From the counselling desk.
Notes on admissions, essays and the process, written by the counsellors who sit across the table from families every day.
Alok Bansal
Common Application Essay Prompts: 2026-2027
A first look at this cycle's Common App prompts, and how Indian applicants tend to misread them.
Dr. Monika Bansal
What "Demonstrated Interest" Actually Means for Indian Applicants
Campus visits are not realistic from Delhi. Here is what admissions offices actually track instead.
Alok Bansal
Writing a Statement of Purpose That Actually Gets Read
Admissions committees read thousands of SOPs a season. Here is how to survive the skim.
Dr. Monika Bansal
When Should a Student Take a Psychometric Test?
Earlier than most parents think — and here is the age we actually recommend.
Alok Bansal
UK or USA? How We Help Families Choose
Two systems, two timelines, two very different application philosophies. Here is how we advise on the choice.
Dr. Monika Bansal
Why We Start Profile Building in Class 9, Not Class 12
The single biggest predictor of a strong application isn't a test score. It's when a family started.
Alok Bansal
What Makes a Letter of Recommendation Actually Help
Most LORs are generic by accident, not by design. Here is how we prevent that.
Dr. Monika Bansal
India or Abroad? The Comparison We Actually Walk Families Through
Not a pros-and-cons list. The real questions that tend to decide it.