Atharv — Ashoka University: case study

By Grade 12, Atharv already had a lot to his story—from MUN and student leadership to music, sports and community work. MUN was a major part of his life: he was a delegate, trainer, Head Delegate and eventually Deputy Secretary General. He had also been drumming since 2019, played basketball, debated competitively and served as House Captain. Alongside school, he had explored marketing through internships at RangDe and Zeppelin. But beneath these achievements was a more personal story—music had helped him find belonging, while MUN gave him a space to speak, lead and engage with ideas.

Atharv did not need another activity added to his profile. He needed someone to step back and understand what connected the many things he had already pursued. MUN, music, debate, sports, leadership and work experience could easily have appeared as a long list of accomplishments without revealing much about the person behind them. The challenge was to decide what mattered most and what each experience could contribute to the application. The UAH mentor also had to ensure that the essays did not all tell the same story, while still giving the application a recognisable voice. This meant going beyond titles and awards to uncover the motivations, experiences and personal qualities that had shaped Atharv.

The UAH mentor began with Atharv’s detailed brag sheet, going back several years rather than looking only at his Grade 12 achievements. The exercise helped uncover details that would otherwise have disappeared beneath the headline accomplishments. His MUN experience, for example, was not simply about winning Best Delegate awards. He had trained younger delegates, run committees, handled conference problems and eventually taken responsibility as Deputy Secretary General. The mentor helped distinguish these layers of the experience and decide which belonged in the application.

Music required a different lens. Atharv had been playing drums for years, performed with bands and the IB Music Ensemble, and helped organise Battle of the Bands. More importantly, his reflections revealed that music had been tied to family, friendships and his search for belonging. That personal context gave the activity meaning beyond a Trinity certification or performance.

The mentor then mapped his experiences into a small number of narrative themes and developed multiple essay storyboards before deciding which stories deserved to be taken forward. The goal was to make the essays personal, reflective and specific rather than achievement-heavy. The same thinking extended to the activity list and recommendations. Activities were reordered by importance and grouped by theme, while the mentor ensured that the LORs added perspectives rather than repeating the essays. By the end, each part of the application had a distinct job.

Atharv joined Ashoka University to pursue Economics (Honours).

His application captured more than his achievements in MUN, music, leadership and academics. It showed a student who enjoys engaging with people and ideas, takes responsibility seriously and has found his own ways to express himself.