My parents have trusted Ma'am and Ragini from the very beginning, so much so that they did not feel the need to constantly check up on my applications or follow up with me for every deadline. They knew that with the guidance I have, everything would be completed perfectly. 

Before writing any essays, I was asked to write a few pages about my entire Life Story. During this process, I had time to reflect on my journey till date and was able to understand better what skills or areas I need to improve on. Through this activity, I remember how much time I used to devote to extracurricular activities such as sports, which I had limited time for due to work. Since that activity, I have been able to devote more time to myself and to pick up where I left off with my personal interests. 

Glass ceilings shattered..

During college planning, I acknowledged my bias towards believing that only top-ranked universities could advance my career and dreams. I thought that giving my best would guarantee acceptance anywhere. However, I realized the flaw in this mindset. It was essential to focus on improving myself, rather than solely seeking out top-tier schools. By shattering this glass ceiling, I opened myself up to new opportunities and a more holistic approach to achieving my goals. It sank in me that opportunities can come from various sources, and success is not limited to attending a particular institution.

Student Mentor relationship..

Ragini Ma'am was so much more than a counsellor. Over the journey with UC, she became not just a counsellor but a therapist, motivational speaker, and friend. No matter how I felt or what was going on with me, Ragini Ma'am had a solution along with faith in me and believed in me from the very beginning. I do not think I would be in college if it was not for the whole UniConnection Team. 

Over the past year, I got to learn many things and realised that picking out the right college can be a difficult yet a very crucial decision. The type of college also depends on the location, community and funding options available. Also in this process, one gets to discover who they truly are. Writing the personal statement really helped me to introspect and venture on a journey of self-discovery. 

Student-Mentor relationship

Honestly, this journey and even making it to King's wouldn’t have been possible without Ragini Ma’am. She guided me through some of the most difficult times in my college planning journey. With her able guidance, I was able to firmly make up my mind as to which college is best for me and the steps I need to take so as to make my dream come true. 

My parents are really happy with how things turned out. Frequent calls received from Ragini Ma’am helped them stay up to date with the college process. They were henceforth able to guide me in the right direction and guide me towards the right path that I needed to take. 

College planning involves thorough research about not just the academics, but also the general student life there. After all, you’ll be calling the college home for the next few years of your life. Thus, it becomes imperative to choose a college into whose ecosystem you fit well. 

The UC journey encouraged a lot of self-introspection to analyze whether you’ll fit into a particular college. It encouraged me to think critically and analyze all the options and keeping my mind open to back-ups, and stopping me from hyper-fixating on a particular college initially. 

My time at UC helped me break biases about certain courses and places. It helped open my mind to all possible options. I discovered that on a deeper dive, a couple of courses I had earlier dismissed, actually were really interesting! 

What did you learn about yourself in this journey?

• I have interests in diverging fields and areas and the real accomplishment is to bring them together and see what greatness it can reap!

• Understanding that it IS possible to work in different fields, even if they are not the slightest bit related. 

One thing you discovered in this journey:

Patience is a virtue. I am usually someone who is not very good at waiting but going through this I realized that this is definitely not something you can rush on. These are major decisions you take for the next phase of your life which need a lot of thought and understanding by going through them in detail. Even the period where we wait for the decisions to come can be very frustrating but it is a part of the journey. "Good things take time". 

Prajanna's mother says, “ We are extremely thankful to Shraddha for helping our child accomplish their dreams. As parents, there is nothing more satisfying than watching your child grow. It was an amazing opportunity to have worked with the Orange Team. We can’t thank you enough for your support.” 

College planning to me is deciding on which schools would suit my interests the best and how to apply to them. 

My Orange Counselor helped me with the selection of schools and the overall development of my essays. Meanwhile suggesting and increasing access to internships and extracurricular activities to strengthen my resume proved to be very meaningful. 

My parents really appreciated her availability for elaborate discussions.

College Planning journey

It’s been a journey of self-discovery and perseverance. I’ve also acquired a lot of skills during the process that I can apply to so many areas in my life. 

My parents have been a little paranoid over the course of this journey but I feel like they believe in me a lot more now. 

I believe I can overcome any obstacle, and the fact that life is all about ups and downs, the ups need to be celebrated and the downs need to be analysed and learnt from. 

Glass ceilings shattered 

Yes, during this whole process, some of my school teachers doubted if I will get into any university as I was not great in academics. But in the end, I got into some of the best Universities and also got selected for the best program in all of the US at Marist College. 

Parent-Counselor Partnership

There is one story that will always stay very close to me through this journey. It was the beginning of 2022, my class 11th results were supposed to be released and well sadly they weren't the results I had expected. There was an environment of distrust and my parents stopped believing in me  

UC came to us as a blessing in disguise honestly because I still remember after my class 11th results, I had a meeting set up with Charushilla ma'am and interacting with her gave all of us a sense of calmness and that everything will be fine, well 9-10 months down the line it is the case. My mom felt a little worried and nervous through the initial phases of the journey, however she gained confidence in the team and the whole process of counselling and choosing the right colleges. My dad was confident since the day this journey started and it was a very positive thing coming from someone who is your hero, he was supporting me through all my highs and lows and helped me deal with all success with humility. In the end, my parents are emotional as well because it's time for me to begin a new phase of my life and especially being their first child, it's a little hard for them to let go as well but I love them from the bottom of my heart and well I am thankful to have them. 

The journey with UC really enhanced my self-confidence as my counsellor, as well as the other experts, made me realise that for the future I have in mind for myself, I already possess a caliber that is sufficient to achieve my aspirations. The entire Orange team was highly supportive and cooperative and made my college journey as a boarding school applicant much smoother. 

College planning has helped me grow and understand a lot about how college registrations work... the process has also helped me practice managing multiple things at the same time. 

My Orange Counselor helped me..

In becoming a more responsible person. She has guided me through the whole process and has been a great motivator through my examinations too. She has made the whole process very bearable for me. 

My parents also felt a little more at ease knowing that Kudrat di and Ma'am Charu were there to support me throughout. 

Biases attempted to break...

Starting the college planning process late in the month of September indeed created anxiety and uncertainty, as many students begin their preparations much earlier. However, my ability to navigate this challenge and achieve positive outcomes speaks volumes about my resilience and adaptability. Securing admission to top universities in the US is a highly competitive achievement. It indicates that my application, including extracurricular activities, personal statement, and possibly your guidance, stood out among a large pool of applicants. My accomplishments and unique qualities clearly resonated with admissions committees, highlighting my potential to excel in higher education. 

Vani Beswal received admits from University of Nottingham, Bath University, University of Warwick, Ashoka University, Christ University, Symboisis University & NMIMS