from a Dubai school has created an AI-powered platform designed to support underprivileged students through the complex and often daunting college application process.
This new student-led innovation is aiming to bridge educational inequality using cutting-edge technology.
Garv Lamba, who was recently accepted into the University of California, San Diego to study artificial intelligence, came up with the idea after his own challenges during the university application process. Although he had access to school counsellors and professional consultants, Garv realised that many students worldwide lack this support.
Reflecting on his own experience, Garv shared, “I felt a bit lost last year while going through the college applications. You need to research each college you are applying for, you need to gather data and improve your portfolio.”
As a student at Gems Wellington Academy Al Khail, he had the advantage of guidance from school counsellors and an educational consultancy called UniHawk. However, Garv quickly realised that not every student has this privilege.
From this realisation, Garv and his team developed a website that acts as a “digital counsellor,” powered by AI and natural language models. The college-compass.pages.dev website mimics the role of a real-life college advisor, asking students about their academic interests, personal background, and career goals. Based on this input, it generates a personalised portfolio and identifies areas where students can improve, whether through additional information or extracurricular activities.
“It gives you advise on what to do next and builds your portfolio in the background. So, it will put a spreadsheet of your interest and from that portfolio give the individual personalised guidance,” Garv explained. “They look at you as an individual and identifies your strengths and weaknesses…that is something that AI can do pretty well which is why [we] utilise that idea.”
One key feature of this platform is its ability to suggest extracurricular activities that align with a student’s strengths and longterm goals, helping them stand out to competitive universities. Additionally, it offers feedback on college essays — especially helpful for applicants targeting Ivy League or other top-tier institutions. Garv also emphasised that the website offers constructive comments to guide improvements.
“It’s definitely an aid to educational counsellors but the main focus is on students who don’t have access to such resources. It’s not a complete replacement but it’s a good alternative for those who need it,” said the 18-year-old.
The platform was developed over the course of a year in collaboration with fellow students Ian Pannetier and Mahmoud Moursy. Among the app’s innovative features is an “Interviewer” tool that simulates college interview scenarios, and sections focused on identifying and addressing gaps in a student’s academic or extracurricular profile.
Currently, the upcoming app operates as a website that offers tailored advice on essays and goal-setting. However, the team envisions a much broader platform in the future. “We want to create an entire database with college information,” Garv said, adding that this will be in addition to tools for portfolio development.
Despite being in its early stages, the initiative has already received positive feedback.
“We’ve got good reviews from users in India, the United States, and other regions — a testament to the global demand for accessible college guidance,” he added.
© Khaleej Times
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