In today’s fast-changing world, planning for college and career cannot wait until after Grade 12. Students and parents are starting earlier — and with good reason. Recognising this growing need, Globestar Edutech recently hosted a workshop in Pune to help families navigate the maze of academic choices after Grade 8.

Bringing together students, parents, school principals, and counsellors, the event featured a panel of experts including Lt Gen Surendra K, former director of Mayo College, Dhaval Mehta, founder of Globestar Edutech, and Mehak V from the CollegeBoard. The workshop focused not just on college admissions, but also on helping students make smarter, better-informed choices about their learning paths and future careers.

A vision for early guidance

Speaking about the idea behind the event, Dhaval Mehta said, “It’s time we asked better questions. Instead of asking ‘Which college is best for me?’ students should be asking, ‘What problems do I want to solve in the world?’ Start with your ‘why’. The rest will follow.”

With this vision in mind, Globestar operates through two key verticals — Globestar Career Consulting (GCC) and Globestar Consulting Services (GCS) — supporting both individual students and educational institutions. While GCC offers personalised career guidance to students, GCS partners closely with schools, providing services such as stakeholder management, expansion planning, teacher training, and broader institutional development initiatives.

The workshop was split into two parts: one focused on students and parents, and another tailored specifically for school principals and academic counselors. In a city like Pune, where educators often lack such opportunities, this was a chance to spark important conversations on how schools can better support students with career planning—from choosing the right subjects to building strong profiles.

A day packed with learning and insight

The workshop saw a strong turnout with over 50+ participants — a lively mix of high school students, concerned parents, school principals, and academic counsellors. The event kicked off with a panel discussion featuring leading education experts, followed by testimonials from students who had secured admissions to top universities in India and abroad.

The panel explored how education in India needs to evolve while staying true to its roots. Lt Gen Surendra K, drawing from his years of experience in the education sector, reflected on how today’s students are often overwhelmed by the choices available to them. “Today, we’re spoiled for choice,” he said. “But in today’s world, value will come not from knowing the answers, but from asking the right questions.”

He stressed that while opportunities are abundant, clarity is often missing, leading to anxiety among students. “We make most of our decisions based on incomplete information amidst a plethora of uncertainty,” he added.

Colleges focused on the whole picture

Representing the College Board, Mehak Sharma shared insights into how colleges worldwide are now looking beyond just academics. She introduced the SAT (Suite of Assessments), which is designed to measure academic growth and college readiness starting from Grade 8 onwards.

“Colleges abroad are moving towards holistic admissions. Your grades matter, yes, but so do your essays, extracurriculars, community work, and the challenges you have overcome,” Mehak explained.

A strong SAT score, she added, can set students apart in a highly competitive admissions process. “It shows academic readiness and helps students demonstrate their preparedness for university life.”

The core message: Start early

The big takeaway? Students need to start serious career exploration early — around Grades 8 and 9 — not wait until the end of high school. Choosing the right subjects and curriculum streams (like IB, IGCSE, A-Levels, or national boards) after Grade 8 lays the groundwork for building strong college applications later.

Globestar’s career services are designed precisely for this: helping students and families make strategic academic choices aligned with the student’s personal strengths, career aspirations, and global opportunities. 

As Dhaval put it, “Your path should reflect your passions and strengths, not just what seems ‘safe’ or ‘popular’ at the time.”

Audience voices

Tosha Mani, a Class 9 student from Clara Global School, said, “Today’s event was very insightful. We got exposure and answers to questions we didn’t even know we had.”

“This was our first deep dive into options like the SAT, international universities, and newer curriculums. It’s a lot to process, but it’s so necessary,” said the parent of a Grade 11 student.

The sentiment was clear: early career planning is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

What’s next for Globestar? 

As part of their commitment to helping students build future-ready careers, Dhaval Mehta announced the launch of Ulio — India’s first globally-developed education product, built locally but set for international impact. 

After its India rollout, Ulio will be selectively introduced to schools in Thailand and Vietnam as well. 

Initially targeted at 200 schools and 100,000 users, the platform will work on an invite-only basis with select CBSE, Cambridge, and IB schools. Schools interested in adopting Ulio can directly reach out to Globestar for early access. The platform will first provide services to students, later expanding to support counsellors, and eventually universities as well. 

Globestar is now gearing up for its next workshop in Mumbai on June, continuing its mission to guide students across India in finding the right academic and career paths early.

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