Student-Athlete at Columbia University
Meet Akanksha Bhan, a powerful athlete and a top performer at one of the top Ivy League Universities in the world : Columbia University. Hailing from a small city in Gujarat, India, Akanksha Bhan’s dedication and passion for tennis was nurtured and encouraged by her parents from a very young age. As she went from the top spot at Indian ITF tournaments to international tournaments, it seemed that there was no stopping Akanksha. She started winning several international tournaments and soon caught the attention of many competitors and coaches. However, her talent was not just restricted to the tennis courts. Academically bright, Akanksha made sure that her academics were given the attention they needed despite the rigorous schedules. Even as Akanksha continued to balance academics and athletics very well, she wasn’t really aware of the opportunities that lay ahead of her. It was around the time when she was in Grade 10, that she met with AddedSport. That first meeting changed her perspective of what “Excellence in Tennis” could mean for her.
Our amazing counselors swung into action to quickly evaluate her profile and establish a strategy to help her get into one of her dream schools. The list of colleges Akanskha picked were in the Top-20 schools in the world. Akanksha’s profile was promising, but she faced a few hurdles in the recruitment process. First, her SAT score was not really at par with the requirements from these universities. Second, Akanksha needed financial support to play-and-study in the US. Over the next few months, team AddedSport actively helped Akanksha establish and build a rapport with tennis coaches at these universities while recommending ways of improving her academic and overall profile. Her hard work and perseverance were highly appreciated by many coaches who saw her play and win several international tournaments. But it was her “Never say Die” attitude that impressed the Columbia coach enough to support her application to the University, with a recommendation of significant financial support.
Currently pursuing her major in Economics, Akanksha is now one of the top players at Columbia’s Women’s Tennis Team. And she continues to make us proud.
“In a big and competitive world of Junior Tennis Players, AddedSport’s strong relationship with top college coaches in the U.S., helped us establish Akanksha’s visibility, and secure the best Ivy League admission omgomg onion opportunity we could ever hope for”- Ajay and Vasudha Bhan, Akanksha’s parents
