Join the two-day webinar:


Journey to College 2025

Undergraduate Admissions

Saturday, July 26 & August 2
11.30 am to 1.00 pm IST
Virtual
Free Webinar

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Meet Our Panellists

All Ivy Panel: Online

Saturday, July 26

11.30 am - 1.00 pm IST

Kritin Kalani
School: Brighton College, UK, from Kota
Columbia & Dartmouth
Fall 2025 | Mechanical Engineering
Columbia University
Dartmouth University
University of Cambridge
University college London
Kings College London
Rachel Levy
School: Sir Karl Popper Schule for gifted students, Austria
University of Pennsylvania & Brown University
Fall 2025 | ESGB & Economics
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Kings College London
University college London
Karthi K Sai Palakodeti
School: Chirec International School, Hyderabad
University of Pennsylvania
Fall 2024 | Economics
University of Pennsylvania
Ananyaa Sultania
School: Chirec International School, Hyderabad
University of Pennsylvania
Fall 2025 | Business
University of Pennsylvania
Dartmouth College
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Columbia University
Georgetown University
Tufts
Emory
University of Chicago
Northwestern University
University college London
Kings College London
University of Cambridge
University of Toronto
Warwick University
Ashoka University
Siddharth Pathak
School: Stonehill International School, Bangalore
University of Chicago
Physics
University of Chicago
University of Toronto
Rianna Desai
School: Oberoi International School, Mumbai
Georgetown, Tufts, Emory
Economics
Georgetown University
Tufts
Emory University
Warwick University
Aashna Sanghani
School: Bombay International School, Mumbai
UCLA, USC
Psychology
UCLA
USC-
Jahnvi Sampat
School: B.D. Somani International School, Mumbai
Northwestern​
English
Northwestern University

Highly Selective Panel: Online

Saturday, August 2

11.30 am - 1.00 pm IST

Journey to College is our annual event that brings the spirit of student-led guidance to life. In response to growing demand following a successful Fall 2025 admissions season, this year’s edition expands into a two-day series of panel discussions.

Hosted by our Head of Undergraduate Admissions, the panels will feature recently admitted students from traditional and new-age Ivy League colleges. Through candid conversations, they’ll reveal the distinctive strategies behind their successful applications—offering you practical insights to craft your standout submission for top US universities.

About Journey to College:

Unique strategies:

Discover how our applicants used life experiences to enhance their applications.

Academic and extracurricular excellence:

See how they combined activities and achievements beyond the classroom.

Compelling essays:

Learn their thought processes and writing techniques.

Interview preparation:

Find out their strategies to impress admissions officers.

University research:

Learn how they used social media and resources to shortlist colleges.

Successful approaches to scholarship application:

Delve into strategies for presenting a solid case for merit-based scholarships, as demonstrated by successful applicants.

The Red Pen Team Icon

About The Red Pen

  • The Red Pen Undergraduate Admissions Team is dedicated to helping you identify and apply to international schools that align with your academic potential and goals. 
  • We are members of the IACAC (International Association for College Admission Counseling), which gives us access to admission officers and updated information on university trends. 
  • Our consultants are graduates from the world’s most prestigious universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Duke, Stanford, UPenn, Columbia, Emory University, LSE and more. 
  • We have in-depth knowledge of admission processes in the UK, US, Canada, Europe, and Asia, and have worked with thousands of applicants worldwide. 
new york university

CANDIDATE:  
AN

GRE/GMAT:
Did not take

GPA:
3.43/4.0 (as per her WES evaluation)

Qualification:
BA Economics

Work Experience:
Less than six months

Admitted to:
NYU

Background

AN aimed for an MS in Marketing in the US and the UK. The applicant was prompt in balancing the WES evaluation and other application components. However, while brainstorming the SOP we encountered a challenge. The applicant lacked sufficient work experience, which is gained through internships. They only had a two-month marketing internship in a finance company. However, as an undergraduate, the applicant was editor-in-chief of the college magazine, co-authored academic papers and hosted an Instagram series on mental health, diversity, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Approach

While storyboarding, we strategically guided the applicant to match their academic endeavours with their desire to become an inclusive impact marketer. As an editor, writer and social media content creator for diversity and inclusivity, AN developed excellent communication skills, an understanding of different people, and concise and compelling storytelling abilities. We advised the applicant to position themself as a collaborative marketing person who understood diverse needs, has problem-solving skills and was familiar with contemporary communication platforms.

Key Takeaway

AN exemplifies how storyboarding with expert counsellors can help applicants identify experiences that align with their goals. Our strategic advice proved valuable, and the applicant received offers from programmes of their choice. It reinforced the fact that transferable skills, like problem-solving, communication, collaboration and technical proficiency, are greatly valued and can compensate for work experience.