Homeschool Support: Supplemental Learning Today, Success Tomorrow

Pratishta graduated with a Bachelor’s from UCLA and a Master’s from New York University. Professionally, Pratishta is the Assistant Director of Beyond Akeela, where she oversees a residential summer college readiness program for neurodivergent teens. She has led numerous workshops on mock interviews, resume development, writing an effective college essay, and creating a road map from high school to college. She has helped 30+ students get accepted to the University of California Berkeley and New York University, among others. 

Pratishta’s passion for admissions counseling comes from her belief that every person has a unique, awesome story waiting to be shared. However, she acknowledges that effectively presenting these strengths can be challenging. Pratishta’s affinity for admissions counseling stems from her own journey of navigating the process alone. She gained invaluable insights, and it brings her immense joy to pay it forward by guiding students toward realizing their aspirations.

Pratishta’s teaching style focuses on strengths and building a strong relationship first. She is easy-going and loves having fun and getting to know every person she connects with. Pratishta thrives on structure and loves letting applicants take the lead while providing a lot of scaffolding. As a coach, Pratishta believes in meeting students where they are and helping them reach their best, helping them hone in on what they want to improve, and offering clear solutions to make progress together. Pratishta excels at breaking down tasks effectively into smaller steps, getting the difficult tasks out of the way first, and building in short breaks and fun activities during sessions. 

Outside of coaching, Pratishta loves to box, cook, hike, kayak, and discover amazing restaurants. She’s also an avid adventure sports fan and has been skydiving and bungee jumping.

Nailah earned a BA from Brown University, where she served in the Brown Elementary Afterschool Mentoring program and the Brown Tutoring Corps. She has also served as a teaching associate at the National Presbyterian School. Having personally experienced the intricate and often overwhelming college application process, Nailah empathizes deeply with students. Her passion lies in providing guidance, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the necessary tools to succeed and find their perfect college fit. 

Driven by a lifelong commitment to serving others, admissions counseling has become Nailah’s platform for channeling her passion for higher education. Her love for education and natural inclination towards organization and project management enable her to structure the college application process and alleviate students’ stress through strategic planning. The joy and fulfillment she experiences when students reach their milestones is immeasurable as she merges her skills with her passion for helping others.

Nailah’s teaching style fosters motivation, provides reassurance, and builds strong relationships with students. She believes in empowering others by creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel valued and respected. Nailah is highly perceptive and quickly recognizes when students feel overwhelmed or stressed. When this happens, she prioritizes offering encouragement and reassurance, helping them overcome obstacles and believe in their abilities. 

Furthermore, Nailah aims to establish a positive rapport with students, which allows for open communication and mutual trust. She believes in giving students autonomy, allowing them to take ownership of their journey and make decisions that are best for them while offering support and expertise to navigate the complexities of the process effectively. Nailah is always open to feedback from students, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and improvement. By actively listening to their input, she can better tailor her teaching approach to meet their needs and empower them to achieve their full potential.

One effective tactic she utilizes to keep students motivated is celebrating milestones throughout the college application process, regardless of their size. She firmly believes in the power of positive reinforcement to bolster motivation and self-esteem. By acknowledging and celebrating each achievement, Nailah provides students with the encouragement and recognition they need to stay motivated and engaged in their journey toward college admission.

As a counselor, Nailah serves as a candidate’s biggest cheerleader and demonstrates unwavering support at every turn. She is honest and empathetic and believes in transparent and compassionate communication to ensure students feel heard and understood. Above all, Nailah's priority is to convey to students that she is here to support them wholeheartedly. 

When she’s not working, Nailah loves sports, especially college women’s basketball and track and field. You can often find her playing volleyball and working out. She also likes to read non-fiction books and loves musical theater. She grew up acting, singing, and dancing and loves all the performing arts.

Truth holds a BA from Princeton University. She currently works as a College Access Consultant at eStem Public Charter Schools, giving presentations on the college admissions process, college essays, and Common App. Truth has helped over 100 students get accepted to the nation’s top schools, including Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and UNC.

As a first-generation student, Truth and her parents struggled immensely during the college application because they had no idea where to start or how to proceed. Luckily, her high school counselor, Ms. Rook, intervened and guided them by hosting weekly workshops to help prepare for the ACT, draft college lists, and brainstorm essays. Her counselor went above and beyond by meeting with her during winter break to review her essay drafts and encouraged her to apply to Princeton when she didn’t think she could get accepted. Truth does not doubt that Ms. Rook's efforts are a huge reason she got into Princeton and many other top schools. Getting into Princeton changed Truth's life trajectory—she wants to help other students get into college, as her high school counselor did for her. 

Truth likes to empower others to achieve their best by validating them and their experiences. She sometimes remembers feeling insecure throughout the application process, wondering how to stand out. Her counselor helped her dig deeper to realize her strengths and the impact of her activities. Truth helps students reflect on their experiences, passions, and values so they can see they have much more to offer than they might think.

As a counselor, Truth strives to be a patient, empathetic, and encouraging guide for students. She remembers the balancing act that students must perform, juggling academics, extracurriculars, social life, and work, all while navigating the complex world of college applications all too well. Her role is to alleviate some of this burden by providing compassionate support; she wants students to know they have a knowledgeable advocate in their corner who is dedicated to their success.

A fun fact about Truth is that she has 13 aunts and uncles. While their holidays are pretty chaotic, she wouldn't trade her family for the world.