You are not behind. You just never had anyone explain this system properly.
You have done everything right as a parent. The US college system was simply never designed to be transparent — even for families who are smart, educated, and deeply invested in their children's future.
"My neighbour's son got into NC State and I still don't know how they planned for it. I don't even know what to ask."
"My child is in 8th grade and I still don't understand what AP classes are or why they matter so much."
"The school counselor is managing 400 students. My child is one name on a very long list."
"I asked in three WhatsApp groups and got five different answers. I need one person I can actually trust."
"I worry at night that my child will miss an opportunity simply because I did not know it existed."
"I hear SAT, Common App, AP, extracurriculars — I don't know what actually matters for UNCC, UNC, or Duke."
"Every American parent around me seems to know something I don't. I don't want my child to pay the price for that gap."
"I keep saying I'll figure it out — but 11th grade is closer than I think, and I haven't started yet."
Not sure where your child stands right now?
Download Boona's free Grade-by-Grade College Planning Checklist — the same framework she uses with every Charlotte family she works with.
Exactly what your child should be doing in 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade
The AP class and GPA milestones that matter most for UNCC, UNC, and Duke
The 5 things most Indian families miss — and when they realise it is too late
A simple month-by-month action plan you can start this week
No spam. No sales call. Just the checklist. Unsubscribe any time.
College Planning Checklist
For Indian Families — Grades 7 to 12
By Boona
"Like every Indian mom, I asked everyone — relatives, neighbours, Facebook groups, WhatsApp aunties. What I got were opinions. What I needed were answers."
I came from India with a strong education, built a career here, and gave my family everything I had. But when my sons reached middle school, the American college system humbled me completely. I didn't know what AP classes were. I didn't understand why extracurriculars mattered. I didn't know that the courses your child picks in 8th grade can shape which university they get into four years later.
So I did what we do — I figured it out. I researched, I volunteered at school, I sat in on counselor sessions, I talked to families who had been through it. I learned this system from the inside, and I guided one of my sons to the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and another one to New York University (NYU).
Since then, I have been the person that moms in our Charlotte community call — not the school counselor, not a big tutoring centre — me, Boona, one Indian mom to another. I have helped dozens of families across Charlotte. Now I am making that guidance available properly, so every family that needs it can access it.
Boona's Sons — Two Different Paths
United States Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs · ~10% acceptance rate · Fully funded · Congressional nomination required
$0 tuition, room, board, stipendNew York University
New York City · ~10% acceptance rate · Top-30 private university
Highly selective · Full application cycleCoaching at every stage — starting as early as 7th grade
Three clear coaching packages, designed to meet your family exactly where you are today. No jargon, no overwhelm — just a clear path forward.
Foundation Clarity
Understand how this system actually works — before high school begins and before it's too late to course-correct.
- ✓How US high school grades and GPA really work
- ✓Which classes to take — and in what order — from 9th grade onward
- ✓AP, Honors, Regular — what each means for your child specifically
- ✓What UNCC, UNC, and Duke actually look for in an application
- ✓How to build the right habits and mindset from the start
📦 Fixed-price package — one clear investment, no surprises
College Strategy
A complete, personalised plan — so your child builds the kind of application that universities remember, not one that looks like every other Indian student's.
- ✓A clear year-by-year plan tailored to your child
- ✓SAT/ACT — when to take it, how to prepare, what to target
- ✓Building a smart college list across dream, realistic, and safe options
- ✓Summer programmes, internships, and research opportunities
- ✓Volunteering and activities that genuinely strengthen an application
- ✓Coaching for parents — what helps and what unintentionally hurts
⏱ Hourly sessions in 8-hour blocks — flexible, at your family's pace
Application & Essays
The final stretch — turning everything your child has worked for into an application that tells their story clearly and compellingly.
- ✓Common App setup and strategy — demystified completely
- ✓Finding your child's essay story — then writing and refining it
- ✓Tracking every deadline so nothing is missed
- ✓Guidance on asking for strong recommendation letters
- ✓Financial aid forms (FAFSA & CSS Profile) — step by step
- ✓Support all the way through to decision day
⏱ Hourly sessions in larger blocks — intensive support when it matters most
One conversation is all it takes to begin
No complicated process. No jargon. Just a warm, honest conversation about your child's future — in a space where you can ask anything.
Free 30-Min Coaching Call
Tell Boona about your child, your goals, your biggest fears. Your first coaching call is completely free. Zero pressure. Zero commitment.
Get Your Roadmap
Boona recommends the right program and builds a plan tailored to your child's grade and ambitions.
Begin with Confidence
Start your sessions and finally feel in control of your child's college future — no more guessing.
Celebrate Together
Watch your child receive that acceptance letter — with a plan that made every step possible.
Every grade has a purpose.
Don't leave any year to chance.
Tap each grade to see exactly what your child should be doing — and why it matters for their college future.
- 📚Explore interests through clubs and activities
- 📝Build strong study habits before high school
- 🔭Learn about different careers — ask, explore, dream
- 📊Understand what GPA means and why it starts mattering soon
- 📖Read widely — fiction, biographies, science, anything
Mothers just like you, already on the path
Real families from the Charlotte Indian community who started early and never looked back.
"Honestly I did not know where to start. My daughter is in 9th grade and I was so confused about AP classes. After talking to Boona I finally understood what we needed to do. She explains everything so clearly, no jargon, no judgment. I felt like I was talking to a friend who really knew."
"My husband and I both joined the first call together. Boona answered every question we had — and questions we didn't even know to ask. She understands Indian families, she understands what we want for our children. That is very hard to find here."
"We started with Boona when my son was in 8th grade. At the time I thought maybe it's too early. Now he is in 12th grade with a strong application and two merit scholarship offers. I tell every mom in my circle — do not wait. Start now."
"I was comparing Boona to some big national college prep companies. Boona is different — she actually knows our community, our values, the pressure we feel. She helped us create a plan that felt right for our family, not just a generic checklist."
"My son was not interested in extracurriculars at all. Boona helped us figure out exactly what he needed and how to present it. He found activities he genuinely enjoys. The transformation has been remarkable — in him and in our whole family's stress level."
"We had been getting so much conflicting advice from different people. Boona cut through all of it with complete clarity. After one session I finally understood what really matters for admissions and what is just noise. I wish we had found her two years earlier."
Serving Greater Charlotte Metro Area
In-person sessions (Charlotte area) and virtually via Zoom — whichever works best for your family
Everything you've been wondering about
Straight answers to the questions every Indian family asks when navigating the US college system.
Still have questions?
Your child has time. But not as much as you think.
The families who start this conversation in 7th or 8th grade are the ones who feel calm in 11th grade. Book a free 30-minute coaching call with Boona — ask everything, commit to nothing.
FREE 30-Minute Coaching Call with Boona
- ✓Understand exactly where your child stands right now
- ✓Get clear answers — not opinions, not generalities
- ✓Receive an honest recommendation for next steps
- ✓Many families join together — bring your husband, bring your questions
- ✓Available via WhatsApp call or Zoom, at a time that suits you