College Admissions Essay Testimonials
Word-of-mouth recommendations from happy clients form the core of my business. I work solely through referral—I don’t advertise, and I’m not on Yelp or any other such platforms. The testimonials below and my recommendations on LinkedIn are real and verifiable! You can contact any of my recommenders.
2024 admits include Bowdoin, Carnegie Mellon (4, incl. CS), Claremont McKenna, Cornell (2), Emory, Georgetown, MIT, Middlebury, Northeastern (7+), Northwestern, NYU, Rice, Skidmore, UIUC (7+), U Michigan (3), U Penn (3), USC (2), UT Austin, UVA, University of Washington Seattle (3), University of Wisconsin-Madison, WashU St. Louis, and Yale.
Many, many admitted to UC Berkeley (incl. EECS), UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz.
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2024 admits
YALE
Kiana D, Student from The Hewitt School, New York, NY. Student accepted to Yale and several other schools for Environmental Science.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ED
“I had heard of a program that was perfect for me, but only accepted 24 students and was beyond my wildest dreams. Through working with Nina, I am so grateful to now be one of the 24. She kept encouraging me despite both of us knowing how ultra-competitive it was.
I cannot emphasize enough how much time and effort Nina put into genuinely understanding my personality and even the smallest quirks that she thought should shine through in my essays. When she thought a draft was good, she not only kept prompting me to reflect and rewrite until it was great, but continued to ensure my voice was shining through. I feel like I’ve been through a writing bootcamp with her and am more confident in my skills than ever. Nina’s guidance from beginning to end was invaluable and I’ll always be indebted to her for my success.”
A.S., Student from Basis Silicon Valley, San Jose. Student accepted ED to UPenn to LSM (Arts and Sciences/Wharton)
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CLAREMONT MCKENNA ED
Niranjana is a fantastic coach and consultant who did wonders helping my son w/ his college essay. She has several strengths as a coach and some of my observations are,
- Pushing the student to analyze themselves, and explore their motivations and options
- Precision questioning, helping the student think broadly
- Helping shortlist a set of ideas
- Knowing what to filter
- Identifying strengths and focusing on areas to improve
Niranjana personalizes the experience depending on student’s personality and writing style, and in that process, helps students find their voice and focal points. She played an instrumental role throughout the college application essay process and we feel extremely happy we got referred to her. While the outcome is important, as a parent, I’m glad my son went through this experience of working w/ Niranjana. He learnt a lot, gained some new perspectives, and importantly, enjoyed every bit of this journey and process.
My wife and I are very grateful to Niranjana and we were delighted to see our son get admitted into Claremont McKenna (ED). If your child is looking for a college essay counselor, look no further and go for Niranjana!
H.N., Parent of student from DVHS, San Ramon, CA. Student accepted ED to CMC for Business.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ED
“Our son was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania's VIPER (Dual Degree program in Sciences and Engineering) in the Early Decision round and we couldn’t be happier. We were extremely fortunate to have Nina's support and guidance during the application essay writing process and strongly believe that her help gave him the best chance of getting into his dream school.
We knew it wouldn’t be easy to get our son to write a worthy personal statement and strong supplements. Nina brainstormed different ideas with him, and eventually he produced an essay that clearly demonstrated all the qualities that he wanted to shine through his statement. She ensured that this stressful but necessary part of the application process was done correctly and in a timely manner. From Day 1, she set the expectations and deadlines and called him out when he missed those or didn’t address the prompt fully and directly. At times when required, she just said no and had him redo the prompt completely. This really made the difference between just getting things done and presenting the best work my son could do.
Towards the end of the Early Decision application cycle, we made a last-minute switch in our choice of college and Nina quickly turned around and helped him complete the new set of supplements for Penn. It goes without saying that we would absolutely recommend Nina in a heartbeat if anyone were looking for help in their college application essays.”
V.K., Parent of student from Cupertino HS, Cupertino, CA. Student accepted ED to UPenn to VIPER.
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2023 Admits
BROWN ED
“Niranjana is awesome! She was incredibly helpful as our son worked through the college application process. My son was admitted into Brown (ED) and was thrilled to be done with the process in December itself.
She started the journey by taking the time to really understand him as a person which then flowed through in the articulation of his person and interests. My son many times said that Niranjana got him - no small praise coming from a teenager and a testament to her child-centric approach.
She ensured that it was always his voice that was coming through and not anyone else’s opinion or style which went a long way in ensuring the writing was authentic, while also offering up her opinions and guidance to ensure a great output. She was also great in helping him stay on track and not lose momentum though this arduous process. My wife and I are very grateful to Niranjana and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a writing consultant.”
R.O., Parent of student from Eastside Preparatory School, Seattle, WA. Student accepted ED to Brown University.
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U CHICAGO ED
“While applying to colleges, essays were the factor I dreaded the most. Nina created a writing process that not only helped me craft a unique story, but led me to enjoy the process itself! I never expected myself to write something that not only showed admissions officers who I was in a unique way, but to enjoy writing. Nina took the time to understand me, my interests, and goals, and tie these together on paper into a compelling story.
Nina’s attention to every detail and sentence within an essay is what I admire the most. She showed me the value of creating an engaging personal story that got me into my top college. I can’t thank Nina enough for turning a stressful task into a fun, interactive process that left me with essays I loved and an unforgettable experience.”
M.R., Student from Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta, Georgia. Student accepted ED to University of Chicago.
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HARVEY MUDD
“As a test-optional Asian male from the Bay Area applying for Computer Science, I got into Carnegie Mellon, Cornell University, Harvey Mudd, UCLA, UCSD (Full Scholarship), UCSB, UIUC, USC, and Purdue.
Ms. Niranjana is an exceptional essay counselor who offers invaluable support and guidance to students throughout the college application process. She is a true professional who is committed to providing the highest level of service to her students. I want to share my personal experience:
From the beginning, she was patient, encouraging, and always willing to go the extra mile to help her students achieve their goals. With her unique ability to understand each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and personal experiences, she tailors her approach to meet their specific needs. She helped me brainstorm essay ideas, refine my writing, and ensured that my essays were polished and professional. She was always available to provide feedback and support throughout the essay-writing process, which helped me feel confident and supported. She has a strong understanding of the importance of storytelling in essays and helped me craft compelling narratives that showcased my strengths and unique qualities.
With her deep knowledge of what admissions officers are looking for in essays, she helped me present myself in the best possible light. She has a natural ability to connect with her students and provide them with personalized support and guidance. As an excellent communicator and a great listener, she was always willing to listen to my concerns. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm for helping students achieve their goals are infectious. She has a deep passion for helping students succeed and is dedicated to helping them achieve their goals. She is always willing to go above and beyond to help her students succeed. She brought my dreams into reality and I will always be thankful to Ms. Niranjana.”
S.G., Private school student in Pleasanton, California. Admitted to Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Harvey Mudd, Purdue, UCSB, UCSD, UCLA, UIUC, USC for Computer Science, many with significant merit aid.
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UC Berkeley
Adith Mohanty, DVHS, San Ramon, California. Student accepted to UC Berkeley, UC Irvine and many more for Computer Science.
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EMORY ED
“Niranjana (or Nina as we know her) has helped many of my friends’ kids with their college admission essays with 100% success. So when it came to my son, Vikram, the choice was easy! Nina is simply amazing to work with. As many parents would relate, teenage boys aren’t the easiest to motivate, and the competition in the Bay Area for college admissions is extreme. Nina was not only able to get Vikram out of his comfort zone, but also be introspective and write essays that represented his true aspirations and emotions.
Nina’s ethics in this business is fantastic. She was clear to us that the personal statement and essays truly needs to be Vikram’s own choice, words and style. She helped him write an essay that showed the admissions officer his true personality. The result was amazing. Vikram applied to 7 colleges in the first round. He was admitted to all, including his ED school - Emory University for their Neuroscience program! So, Vikram was done with his college admission by early December last year and has been running around happy ever since :) I’d highly recommend Nina to anyone wanting their kids to get the best support to make their dreams real! Thank you Nina!
S.V., Parent of Student from Mission San Jose High School, Fremont, CA. Student accepted ED to Emory University.
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UCLA
Sahil Nale, Milpitas High School, California. UC-only package student admitted to all UCs (Berkeley, UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, UCSC, Davis, Riverside, Merced).
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CARNEGIE MELLON ED
“Niranjana was a godsend. My daughter got into Carnegie Mellon, her first choice school in Early Decision and her essays were very strong thanks to Nina’s help.
We were a bit clueless on what is expected in essays since it is not simply good writing alone. Nina was very good on getting my daughter to find her voice after self-exploration - the process of coaxing it out by being inspirational and persistent was genius. So, I think it was much more than helping with the writing (my daughter was good at this) and more like being a life coach to get to express your core self (for the personal statement). She also understands how 17-year olds are and her style was very customized- when my daughter did not progress she understood and pushed her in another direction or gave her more time. Her diligent follow up on progress while keeping them accountable and having a flexible working style worked very well with my daughter and will work well with any body. Her work was impressive and I would wholeheartedly recommend her.”
S.S., Parent of Student from Downington High School, Downington PA. Student accepted ED to Carnegie Mellon University, Class of 2027.
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WELLESLEY
“Nina was a fantastic resource for my daughter when applying for colleges. She is remarkable in helping students articulate their stories. She is particularly adept at helping them highlight aspects of their profile that make it much easier for others to understand who they are as individuals – their hopes and aspirations as they embark on the next phase of their lives.
Nina was also very helpful to my daughter in imposing a timeline on what needed to be done and by when. It was much appreciated as it enabled my daughter to stay on track given all the busyness of her senior year in school. My daughter tells me that she found the interactions with Nina insightful– she gets straight to the point, and her honest feedback was valuable in finalizing her essays. Of all the wonderful options, in the end, my daughter chose Wellesley College and hasn’t looked back since! Thank you, Nina!”
V.G. , Parent of student at Tanglin Trust School, Singapore. Student admitted to Wellesley, UCLA (School of Theater Film and Television), and more.
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2022 Admits
U CHICAGO ED
“Throughout the college application process, nothing scared me more than the essay portion. I knew I could trust myself to get the grades and do the extracurriculars, but I did not know where to begin with these particular pieces.
Were it not for Niranjana, I don’t know that I would have figured that particular mystery out. With her help, I was able to make my writing exemplify the “best me.” The voice presented through my essays was one that was capable and genuine and a little bit quirky—all things I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to capture.
Without Niranjana, I wouldn’t be nearly as good of an applicant, and more so, I wouldn’t be as good of a writer. The skills she taught me in our time together have helped me immensely and I am forever indebted to her for getting me to my dream school.”
V.V., Lake Travis High School, Austin, Texas. Student accepted ED to University of Chicago, Class of 2026.
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N.K., TISB (The International School Bangalore), India. Student accepted to Pratt Institute, NY, UIUC, UCs and more, for Design, Class of 2026.
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CALTECH EA
“Ms. Iyer’s feedback was extremely helpful in applying to college. From essay reviews to ideation, her suggestions were something I could depend on!
Thank you so much for all of your help throughout the application process!”
A.J., Evergreen Valley High, San Jose, CA. Student accepted to Caltech, Georgia Tech, CMU, and more, Class of 2026.
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CORNELL, UC BERKELEY
“Niranjana has the empathy and a unique skill to put students at ease and help them think through their hopes, aspirations, dreams, and accomplishments. Niranjana is part mentor, part coach, and part consultant- a trusted advisor who helps students navigate their college application essay journey with skill and sensibility. She is very astute and deftly helps students gather their thoughts, have a clear direction, and ensure their narratives are written from the heart.
My daughter was accepted to UC Berkeley and several other schools, many with significant merit. I highly recommend Niranjana!”
D.D., Parent of student from DVHS, San Ramon, CA, accepted to UC Berkeley, Cornell, Indiana University and more, Class of 2026.
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USC — full aid
“The college process is incredibly overwhelming, yet, Nina has helped me through each and every stepping stone, from completing the common app to writing incredibly compelling personal essays and supplements. Nina dedicated the time for every single one of my applications, polishing them to surpass even my own expectations, and was extremely meticulous (in the best way possible) throughout the whole process! Nina ultimately helped me stand out among the pool of thousands of students, helping me write a stellar personal statement that highlighted my identity while also advising me on what admissions officers are looking for in applicants. ”
T.L., Beacon High School, New York. Student accepted to USC (full tuition aid), Middlebury College (full tuition aid), and more, Class of 2026.
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RICE
“As a student applying to competitive schools and programs, I knew my essays had to be compelling, unique, and interesting. Nina helped turn my ideas and passions into a coherent story that painted an interesting picture of my life to college admissions officers. Nina helped me find the values and experiences most important to me and enabled me to implement those in writing form -- while also pushing me to add the flair and excellent writing needed to separate myself from the thousands of other college applicants.
I can't thank Nina enough for all her guidance, support, and last-minute edits. She helped demystify the college admissions process and get me into many of my dream schools! I would highly highly recommend Nina's services to any student applying to colleges!”
D.P., Basis Charter School, Scottsdale, Arizona. Student accepted for pre-med track to Rice, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Rochester, Penn State, and more, Class of 2026.
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UC BERKELEY
“Part of the college process is sharing a lot of personal information through essays and personal statements. Nina really created a safe space for me to talk openly and honestly about myself through my essays. I was able to truly be myself in my essays.
I am very lucky to have worked with her and her dedication really helped me get into my top choice for college.”
T.G., Moreau Catholic High School, Hayward, CA. Accepted to UC Berkeley College of Engineering, IEOR declared, Class of 2026.
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RICE ED
“It has been an absolute pleasure to interact with Niranjana! To see her guiding my daughter through the nuances of the process, tailor made to specific colleges, in a very calm and logical manner and giving guidance that went beyond just college applications has been absolutely amazing. Niranjana brings a great balance of professional and personal approach to her students. She helps students discover their strengths, and ensures they feel accountable and own their thoughts and ideas without feeling that they are alone in the process.
I can’t thank Niranjana enough. It was not a surprise when after my daughter got accepted in her first choice college via ED, Niranjana was the first one she personally called to share her joy and thank her!”
B.K., Parent of student from Catlin Gabel School, Portland, Oregon. Student accepted ED to Rice University, Class of 2026.
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“Niranjana was such a great help during the college admissions process! She gave me and my family a lot of useful insight into the game of admissions, and made it especially comfortable moving through. During our Zooms, she gave great advice to really bring out “that story” hidden deep within for the common app essay and supplementals. She made sure I expressed myself through my own writing skills with her guidance. Her sessions made me more independent, since the student chooses their own deadlines and plans out their own process, making me better at time management.
Beyond the writing process, she is a great mentor and great person as well :)”
A.V., Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury, Mass. Student accepted to GWU (with significant merit aid), UMass Amherst, Penn State, UMD, Purdue and more, Class of 2026.
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“Writing the essays scared me the most by far. Thankfully, I had Niranjana by my side, and saying that she made the process much easier is a major understatement, and doesn’t do her enough justice.
She walked me through each prompt, explaining what the college was asking for and what I should include. Niranjana’s attention to detail allowed me to see strengths within myself that I wouldn’t have thought twice about. I normally wouldn’t consider myself an exceptional storyteller, but Niranjana gave me confidence in my writing and I consider my writing supplements to be a powerful addition to my applications.
My time working with her made me a stronger writer and storyteller, and I can’t wait to use the skills she taught me wherever I go. I highly recommend Niranjana for anyone looking to make their application as a whole stronger.”
S.H., DVHS, San Ramon, California. Student accepted to Indiana University (Kelley School), Fordham (Gabelli School), UMass Amherst (Isenberg School), Purdue (Krannerts School), UMass Boston and more, Class of 2026.
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2021 ADMITS
UC BERKELEY
“As a parent going through the application process for the first time, I was completely overwhelmed by the whole process. Getting in touch with Niranjana was the best thing that happened. My child would not have been able to succeed without her help.
The whole essay process was managed extremely well. She was very patient with my daughter (kids tend to procrastinate and my child was very well versed in that!!) and knew exactly which topics work best for which colleges. She is very well-organized and makes sure there is no slack.
We were absolutely delighted with my daughter’s results. I absolutely recommend that all parents seek Niranjana’s help for college essay writing. It is the best thing you can do for your child during the college application process.”
S.G., San Jose, CA. Parent of student from Evergreen High, San Jose, CA, accepted to UC Berkeley, Class of 2025.
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CMU ED (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
“Her website sums up her contribution very well—she helped make the college essays COMPELLING! This starts with getting to know the student’s personality, ambitions and fears. In many ways, that was Niranjana’s biggest strength—she was able to quickly understand the true character of our son and make him comfortable enough to express himself without inhibition. We loved how she was able to work with our son to uncover his own thoughts and real-life incidents, letting his inner voice come out. This required iteration and discipline, and Niranjana excelled in ensuring that we co-created and maintained a schedule to ensure that even a distracted teenager stayed firmly on task, while simultaneously providing the flexibility to improvise when needed.
There are three specific aspects of her mentoring that we found especially helpful: (a) She maintained a nonjudgemental tone, but was able to dispassionately analyze the essay’s content and provide guidance. (b) She was extremely strategic in evaluating the collection of essays as a portfolio, ensuring that different aspects of a student’s record (academics, service, external interests) emerged in a balanced fashion, with absolutely no embellishment, through the different essays. (c) She correctly pointed out that the purpose of each essay was to tell an “authentic story”, without getting distracted by the bells and whistles of slick or ornamental writing.
We are extremely happy to have had her in our son’s life during this stressful and critical phrase, and we truly do wish that others can avail of this opportunity to let themselves shine!”
R.G., Singapore. Parent of student from Singapore American School accepted ED to Carnegie Mellon University, Class of 2025 for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
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GEORGIA TECH
“This year, with a surge (40%+) of undergrad applications, the pandemic, and test optional policies at all colleges, it is clear that what mattered most was not the grades but the story. Ms. Niranjana is the best storyteller I have come across - and amongst the few who can guide others along that road to bring out the life in their own stories. She ensures that the final essay handed in gives the student confidence about their application. She starts with understanding the profile and passions of the student and gets in-depth into the contributions made by the student in sports, co-curricular activities, hobbies, and volunteer work, and ties them back to their aspirations to create the perfect loop.
It is not just about building a ‘why me’ essay but equally important to showcase why ‘x college’. She is an expert in making a profile stand out among thousands of equally deserving applicants for a college who have similar scores and school grades. Thanks to Ms. Niranjana I was able to write very powerful and memorable essays which helped me land in many of my dream colleges both in the US and Canada.”
A.K., Gurgaon, India. Student accepted EA to Georgia Tech, University of Michigan, and to UC Irvine, UC San Diego, U Toronto, UBC, UIUC and more, Class of 2025, for Computer Science.
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UC BERKELEY
“I was initially hesitant about hiring an essay consultant since I wanted the essay to truly reflect my son's personality without external influences. When we did an introductory call with Niranjana, she quickly mitigated my concerns by clarifying her role versus my son's, and it became immediately clear that we needed her help. The extraordinary circumstances created by COVID such as limited ability to pursue extracurriculars and SAT test-optional decisions made essays even more critical.
Over the next few weeks it became evident what a great decision we had made. She struck the right balance between providing necessary direction and challenging my son to articulate his original life experiences in his own words. She asked the right questions and provided insightful recommendations on what stories needed to be highlighted and which essay questions they best aligned with. This was the critical step in highlighting his accomplishments during his high school years. She then provided guidance on each essay to ensure the central message was clearly communicated.
We were delighted when our son got admitted to several colleges including his dream school UC Berkeley. It’s clear in my mind that the work he did with Niranjana on the essays played a critical role in his selection. I can't thank her enough for her assistance. If you have any questions please contact me through Niranjana and I’ll be happy to explain why selecting her will be one of the best decisions you make for your child’s career!”
P.R., San Jose, CA. Parent of student from Milpitas High, Milpitas CA, accepted to UC Berkeley, Class of 2025, for Economics.
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GEORGIA TECH
“The college application process is one of the most stressful moments in a student’s life and Ms. Niranjana helped alleviate the tension by helping me with the essays. After I got into my top choice school, she went above and beyond by helping me craft scholarship essays as well. If you have any sort of anxiety about the college application process, I highly recommend Ms. Niranjana and her services.”
R.M, Suwanee, Georgia. Student accepted to Georgia Tech, Indiana University, University of Georgia, University of Florida and more, Class of 2025.
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NORTHEASTERN
“When I was applying, college essays seemed like a daunting task, and I didn’t even know where to begin. However, Niranjana has guided me tremendously along this journey. From brainstorming different topics to essay editing to proofreading, Niranjana has been with me every step of the way and offered generous support. I have gotten into some amazing colleges and I truly don’t think I could have done it without her!”
J.S., DVHS, San Ramon, CA. Student accepted to UCSB (Regent’s Scholarship), Northeastern (significant merit), UIUC and more, Class of 2025.
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2020 ADMITS
“My favorite part of Niranjana’s philosophy as an essay consultant is that she gets to know the students she works with extremely well to help them write unique essays. We live in a very competitive district and it was important for my daughter to write essays that truly depict her personality. Niranjana spent the first few meetings (in the summer between junior and senior year) getting to know my daughter. This way, when the students write their essays, she can help them more effectively because she understands them so well.
She was always on time with her feedback, and she was also always available to us whenever we had a question. We are very grateful to Niranjana for helping us master the college admissions process. I also loved the fact that she became my daughter’s cheerleader and has given her confidence in her writing abilities.
Thank you so much!”
B. De, Parent, Dublin, California
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“My daughter Ananya was applying for data science and economics in highly competitive colleges and we knew this would be an uphill task.
Niranjana’s eye for detail and her editing skills are renowned. What I found remarkable is the time she takes to get to know the student. This stems from the fact that she wants a truly original story and unless she knows the student, her capability and her aspirations well, it won’t work.
Niranjana’s very willing to invest the time. We took the complete package as we wanted to explore a range of options and there truly was No limit on the number of drafts and revisions. She’s strict with deadlines, as required, but expectations are well explained, understood and managed in advance; overall a superbly professional and skillful process, yielding an output well above our collective expectations.
Ananya finally selected UCLA for data theory and economics but also had 5 other offers including a very attractive merit aid one; I can’t thank Niranjana enough for making this so easy for us.”
Diya Garg, Singapore, parent of student from UWC SEA accepted to UCLA, Class of 2024.
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“The essay is by far the most enigmatic part of the application. Should you write about what you think colleges want to hear, or should you simply write about what you’re passionate about? What sort of tone should you use, and how do you remain authentic? All these questions were swirling around in my head when I first began the admissions process, but with Niranjana’s help, I was able to discover the answers to all of these questions and more. Thanks to her, I learned how to create an authentic image of myself through my essays, as well as gain confidence in my writing skills and character. She was very efficient when it came to editing, and all of our sessions together were incredibly informative and helpful. Rather than lecturing, she always tailored every session to my needs. Not a single essay I wrote felt formulaic, and I’m proud to say that each essay I wrote was a genuine representation of my own story, thanks to her!
I would definitely recommend Niranjana to any student looking for guidance through the college admissions process. The skills I’ve learned from her have served me well not only in the college admissions process, but also in scholarship applications, school essays, and more! There are plenty of individuals out there claiming to know the formula for college admissions success, but Niranjana knows that the true secret to getting into the right school is to be true to yourself. I’ll always appreciate her support and guidance!”
R.V., Dublin High, CA. Student accepted to Rice University, USC, College of William and Mary, and several other colleges with significant merit aid, Class of 2024.
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Recruited Athlete
“I was very happy to be recruited early enough to play tennis for Georgetown University - a D1 school, but I still knew I would need help when it came time to fill out their required application form. College applications are scary enough as it is and being a full time tennis athlete as well presents its own challenges - so having someone like Niranjana help me navigate this pivotal part in a student’s life was incredibly important. She helped me understand how to present myself in the essay- what factors to focus on and what elements would help me stand out among the sea of other applicants. Students have a lot to things to balance on their plate and having someone like Niranjana to bounce off ideas was really helpful. Niranjana helped me to complete my application process in a timely and efficient manner and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to take their college application to the next level.”
A.W., Dublin High School, Dublin, California. Recruited to play D1 tennis at Georgetown University, Class of 2024.
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“Going into the college application process, the essay was definitely the part that had me the most stumped. I decided to contact Niranjana, and in hindsight, that was definitely the best decision I could’ve made. Niranjana helped me completely transform my application by guiding me through ways to make my essay unique, creative, and representative of my personality. Most importantly, she took the part of my application that I was most nervous/hesitant about and helped me so that in the end, my essay was the part of my application that I most proud of. Apart from my main common app essay, she also helped tremendously with all my supplementals and short answer questions. Even after I was waitlisted at Stanford University, she continually supported me as I sent in updates (and still does). Niranjana's creativity and expertise are extremely valuable, and I would highly recommend her to anyone that is looking for a way to maximize the scope of their essays and hence their overall application.”
A.P., Quarry Lane High School, Pleasanton, CA. Student accepted to UC Berkeley, Class of 2024.
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Community College Transfer
"Niranjana has been an amazing help throughout the difficult college application process. She shared complete information, ideas, rationale, and encouragement on my essays. Through our frequent video calls and correspondence, Niranjana helped to draw out amazing essay topics that expressed my identity and strengths in the best way possible. I feel the most valuable thing about her is when she guides me to think deeper, to explore my interest. She is quick with her essay edits and provided tons of feedback to help make sure my answers were as detailed and informative as possible.
Going step by step with Niranjana made me feel at ease, even very motivated. I would highly recommend her to anyone striving to make their application outstanding.
Thank you, Niranjana!"
P.S., De Anza College, Cupertino, California. Student accepted to UC Berkeley, Class of 2024 for Computer Science. Accepted to several other UCs.
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“The college application process is nerve wracking and makes a student endlessly doubt herself. Without your guidance and support, I would not have been able to write what I felt was the true representation of myself. My parents and friends wanted me to succeed and they thought the way to do that was to write what admissions officers want to read, but you taught me that the only thing they want to read is what a student really wants to say. Your ability to help me maintain an authentic voice and story while improving my narrative flow and examples is what I truly appreciate the most. Every session felt more like collaboration than didactic instruction and I think that’s what helps the essays of every student you work with sound unique and not formulaic.
I’ve learned so much about myself through this process and am so thankful for all the hours you spent helping me hone my essay and supplements and everything you taught me about the college application process and myself. I will never forget your guidance and support during that stressful year. Thank you for helping me not only craft essays that I’m proud of, but for helping me believe in myself and my choices.”
K.R., Student accepted to USC, Class of 2023, on a Trustee Scholarship (full tuition scholarship). Accepted to several other colleges with significant merit aid.
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“There is a first time for everything, but the first time you run with your child through a college application cycle, you’ll need Niranjana covering your back. We live in California in a highly selective school district, and the level of competition for admission to the University of California schools is immense, even for in-state students. We began talking to Niranjana in the summer of senior year. As the essays got drafted, Niranjana patiently reviewed and gave strategic feedback on each version. She was incredibly prompt - especially as the deadline approached. The quality of the review and the feedback cycle was fully managed by her through emails, Skype calls and shared documents. I was super relieved that his essays were in the best hands! Niranjana continued to support my son on the second round of essays and on scholarship applications too.
My son is from a school with very high caliber students who applied to the UCs, and despite the competition, he was admitted into a top UC [UC Berkeley]. Niranjana’s work has proven itself to be of exemplary quality and has been vital for my son’s entry into a highly selective and prestigious college.”
D.Y., Parent of student at Cupertino High, Cupertino, California. Student Accepted to UC Berkeley Class of 2023.
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“It is crazy how much we are expected to know at such a young age, especially when some of us are the first in our family to go through the college application process to attend a university in USA for undergrad. I had no idea what was expected in the Common App personal essay, and how to answer the more obscure essay prompts that colleges required us to put together. Working with Niranjana was an amazing experience! She guided me through writing, helping me understand what was expected, and offered methods to generate ideas whenever I was stumped. She was very prompt in returning my phone calls and was very quick to edit my new drafts. Overall, I had a great experience working with her, and I would definitely recommend her to anyone seeking guidance for their college essays! ”
P.D., Class of 2023. Accepted to Washington University in St. Louis, University of Maryland, College Park, University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne, Fordham University, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rutgers University, Indiana University, Bloomington, University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University (Schreyer Honors College)
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“I started out my applications with a very cluttered and misguided idea of what was relevant, and it proved difficult to fit my work into a focussed essay. Niranjana worked with me patiently and went through my journey, and helped me tell a story that truly captured my reality. Without her help, I definitely wouldn't have gotten the acceptances that I got, and I'm very grateful to her for helping me in this crucial step in my life.
A.V., Class of 2022. Accepted to UPenn. Accepted to Cornell and several other institutions.
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MORE PARENT TESTIMONIALS
“Trying to navigate the college application process can be very stressful, but Nina’s calm, creative and ethical manner was very reassuring. Our daughter wanted to pursue a career in a very competitive field and a degree from a well known research school would open many doors for her. Unfortunately, she had some struggles in high school and while she graduated high in her class it was essential that her applications and essays were impeccable. Nina was able to explain the different essay requirements and their significance. She helped our daughter write very creative essays by helping her to explore her identity and her passions and then directed her to put those unique qualities into her writings. Nina’s eye for detail and her superb editing skills helped push our daughter’s essays to the next level.”
S. Lentz, Parent, Livermore, CA
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“My son Arjun can work out the most complex solutions in STEM, but becomes very uncommunicative when it comes to writing. He also lacks the patience to bringing out his thoughts with clarity while writing. I knew the importance of essays for the college admission and so wanted him to connect with the right person so that he could give his best. I was introduced to Niranjana as a person who helps students bring out their best in writing college essays.
Niranjana was a godsend for me (us). She was enthusiastic from the first email that I sent to her, and talked to me very patiently, explaining the whole process of how she works & answering the plethora of questions I had. She was extremely professional and has some good techniques to work with teenagers & understand them well. I still remember my son telling me after their first two sessions, "She is excellent. It was fun talking with her." I think that is her trick - to get down to every individual’s level, understand them and connect with them so that she can bring out the best in them. My son wrote his first draft of Common App essay and I thought it was good. I read the essay again after a couple of his edit sessions with Niranjana and I still remember the experience I had reading it. The whole essay was transformed with so much clarity, and was absolutely genuine to my son’s personality.
Arjun simply loved the whole experience and I could clearly see that he enjoyed writing the essays, which was a pleasant shock for me. He applied to 12 colleges with each one asking for 3-4 essays, and went through it like a breeze. Today, he has acceptances from 8 out of 12 colleges [many with significant financial aid] for Computer Engineering […]. We are extremely grateful to Niranjana who made this whole daunting exercise such a pleasant experience. I am sure this life skill that Arjun has learnt to express his thoughts clearly in writing is one that he will carry with him throughout. Good luck to you Niranjana to help many more students like Arjun out there.”
S.S., Parent, Glastonbury, Connecticut
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“Niranjana is so amazing! She appreciated my daughter’s ideas for her essays and provided constructive feedback without steering away from her voice. She is extremely organized, methodical and has a superb eye for detail. She made sure she was available any time we needed her. Thank you so much for all your help!”
V.K., Parent, Souderton, Pennsylvania
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“My daughter was an international applicant and we were not familiar with the college system in the US. Working with Niranjana to craft my daughter’s essay was a blessing. She knows so much about the admissions process and hence was able to help to align my daughter's interests with the choices available and allay our apprehensions about the American education system. I felt that she understood my daughter’s character, needs and quirks completely. She was always patient but instilled the right degree of urgency. She was able to help my daughter stay true to her choice of essay topic and honor her authentic voice while gently nudging her to improve her craft. She helped us with the appropriate tone and content for the supplementary essays to ensure they were in line with the requirements of the specific colleges.
Niranjana was always available to answer questions, brainstorm ideas and offer useful suggestions. Under her guidance, my daughter was able to better structure her thoughts and enhance the quality of her writing. I truly appreciate her unwavering belief in my daughter’s abilities and her commitment to ensuring the strongest possible application.”
N.S., Parent, Gurgaon, India
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LinkedIn Testimonial from Viswanath Ramaswamy, Executive Director - Systems (India/South Asia) at IBM India Private Limited
“I had approached Niranjana for help and counseling for my son's admission into US Universities. She has been the smartest and had a great coaching acumen with a strong command over the language and content. The best part of her approach is being a great coach and also getting the my son to pen those thoughts which otherwise would not have surfaced. I am proud to say that with her complete support in counseling, my son has got admission to UC Irvine (one of the top schools in the US). Thank you Niranjana and wish you all the best […]”
Parent, Bangalore, India