Testimonials

My daughter and I found Anuja’s guidance through the college application process invaluable. We found her to be extremely knowledgeable and her approach to be personal and full of care, with a follow-through on all the large and small details. Anuja spent a lot of time getting to know my daughter and her varied interests and in the process developed an independent working relationship with her. She directly worked with my daughter and made her responsible for the deadlines and outcomes. She helped my daughter finalise her college list and most importantly provided unique counsel on the early application college choice. Anuja was always extremely confident about the early choice and that confidence rubbed on my daughter. She really helped calm nerves through our anxious moments during the college application process. This helped my daughter get into her dream colleges. Thank you Anuja for all your help and support.

Mrs Mariwala is not your regular student counselor! She is a unique person, who will work with your child to ensure that they recognize the best in themselves and develop the right skills while working on their applications. Anuja was the most important person in my son’s life through his IB years and they continue to have a strong bond- built during one of the most stressful periods in a teenager’s life. She works with students to ensure that they confidently navigate the process and take bold decisions with minimal interference. She gets to know your child well, and understands their personality completely before suggesting a path towards successful college admissions. She has a very deep understanding of the admissions process, and has all kinds of information on her fingertips, knows what each university is looking for, and tries hard to focus on ‘fit’. She will help them put their best foot forward, plan, strategize and ensure that an application is sent out only when it is ‘perfect’! She will always be honest when discussing essays, providing inputs to ensure that the essays that are sent, truly are the child’s best. 

Anuja is personally invested in the child’s academic process, and will guide you through all kinds of decisions- from subject selections in the IB, to what kind of dorm you should stay in at college! I could pick up the phone any time and speak to her with any apprehensions I had and I could freely speak my mind. As a mother, I cannot thank her enough for the role she played in my child’s success with his admission. She was the second person he called after his sister, at 3am, when he got his acceptance letter!

The first word that come to me when I reflect on my experience with Anuja Kohli Mariwala are: Passion, Attention to detail & Expertise. She possesses a vast sea of knowledge and continues to keep herself up-to-date with the numerous changes going on in the collegiate landscape. Personally speaking, she is one of the very few people who precisely balances the student’s optimism (i.e dream schools, target schools, etc.) with the reality of who the student is on paper as well. She is unafraid to think outside the box and suggests universities that might seem unconventional but are very appropriate for the student’s holistic profile. With her state-of-the-art acumen and personalized/customized approach, she ensured that I found the right match for myself to pursue Financial Economics at the University of Rochester!

I have known Anuja aunty – as I have grown to call her – for over 7 years now, since my 11th grade at Aditya Birla World Academy (ABWA). Even after I graduated from both high school and college/university, she still kept in touch every single time I came back home. She continues to maintain the same level of familiarity and continues to offer her guidance even today, 7 years later! Altogether, my experience with her aptly resonates with the name and motto/philosophy behind her company “Zest for Life” – Nurturing identities with an upbeat and zealous attitude, committed to sustaining a long-term relationship. For all I know, I have found a lifelong mentor in Anuja aunty, and I wish prospective students can grab the opportunity to do the same!

Anuja is nothing like most counsellors.

My son’s college journey with Anuja has been an extremely positive one and my own experience, as a parent, has been nothing short of extraordinary. Apart from the statistics, Anuja shares with you the little details – like the internship opportunities at the college, the co-op program, the quality of the faculty. Most important, instead of trying to fit your student into a box, she takes the time and effort to really get to know the child and then to do a ‘match’ for colleges where the child will fit. My greatest takeaway from Anuja was this line she said to me – “It’s not just about finding a college where the student will get in, it’s about where he / she will succeed”. This is truly what the college process is about, ensuring the student gets to a college where he will achieve his potential and will succeed.

My son connected deeply with Anuja, and he adores her. And I’m eternally grateful to her for supporting him through this journey… for walking by his side, being his greatest cheerleader and never, ever giving up on him.
For all of this, and more…. 

Thank you Anuja !!

Working with Anuja (Yes, I call her by her first name because that is the relationship she cultivates with her clients) was the single best decision I made in high school. I didn’t get into my dream school initially, on my account, but she meticulously mapped out the road to a successful transfer. She clearly delineated the exact academic prerequisites in terms of coursework, as well as spurred certain niche but critical social aspects such as visiting the University, interviewing with certain faculty members, and attending classes whilst there, in order to demonstrate a strong interest. Furthermore, I cannot emphasize enough, the fine-tuning work that went into the application essays- 29 and 27 drafts in an attempt to quantify it, before the final two versions were produced.

The process with Anuja is straightforward- you want to get from point A to point B? You work for it through her framework and she’ll work equally if not much harder and make sure you achieve what you set out to. I have called and texted her at the most unearthly of times without hesitation (due to the time difference) when I needed to clarify a doubt regarding a specific comment in the essay due to deadline day and I was able to do so because that’s just the person she is. She isn’t just a college counselor, but has become an important figure to me as a mentor for general and career advice too. Till date, I still make sure to consult her on a regular basis and keep her updated so that I can maximize the outcome of my plans given her advice. Clichéd as it sounds, she honestly helps you be the best version of yourself, as long as you’re willing to work for it.