Helped 700+ study abroad in TOP univ (MIT Harvard etc) & get MAANG jobs via ScholarStrategy | 95K+ | Bestselling Author | LI Top Voices

I help ambitious students and professionals make brain-smart, AI-proof career choices in a world that’s changing faster than ever.

I’m the founder of Scholar Strategy and 24NorthStar, two purpose-driven platforms that have guided over 1,000 clients into top global universities (MIT, Harvard, Stanford, CMU, UIUC, INSEAD…) and career paths at companies like FAANG, Tesla, Microsoft, Salesforce, and more.

Unlike most consultants, I don’t earn commission from universities.
That means: I work only for my students.
No shady affiliations. No sales targets. Just real advice, backed by research and results.

Before this, I studied Computer Science at UIUC, dropped out of my MBA at NYU Stern after landing two full-time job offers, and joined a data startup in Manhattan. I’ve worked on Wall Street, run NYU’s first entrepreneurship summit (yes, Seth Godin was a speaker), and even got featured on Fred Wilson’s AVC blog.

After moving back to India, I turned my focus to career coaching, authorship, and storytelling. Today, I speak at IITs, IIMs, and startup events, and mentor young minds looking to build meaningful careers in tech, business, and beyond.

📚 I’ve authored 3 bestselling books on Indian startups:

No Shortcuts (award-winning interviews with Zerodha, Ather, Freshworks founders)
Unstartup (early story of Unacademy)
Futurepreneurs (deeptech & AI startups, co-authored with MIT alum Varun Aggarwal)

My content on careers, startups, and the future of work has reached 30M+ views and 400K+ followers across platforms.

If you’re:
🚀 Planning a master’s abroad
🧠 Unsure how to future-proof your career in the age of AI
👨‍👩‍👧 A parent figuring out what’s next for your child...

→ Reach out here:
🎓 Scholar Strategy (for MS/MBA): https://scholarstrategy.com/contact
🎓 24NorthStar (for high schoolers): https://24northstar.com

My nephew dropped Science in Class 11th because he did not want to mug Chemistry formula.

Fair enough.
Mugging is miserable.

But somewhere along the way, we confused bad teaching with useless subjects.

He was told chemistry is about memorising reactions.

No one told him it’s also how batteries store energy, how clean water is made drinkable, how medicines know what to attack and what to leave alone.

So he walked away.

And honestly, I don’t blame him.

What worries me more is what replaced it.

- Reels saying degrees don’t matter.
- Podcasts saying school is outdated.
- Stories of teenagers making lakhs without understanding how anything actually works.

Here’s the inconvenient truth:

- You don’t see chemistry when your phone battery lasts all day.
- You don’t see physics when an elevator doesn’t drop.
- You don’t see math when Google Maps reroutes traffic in real time.

But someone, somewhere, understood those formulas instead of mugging them.

For every 100 kids told “STEM is useless,” there’s one quiet student still trying to understand why things work.

That student won’t go viral.
They won’t look cool at 17.

But one day, they’ll be the reason bridges don’t collapse, diseases don’t spread, and systems don’t fail.

The problem isn’t Science.

It’s how we teach it, sell it, and talk about it.

And if we keep confusing shortcuts with substance, we’ll wake up in a world full of content creators…

And very few people who can actually fix things.

#careerlongcuts

Nistha Tripathi

A family friend's son left a ₹20L job in Bangalore to do a startup with his friend in the mountains.

He had a vision. His friend had complementary skills. They had 18 months of runway.

And then this happened:

6 months in: first fight about product vision.
9 months in: disagreement on pivot vs. persist.
12 months in: they stopped talking.

The startup died. The friendship died. He's back in Bangalore with a resume gap and zero savings.

No one told him that 70% of co-founder breakups happen in Year 1.
That most startups die not because of bad ideas but because people give up at different times.

Many podcasts glamorize "starting up with friends."
Reels romanticize "quit and follow your dreams."

Nobody talks about risk alignment and financial runway mismatch.

- If one cofounder has debt and is worrying about sustenance, he cannot play the same long game that the other can.

- If one cofounder starts feeling insecure about the startup's future, he cannot stay committed when the other wants to double down.

- If one has family pressure to "get a real job," he cannot match the patience of someone with no such obligations.

The best co-founder pairs aren't just friends with good ideas.

They're people who can afford to lose the same amount of money, have the same timeline for when they need this to work, and feel the same level of external pressure.

You don't see these conversations in the mountain cottage photos.

Before you start something with a friend, ask:

→ How long can each of us actually survive without income?
→ What happens if one of us wants out at month 8?
→ Are we both okay being broke for 2 years, or is one secretly counting on this working in 6 months?

The problem isn't dreaming big with a friend.

It's assuming you're both dreaming on the same timeline, with the same safety net, and the same stomach for uncertainty.

PS> Which conversation are you avoiding with your potential co-founder?

~3 lakh students appeared for CAT 2025.
~5,500 will make it to the IIMs.

The remaining ~2.95 lakh can either beat themselves up for not making it
or they can do one of the following:

1. Think about what you actually wanted to do ’after’ an MBA and try it directly.

Most people don’t realise this, but a large number of careers don’t even require an MBA especially roles in startups, product, growth, ops, and strategy.

2. If an MBA is truly critical for your career goal (IB, Consulting, core Finance),
get solid work experience and apply again later with a much stronger profile.

3. Take the GMAT instead.

There are many schools in India (and of course abroad) that accept GMAT scores, including ISB, SP Jain, XLRI, and select routes at IIM A/B/C.

Plus, the GMAT score is valid for 5 years.

Better yet:

1. Go to a tier-2 B-school, build real skills, get a job, and then post on LinkedIn about how you “made it” despite not going to an IIM.

2. Become a content creator around MBA prep and admissions and sometimes earn more than what you would have post-IIM.

3. Start a anti-MBA podcast and invite Nikhil Kamath to endorse. 

Trust me, there’s always a silver lining.

Hope you find yours soon 🙂

Most parents don’t raise kids.
They raise validation projects.

The goal isn’t to understand the child.
It’s to show off the child.

Trophies by 10.
Coding by 12.
IIT by 17.
And a US visa by 21.

Not because the child wants it.
But because the parent needs proof they did everything “right.”

You think it’s love.
But sometimes, it’s pressure dressed as pride.

→ You force music lessons, not for joy, but for certificates.
→ You push math Olympiads, not for curiosity, but for clout.
→ You micromanage careers, not for the child’s future, but your own reputation.

And if the child resists?

You call them “ungrateful.”
“Lazy.”
“Confused.”

But maybe they’re just tired of being a bullet point in your brag sheet.

Here’s the truth:

👉 A child is not your second chance.
👉 They are not your resume.
👉 They are not here to fix your regrets.

So ask yourself:

Are you raising a child?
Or building a case study for society?

There’s a difference.
And your kid can feel it.

PS. This post is for me as a parent. Especially as somebody who professionally counsels on education and careers, I need to know where to stop.

A senior engineer I know just packed up his life in Seattle.
Two kids in school.
$180K salary.
He’s moving back to India.

Another student finished her MS, got OPT, even worked for a year.
But employer refused to sponsor a H1B in 2025.
She is packing bags. 

And no, these are not isolated cases anymore.
When I left the US years ago, people found it ridiculous.
“Why would anyone leave the US?”

Today?
A lot of Indians are leaving the US because the equation has changed.
👉 Visas are unpredictable
👉 H1B feels like a lottery, not a pathway
👉 Green cards are decades away
👉 Layoffs + politics have raised the stress cost of staying

In my latest YouTube video, I break this down clearly:
- 7 types of Indians who are leaving the US right now
- Who is leaving by choice vs who is being pushed out
- Who should still stay and who should seriously rethink the US dream

(YouTube link for full video mentioned in the first comment)

Watch it to make well-informed decisions about your career and life. 

PS. Join 75,000 people who watch our weekly long analysis and tips on the YT channel (Scholar Strategy TV) if you haven't 🙏

#scholarstrategy #24northstar

LinkedIn HR: candidate asked ₹10 lakh, I offered 15

Real HR: market is bad, I’ll take you at your current salary
-
LinkedIn Boss: I promote my employees on merit

Real Boss: a senior team member’s promotion is due, it’s not your turn yet
-
LinkedIn Dad: I encourage my kid to be herself

Real Dad: do engineering first and then follow your passion
-
LinkedIn founder: users are loving our product

Real founder: I don’t know if we will survive another week
-
LinkedIn CEO: we care for mental health

Real CEO: why didn’t you send the report on the weekend?
-

Stop believing everything you see on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is like the first date where everyone is on their best behavior. It’s when you get to know them close, that is when you notice the real them.

One of my student life regrets is that I didn't do a (research) internship in Europe. Its the best place to spend your summer and when you can do it for FREE, actually get paid for it, why not?

In fact CERN pays you 93 Swiss Francs i.e. ₹10,000 per day!

Now unfortunately, many options that were available last year are not running this year such as Youth Action Summit Italy or closed early such as UNIL Summer Research Program. But there are 4 legit fully funded internships you can still apply for in 2026:

(But deadlines are close by, so hurry)

1️⃣ MPIA Summer Internship 2026 (Germany)

- Astronomy/physics undergrads
- pays €1,000/month
- Deadline: 15th Jan

2️⃣ CERN Summer Student Programme (Switzerland)

- For Physics/Eng/CS/Math undergrads
- pays 93CHF/day
- Deadline: 26th Jan

I have covered the details and additional two internship opportunities which are lesser known in todays YT video (link in the first comment).

Watch it to start 2026 on a winning note.

Thing is this year is going to be tricky to find good internships. So, start early and create multiple options. Competition is SUPER high!

PS. Join 75,000 people who watch our weekly long analysis and tips on the YT channel (Scholar Strategy TV) if you haven't 🙏

#scholarstrategy #24northstar

In a world where AI reads and writes for you,
people who still read books will win.

When everyone scrolls through tweets and reels,
those who can read essays and ideas in depth will win.

When everyone’s quoting ChatGPT,
those who can read a research paper and draw their own conclusions will win.

When everyone’s taking soft, shortcut courses,
those who study Physics and Math will win.

When everyone learns to prompt ChatGPT,
those who can actually build the next ChatGPT will win.

When AI floods the internet with content,
clarity becomes a superpower.

As I rebuild my life and career in the AI era,
I have realized that tools will keep changing,
but the ability to think clearly will never go out of style.

#careerlongcuts

Amazon just cut 16,000 jobs. Here's what it means for students planning MS in USA.

The reason? "AI efficiency" and "removing layers."

This isn't about economic downturn. It's about AI replacing roles faster than companies can create new ones.

What this means if you're planning MS in 2026-27:

The "any MS degree → tech job → H1B" path is broken. Not impossible, but broken for those who aren't strategic.

What's NOT working anymore: 

→ Generic MS programs (MIS, Business Analytics without technical depth) 
→ Waiting until after graduation to job hunt 
→ Relying solely on OPT as your employment window 
→ Ignoring AI's impact on your target role

What IS working: 

→ Deep STEM specializations AI can't replace: ML Engineering, Robotics, Cybersecurity, Cloud Architecture 
→ Programs with mandatory co-op/internships (Northeastern, Waterloo, Cincinnati) 
→ Building during studies (GitHub matters more than GPA in 2026)
→ Roles that BUILD AI tools, not just use them 
→ Having backup countries ready (Canada, Australia, Germany)

The uncomfortable truth:

With H1B lottery odds at 18% and companies now hiring AI instead of analysts, the margin for error has disappeared.

You need to be strategic about:

1. Which program (research/co-op heavy, not just brand name)
2. Which specialization (AI-resistant or AI-building)
3. When you start networking (Day 1, not graduation day)

For parents investing ₹60-80L in their child's MS:

Ask these questions before finalizing any program:

- Does it have mandatory internship/co-op components?
- What's the employment rate for international students specifically?
- Are graduates getting roles that qualify for H1B sponsorship?
- Is the specialization AI-resistant or generic?

The "study abroad = guaranteed job" era is over.

The "study smart abroad = career leverage" era is here.

I've been in America for 2739 days. I've seen the transformation that comes from studying in the US but I've also seen brilliant students struggle because they chose programs based on rankings, not outcomes.

The path still works. But only if you're honest about what 2026 demands.

#careerlongcuts

My two-year-old was refusing to pick up her toys before bedtime.

Negotiation didn’t work.
Logic didn’t work.
Authority had no impact.

Then I changed the framing.

I told her her favorite bunny is really tired and crying to sleep in its bed and of course its bed is in the toy shelf. 

Two minutes later, every toy was back where it belonged.

Kids don’t follow instructions.
Teenagers don’t act on advice.
Founders don’t act on data.

People act on stories that align with their incentives and emotions.

My years of guiding students to write compelling essays for admissions to Ivies and OxBridge is finally paying off. 

I learned that you don’t get what you want because you are smart or talented.
You get in because your narrative moves a human decision maker. 

And today, my narrative persuaded a two year old tyrant. 

So, here’s a reminder to all of us:
If your strategy isn’t working, stop explaining… and find the damn bunny.

#wholebrainchild

“You are a bad mother if you hire a nanny.”

I’ve heard this. I am sure you have too. 
And I’ve felt the judgment behind it.

As if asking for help means caring less.

Now, here’s the shocking part:

A recent research paper showed that even when women earn equally,
even when they work the same hours,
even when they hire help-

The mental work of motherhood does NOT reduce.

It’s called Cognitive Labor. 
The “invisible work”.

- Ordering diapers at 1 am. 
- Remembering feeding schedules.
- Ordering next size shoes in time.
- Tracking doctor visits and vaccinations.
- Watching her interactions on the playground.
- Making sure she naps enough but not too much.

You can outsource tasks.
You cannot outsource responsibility.

Even with a nanny, the mental load stays with the mother.

The study found something even more uncomfortable:

→ This cognitive load doesn’t reduce with more money or more equality at home.
It sticks.

Once the mother becomes the default “thinker-in-chief” of the household, the role becomes permanent. Researchers call this gendered cognitive stickiness.

As a career coach, I’ve seen how this plays out professionally.

Brilliant women burning out quietly, not because they’re incapable, but because they’re mentally maxed out.

As a mother, I’ve lived it.

Hiring help didn’t make me less involved.
It made visible the work no one counts.

So no, hiring a nanny doesn’t make you a bad mother.

Believing that mothers should carry unlimited invisible labor without acknowledgment - that’s what quietly breaks women.

I hope it changes.  

PS. Research study (Take a Load Off? Not for Mothers: Gender, Cognitive Labor, and the Limits of Time and Money) link mentioned in the first comment. Do read it.

#workingmoms

AI models are starting to crack high-level math problems, not just textbook exercises.

They’re solving Olympiad-style questions by combining reasoning models with formal proof checkers.

Take Harmonic: a startup building AI that reasons using formal proofs (via tools like Lean), showing sudden jumps in solving Erdős-style problems.

This isn’t “AI learned math.”
This is AI learning how mathematicians think.

What’s new isn’t raw intelligence.
It’s verification: the AI can check its own logic, step by step.

As Harmonic founder Tudor Achim puts it, when math and CS professors with reputations to protect start using these tools, that’s the real evidence.

My takeaway:
Computation is being commoditized.
Judgment, problem framing, and intellectual taste are not.

That’s where serious careers will compound.

This company is openly calling out college education as a waste of time and money.

I’ve often wondered when the day will come when degrees look optional.
I think we are closer to it than we think.

And this isn’t a random startup saying it.
It’s the tech giant Palantir.

Palantir runs the Meritocracy Fellowship, inviting talented young people to skip a traditional degree and instead work with them through a paid fellowship.

→ The idea is simple (and deeply uncomfortable):
If you’re already good at building, problem-solving, and thinking in systems,
why spend four years proving it through exams?

Instead of classrooms and tests, fellows work on live global projects, learn directly from elite engineers, and earn serious money while doing it.

I know it is not for everyone but if your kid can learn in unconventional environments, then this is a dream place.

And I believe more such opportunities will be opening up.

Why?

Because traditional education and degree is not catching up with the real world, the tech advancement and the AI disruption.

Western college is putting people in debt.

Indian school is still rewarding remembering the names of rivers and rulers instead of analysis and critical thinking.

We don't stand a chance unless we reinvent our education.

Tell me what you think about such programs? And would you want your kid to get through one?

PS. If you want more details on it or link, comment below.

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

Net people hired by top Indian IT companies in 
FY 2025: 17000
FY 2026: 17

Yes, 17. 

Good luck to those studying IT because it was considered to be “safe”.

Indian IT contributes to 10% of Indian GDP and 90% of middle class dreams. Now that the bulk hiring for ₹3L salary jobs has crashed on college campuses, where will those engineering students go?

We can keep talking about India shining and ₹1cr+ salaries to a handful of students at IITs but the bigger picture is disturbing.

WITCH companies have pretty much lost the AI plot. 

What's keeping Indian talent afloat is positive hiring by Big Tech MNCs, that too forced by harsh H1B policies in US. 

But if our career resilience depends on other countries’ immigration rules, we were never really competing in the first place.

Src: TOI

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Imagine reaching Israel for work and within a few days, conflict with Palestine escalates so much that you can hear scary bombings rocking your neighborhood.

“Dude, you now have a phenomenal story to tell your grandkids,” I told him once I knew he got back to India safely on the next flight out.  

He’s technically an ex-client, but over the years he’s become more of a friend. I’ve watched his journey closely, from a fairly nondescript bachelor’s degree in Indore to building an impressive career at a fast-growing startup headquartered in Boston. We’ve stayed in touch through multiple moves, decisions, and transitions.

We catch up regularly and thats when he told me how that single, completely unpredictable event in Israel had quietly shaped many of his life decisions:
– why his GC took a different timeline
– why he is now working from India
– why certain “perfectly planned” paths never happened

What struck me was this:
When we met, I had been reading The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb.

And sitting across from me was a living example of it.

What are the odds that you move to a country for work…
right before it becomes the epicenter of a major geopolitical crisis?

Almost zero.

Until it happens.

That’s the uncomfortable truth about careers and life:
You cannot plan for everything.

As Nassim Taleb writes (in this very lovely book) - 

Black Swan events happen precisely because no one ever expects them to happen. And that is why you cannot prepare for them. Ever. 

In fact, AI is a grey swan event (plausible but very unlikely to happen). And we have seen what it is doing to the world. 

And that’s okay. 

The lesson here isn’t pessimism.
It’s realism and humility.

Your plans will fail at some point. Not because you were careless, but because the world doesn’t cooperate with linear thinking.

And where do we see them more clearly in 2025 when degrees, visas, job offers, promotions - everything seemed to be falling apart. 

What does help is building skills that travel with you across roles, countries, and industries. Making decisions that preserve optionality. Avoiding paths that collapse the moment one assumption breaks.

We obsess over choosing the “right” degree, the “right” country, the “right” timeline.

But does it matter as much as what is happening around you? 

Watching him talk about it so calmly (no bitterness, no drama) reminded me of something simple but hard to practice.

You don’t always beat Black Swan events.
Sometimes, you just accept them with grace.

And then you keep going.

taplio

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