The Doon School collaborates with USIEF to support Careers Counselors in schools

The Doon School was delighted to host and partner with USIEF (The United States-India Educational Foundation) the international foundation, dedicated to higher education in India and the United States for a new event, for both parties. The very recently hosted seminar at The Doon School, was aimed at supporting careers counsellors in schools. Such aspects of seminar included the importance of knowing the pupils well enough to advice them best upon the ‘right fit’ for them as individuals and to support their parents in the process. Another critical presentation was the one that busted some myths about undergraduate education in the US and the standardized approach taken by many schools and advisers of ‘one size fits all’. It does not, any more than ‘it is easy to advise highly academic candidates’. The skilled, unbiased approach and knowledge required by good careers counsellors in schools in India, is essential to the successful application to any top university in the USA or world-wide.

Presenting at the seminar on topics ranging from writing recommendation letters, creating a school profile and financial aid, were Mrs. Namrata Pandey Head of The Doon School School’s Careers Information, Education and Guidance Department and Mrs. Anubhooti Arora, Education Advisor at USIEF. The seminar was attended by counsellors from schools in Dehradun, Mussoorie and Patiala as well as the wider regions. As demand for international undergraduate degrees grows from pupils and their parents, this seminar whilst being a new approach to careers education has come, not a moment too soon.

The USEIF are now looking to develop this model with The Doon School across other parts of India to include Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad as well as Gujarat and Mumbai.

Renuka Raja Rao, Country coordinator for USIEF said, ‘We are delighted to collaborate with The Doon School for organizing the ‘Senior School Careers Counsellors’ Seminar’ in Dehradun. The seminar was aimed at informing and educating school counsellors from Dehradun and the wider region, about the U.S. University Application process and helping students apply successfully to their choice of universities.

Both Education USA and The Doon School believe that Indian students need to do their own homework and that students do not benefit from the services of commission based agents. This seminar will help schools counsellors gain confidence in advising and guiding pupils applying to U.S universities and colleges.