Ishaan Arora

9.5 CGPA. Interned at Goldman Sachs & JP Morgan. Cleared CFA & FRM.

Such a strong profile, yet unable to study abroad!

All because of just 1 reason! - MONEY!

There are thousands of students in this situation; there are multiple scholarships available but a lack of awareness! Here are some scholarships to study in the top study-abroad destinations!👇

🇬🇧 UK Scholarships


📌 Chevening Scholarship

- Covers tuition fees, monthly living expenses, return flights, visa costs, and more.
- For students from 160+ countries pursuing a one-year master’s in the UK.


📌 Commonwealth Scholarship

- Pays for tuition, living costs, flights, and other expenses like warm clothing.
- For students from Commonwealth countries who need financial support.


📌 Great Scholarship

- Helps with tuition fees (amount varies by university).
- For students from select countries pursuing a master’s degree in the UK.


🇺🇸 US Scholarships


📌 Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship

- Covers tuition, living costs, flights, and health insurance.
- For Indian students with strong academics and leadership skills.


📌 Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarship

- Provides up to $100,000 for tuition and living costs.
- For Indian students pursuing graduate studies in the US, UK, or Europe.


📌 Cornell Tata Scholarship

- Pays full tuition fees at Cornell University.
- For Indian students with outstanding academic records.


🇦🇺 Australia Scholarships


📌 Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship

- Covers full tuition fees for undergrad studies at the University of Melbourne.

📌 ANU Chancellor's International Scholarship

- Pays full tuition for undergrad or graduate studies at the Australian National University.

📌 Alex Chernov Scholarship

- Helps with tuition or living costs (varies by program).
- For students studying in Victoria, Australia, based on academic merit.


🇨🇦 Canada Scholarships


📌 Ontario Trillium Scholarship

- Gives $40,000 per year for four years to cover tuition and living costs.
- For international PhD students in Ontario with strong academic potential.


📌 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

- Provides $70,000 per year for two years for living and research costs.
- For postdoctoral researchers in Canada working on high-impact studies.


📌 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

- Offers $50,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and living expenses.
- For PhD students in Canada with exceptional academic and research potential.

Tag someone who might need this!

2 days ago | [YT] | 74

Ishaan Arora

The biggest regret of my college life? I spent 2 years thinking I was 'bad at networking' because I'm an introvert.

I used to watch my extroverted friends effortlessly chat with recruiters at career fairs while I stood awkwardly by the snack table, convinced I had nothing valuable to contribute.

Then I realised I was playing the wrong game entirely.

Here's what changed everything for me:


💡Stop trying to be someone else.

Instead of forcing small talk, I started asking genuine questions about people's work and actually listening to their answers. Turns out, most people love talking about their passion projects when someone genuinely cares.


💡Use your preparation superpower.

As introverts, we naturally research and prepare. I started looking up attendees beforehand, identifying 2-3 people I actually wanted to meet, and having real questions ready about their work or company.


💡Quality over quantity.

While others collected 20 business cards, I focused on having 2-3 meaningful conversations. Those deeper connections led to actual opportunities, not just LinkedIn connections.


💡 Follow-up is your secret weapon.

Introverts excel at thoughtful, written communication. A personalised follow-up email referencing something specific from our conversation always stood out.


💡LinkedIn is your playground.

Networking isn't just about events. I started reaching out to professionals whose work genuinely interested me, not asking for jobs but sharing insights about their recent posts or asking thoughtful questions about industry trends. Most people appreciate genuine curiosity.


💡Leverage your listening skills.

In group conversations, I became the person who asked follow-up questions and remembered details others missed. People started seeking me out because I made them feel heard.
The breakthrough moment came when a senior manager told me after an event, "You ask the best questions. Most students just talk about themselves."


That's when I realised networking isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about being genuinely curious about others and adding value through thoughtful conversation.

Now I actually look forward to these events because I know I'm bringing my authentic self, not trying to be someone I'm not.

The results?
The genuine connections I built through this approach helped me land my first internship, find my co-founder, connect with early clients, and unlock countless other opportunities I never could have imagined.

All because I stopped trying to network like an extrovert and started leveraging my introvert strengths instead.

What's your biggest challenge as an introvert?

3 days ago | [YT] | 63

Ishaan Arora

Every week, someone asks me about CFP, CWM, or CMT.

Here's why I keep saying no and what I recommend instead. 👇

The conversation always starts the same way: "This course sounds amazing, but will it actually get me a job?"

And honestly? Most of the time, the answer is no.
I've watched brilliant students spend lakhs on certifications that look impressive on paper but leave recruiters confused.

❌ CFP (Certified Financial Planner) - ₹1.5-2.5L

When someone needs financial advice in India, they go to a CA or CFA. Rarely just a CFP. Unless you have CA+CFP or CFA+CFP, it's not moving the needle.

❌ CWM (Chartered Wealth Manager) - ₹2L+

Similar to CFP but even more niche. Needs a strong network (which freshers don't have), and CFA already covers wealth management in much more depth.

❌ CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) - ₹2.6-3L

Costs 3 lakhs to learn what CFA covers in 1-2 chapters. Unless you're already deep in alternative investments, it's overkill.

❌ CMT (Chartered Market Technician) - ₹1.4L+

Technical analysis sounds cool, but trading success needs psychology and risk management, things no course can teach. It's like learning to swim from books.

❌ CRP (Certified Risk Professional) - ₹35K-1.2L

Half the people think it's a medical test 😅. If you want to get into risk management, FRM is 10x better and globally recognised.

What actually works?: 👇

Want to get into Corporate Finance? → Do CFA
Want to get into Risk Management? → Do FRM
Business Leadership? → Get an MBA from a good college

If you still want to do CFP, CWM, or similar certifications, don't do them on a standalone basis.

Do CFA + CFP or FRM + CRP, but never these niche courses alone.

The pattern is clear: students doing CFA and FRM get interviews. Students doing CFP, CWM, and CRP standalone keep asking me why they're not getting calls.

Don't pick a course because the name sounds fancy. Pick it based on:

💡Job opportunities in the market
💡Value for money
💡Real recognition by recruiters

Your career is too important to waste on expensive courses that won't open doors.

5 days ago | [YT] | 35

Ishaan Arora

One of my best-performing interns just told me she can't come to the office today.

Not because she's sick or has an emergency, but because she needs to sit in a classroom where 'nothing is happening' just to mark attendance.

This hit me harder than it should have.

Here's someone who's been crushing it at work, coming up with insights that some of our senior team members miss, taking initiative on projects, and genuinely passionate about learning the business.

But today, instead of contributing to a product strategy session that could shape her career, she's sitting in a lecture hall scrolling through her phone.
Because attendance is mandatory.

I get it, colleges need some way to ensure engagement. But when we force students to choose between real-world learning and academic requirements, we're not teaching responsibility.

We're teaching them that showing up matters more than showing results.

The students building startups, freelancing, interning at companies, or even just learning skills online that aren't taught in their curriculum, they're not avoiding responsibility.

They're being intentional with their time.

They're investing in their future while we're asking them to invest in a chair.

I'm not saying attendance should never matter. If you're struggling academically or lack direction, those classroom hours might be exactly what you need.

But for students with clear goals and alternative learning paths?

Or at least when nothing is being taught in class, maybe we should trust them to make that call.

After all, we're preparing them for a world where results matter more than where you sit from 9 to 5.

What's your take? Should attendance be mandatory?

6 days ago | [YT] | 63

Ishaan Arora

98.48% of bright students are told they're 'not good enough' for Top Indian MBAs and then looked down upon for exploring better global options.

This has to stop!

Let's break down the facts. No emotions, no bias, just data.

📌 The Numbers

Only 1.52% make it to Tier 1 Indian B-schools. Even Harvard has a 9% acceptance rate!
So what happens to the remaining 98.48%? They either settle for tier 2-3 Indian schools that are not worth a penny or explore abroad.

📌 Cost Reality Check

India:

→ FMS & TISS: ₹1 lakh (but brutal competition)
→ IIMs: ₹25+ lakhs
→ ISB: ₹42 lakhs

Abroad:

→ UK: ₹15 lakhs (1-year program!)
→ Canada: ₹10 lakhs per year
→ Germany: FREE tuition at public universities (just ₹9k-31k semester fees)

For the same cost as ISB, you get global recognition and better ROI.

📌 Global Rankings

QS Global MBA Rankings 2025:

→ India: Only 4 B-schools in top 100 (highest is IIM Bangalore at 53rd)

→ US alone: 40 universities in top 100
→ UK, Canada, Australia: Dominating the charts

📌 Salary & ROI

India:

→ IIM ABC: ₹34-35 LPA
→ Tier 2-3 schools: ₹3.5-8.5 LPA

Abroad:

→ US: ₹1+ crore median starting salary
→ UK: ₹47 lakhs to ₹1.1 crore
→ Australia: ₹42 lakhs to ₹1+ crore
The math is brutal.

📌 Admissions Process

India: 55-66% weightage on CAT score+reservations. One bad exam day = dream over.

Abroad: Holistic evaluation - work experience, essays, and profile. No reservations, pure merit. Multiple chances to prove yourself.

📌 Flexibility & Specialization

India: 2-year fixed curriculum, limited specializations

Abroad: 1-year programs, sandwich degrees with internships, countless specializations for niche expertise

💡My Take:

An MBA in India is great only if you get into top IIMs or ISB - or else, go abroad.

You get global exposure, diverse opportunities, better ROI, and flexible specialisations. The data speaks for itself.

1 week ago | [YT] | 64

Ishaan Arora

"I cleared both levels of FRM and am still unemployed."


I receive multiple messages like this one every day.
Just yesterday, I had a call with a brilliant student who spent 18 months mastering financial risk models, passed both FRM levels with flying colours, but couldn't get past the HR screening for entry-level analyst roles.

The harsh reality? Your certification is just your entry ticket, not your guaranteed seat.

Here's what I've learnt myself doing FRM, CFA L1, cracking multiple offers, and counselling thousands of students: the ones who actually land great jobs work on building a complete professional package:

💡Communication & Persuasion Skills: You can calculate VaR in your sleep, but can you explain it to a non-finance manager in 2 minutes? 80% of your job involves explaining complex concepts to stakeholders who don't speak finance. I've seen brilliant analysts stuck in junior roles because they couldn't communicate their insights effectively.

💡Resume & LinkedIn Optimisation: Your FRM certificate is one line on your resume. The other 80% should tell a compelling story about your projects, achievements, and unique value proposition.
Most students have identical resumes listing the same certifications. What makes YOU different? A well-optimised LinkedIn gets you 5x more recruiter reach-outs.

💡Practical Exposure: Build financial models in Excel, analyse real company annual reports, and create an investment thesis on stocks you follow. Employers want to see that you can apply theory to real-world scenarios.

💡Interview & Presentation Skills: Technical knowledge is just 30% of the interview process. Your confidence, body language, storytelling ability, and how you handle curveball questions determine the outcome.

💡Networking & Industry Connections: 70% of good jobs are never publicly advertised. They're filled through referrals and internal recommendations.

The market is brutal. Every year, thousands pass these certifications, but only a fraction land the roles they dreamed of.

Don't let your certificate become just another expensive piece of paper.

I'm not saying don't pursue certifications; they're important foundation stones.

But if you're spending 300 hours studying for exams and 0 hours developing these skills, you're building an incomplete foundation that will crumble under real-world pressure.

Remember, your certification opens doors. Your complete skill set walks you through them and keeps you there.

1 week ago | [YT] | 79

Ishaan Arora

Engineering grad with a CFA gets ₹25L. Finance grad with a CFA gets ₹8L. This proves the biggest myth about CFA WRONG!

As someone who's mentored 1000s of CFA aspirants, I see this pattern repeatedly.

Students are always sceptical about doing CFA because of the myths they've been surrounded with.

Let me break the biggest ones so you can take an informed decision!

❌Myth 1: "CFA guarantees a high-paying job immediately."

✅Fact: CFA opens doors, but you still need to walk through them. Networking, communication skills, and relevant experience matter just as much. It's a qualification, not a magic wand.

❌Myth 2: "CFA is only for investment banking and portfolio management."

✅Fact: CFA skills are valuable in corporate finance, equity research, wealth management, fintech, consulting, and even startups. Don't limit yourself to traditional roles.

❌Myth 3: "You need a finance background to crack CFA."

✅Fact: Many of my successful students come from engineering, commerce, and even arts backgrounds. It's about understanding concepts, not your academic history.
Some non-finance grads even perform better because they approach it with a fresh perspective.

❌Myth 4: "You need to be a topper to clear CFA."

✅Fact: You don't need to be a genius. You need consistency, smart planning, and clear concepts. Even average students clear CFA with the right approach and mentorship.

❌Myth 5: "Only working professionals benefit from CFA."

✅Fact: Students and freshers actually have advantages - more time to study, fewer distractions, and they can align their career path from the start.
Many of my student mentees land better opportunities than experienced professionals.

The truth is, every certification or degree without a clear career strategy, networking, and skill development is just an expensive certificate, worth nothing.

But with the right approach? It's one of the most valuable investments you can make in your finance career.

Confused about whether CFA is right for your situation? Feel free to connect with me :)

1 week ago | [YT] | 36

Ishaan Arora

I’ve mentored students who had ₹0 savings and students with ₹10L budgets.

It wasn’t the money that made the difference in how far they went.

The ones who made it had something else.

There are 3 traits I have always seen in students who succeeded and that’s what creates the major difference:


1. WILLINGNESS

Always be the one who wants to learn more and isn’t scared to ask for help.

Being stuck because you don’t want to look “stupid” isn’t going to help.

If you want to move forward?

>Ask
>Reach out
>And take action

That is how you will build momentum and grow.


2. CLARITY

They were clear on what they wanted and not just “I want to do CFA”.

They spent time figuring out why.

They research the roles.

Talk to professionals.

Never make the mistake of chasing certifications blindly just because it’s trending; always chase directions.


3. EXECUTION

I’ve seen some students spending months on planning: the perfect CV, perfect post, perfect timeline.

But waiting for the “perfect moment” won’t help you succeed.

You have to start.
Not perfect, not polished.

Make that CV
Reach out to that person on LinkedIn

Even if you face rejection, try again and again.
Take that action and move forward.

If you also have that feeling of not having the “perfect background”, trust me, I have seen students just like you go so far!

Not because of money,
But because of their hard work, consistency and willingness to learn!

1 week ago | [YT] | 72

Ishaan Arora

“I applied to 180 jobs last month.”

Yesterday, a student called me and told me this proudly, and guess how many callbacks he got?

Zero!

And honestly, it wasn’t even surprising at this point. Because I have talked to so many hard-working students who waste so many hours applying online to 100+ jobs only to end up frustrated!

Here’s why this happens:

📌 Most online applications don’t even reach the recruiters: 70% of the CVs are rejected by ATS, so mass-applying without customising your CV won’t land you a job.

📌 Recruiters are looking for “the candidate”: If you apply everywhere, it shows that you aren’t certain where you belong, and it screams desperation.

📌 The hidden job market: 70-80% of jobs aren’t even posted online. They are filled through referrals and recommendations.

So what actually works?

✅ Apply to fewer jobs, but submit customised applications.

✅ Leverage LinkedIn to network. Connect with hiring managers and reach out to them.

✅ Tap into referrals. One good conversation with a professional in your targeted company can do wonders.

Applying for jobs requires a strategy. Start from scratch. Build connections, reach out and get referrals.

Always remember, quality beats quantity in a job search.

Always.🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

1 week ago | [YT] | 95

Ishaan Arora

'Should I do CFA?' 'Is an MBA worth it?' 'Will this work for me?'

Here's what I tell every confused student. 👇

Career trials are better than career traps.

A year ago, a DU BCom student reached out to me. He was stuck on whether to pursue CFA; the investment seemed huge, and everyone kept telling him how difficult it was.

Yesterday, he texted me: "Sir, I just cleared CFA Level 1! Thank you for your advice; it made all the difference."

Here's what changed everything.

Back then, when he was almost convinced he couldn’t do CFA, instead of pushing him toward or away from CFA, I suggested something simple:
"Try some NCFM/NISM courses first. They'll give you the clarity you're looking for."

He did exactly that. Those short-term courses helped him understand if finance was actually his thing. Turns out, it was.

Look, if you're confused about any career path, whether it's CFA, MBA, CA, or any other field, and you have even 0.1% doubt, here's my advice:
Test the waters first.

Do a short-term course in that field. Take a weekend workshop. Shadow someone for a week. Whatever it takes to get a real taste of what you're signing up for.

Because you'll quickly figure out:

💡Does this actually interest you?
💡Can you see yourself doing this for years?
💡Are you just attracted to the idea of it, or the reality too?

This approach will save you time, money, and the frustration of being stuck in something that never felt right.

The biggest career mistake isn't choosing wrong. It's choosing blind.

What's your take on this? Have you been in a similar situation? 💬

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 86