University planning takes centre stage at coffee meet

Under the IB curriculum, the Diploma Programme  (DP) is central to students’ academic planning and long-term goals. With this intent, Apeejay’s IB School, Apeejay School International, organised a DP coffee meet for DP-1 students and their parents on January 17, 2026. The interaction was designed to provide clarity, direction, and reassurance at a crucial transition point, as students prepare to progress to DP-2, a phase that demands focused planning, academic maturity, and well-informed decision-making.       

The session underscored the importance of early and strategic preparation for higher education, particularly at a stage when students are refining their subject choices, career interests, and long-term goals. With DP-1 students nearing the completion of their first year in the Diploma Programme, the meeting served as a timely platform to reflect on their current academic standing, future ambitions, and the steps required to align both effectively. 

A coffee meet highlight was the one-on-one interaction with Ms Jayshree Tandon, University Career and Student Mobility Specialist at the school, which offered families a personalised and student-centric guidance experience. These individual consultations were aimed at addressing specific queries related to university pathways, application processes, timelines, country-specific requirements, and course selection. Parents and students were able to engage in meaningful discussions tailored to the learner’s strengths, interests, and aspirations, ensuring that guidance was not generic but deeply contextualised. 

The personalised nature of the interaction allowed the counsellor to provide strategic insights into building a strong academic and co-curricular profile, selecting suitable universities, and understanding the evolving global admissions landscape. Students, in particular, benefited from gaining clarity on how their current choices and performance would influence their future opportunities, while parents appreciated the structured and transparent approach to university planning.   

“It was a truly enriching session that offered us a much clearer and brighter insight into what lies ahead for my son. The discussion acted as a well-structured blueprint, helping us understand the next steps and making the road ahead far more defined and purposeful. It has certainly given us greater confidence in planning for his future,” Mr Ravi Shankar, father of Utkarsh, a DP-1 student, shared.    

Meanwhile, Utkarsh reflected on the value of the interaction and said, “I genuinely enjoyed the session. It made me aware of several important aspects that I was previously unaware of and helped me gain a fresh perspective on my academic and university journey. The guidance was timely and extremely relevant, as it helped declutter my thoughts and brought much-needed clarity about my future direction.” 

Ms Shrimoyee Mathur, Aaditya’s mother, had a similar sentiment. “The one-on-one interaction with the career counsellor proved to be both insightful and deeply reassuring for our son, who aspires to pursue International Relations or Global Politics at the undergraduate level in Australia. Ms Jayshree guided us through these disciplines with great clarity, helping us understand how they nurture strong analytical, research, and communication skills, while aligning seamlessly with Aaditya’s keen interest in global affairs and diplomacy.” 

The mother also shared valuable insights into leading Australian universities that offer well-structured programmes in this field, highlighting opportunities like internships, policy research projects, and student exchange initiatives that provide early global exposure. The discussion extended to potential career pathways, including diplomacy and related international roles, offering a broader perspective on long-term prospects.  

Equally important was the focus on practical preparation. The counsellor outlined suitable subject combinations, emphasised the significance of extracurricular engagements like debating and Model United Nations, and discussed the role of summer schools, internships, and volunteering in building a strong academic profile. “Overall, the session equipped us with clarity, confidence, and a well-defined roadmap to support Aaditya’s academic and strategic preparation for a future in global affairs,” Ms Shrimoyee added. 

The DP-1 coffee meet reaffirmed the school’s commitment to working closely with students and parents at every stage of the learning journey, ensuring that academic choices are supported by clarity, dialogue, and informed guidance.