Nena Malhotra is an independent educational consultant and the Founder and Head Coach of Custom Academic Coaching. She is an expert in admission to American and British undergraduate and graduate programs at a variety of institutions, including the Ivy League and other top-tier schools, liberal arts colleges, technical colleges, and art schools. Since founding CAC in 2014, 97% of her college counseling students have been admitted to one or more of their top three choices. 

Nena earned her bachelor’s degree in English & Comparative Literary Studies and a minor in Art History & The Visual Arts from Occidental College in 2009. She attended the University of Exeter Law School in the United Kingdom, where I was First Year Moot Court Champion, and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She clerked at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation, and Public Counsel.

She has served as an Executive Member of the Board of Trustees at The Pasadena Waldorf School since 2022 and is a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA).  

When I graduated a year into the Great Recession with a degree in English and art history, the alternative to adapting creatively was a failure to launch. I wasn’t about to give in, so I got to work: in admissions officers, law firms, arts nonprofits, small business ventures and, of course, solo as an educator and admissions counselor.

Today, I use those varied experiences--and the lessons I learned from living in uncertain times--to help young people develop the skills and outlook they need to thrive in the face of unpredictability.

I use the knowledge I developed working in college admissions to understand how gatekeepers make decisions.

I bring a tactical approach from years of debate and moot court, working in law firms, and attending law school to help students make strategic choices that put them ahead of the competition.  

I use my skills as a writer and editor to help students craft skillful and compelling narratives to win the hearts and minds of their readers—admissions officers, potential employers, and more. 

And I apply my experience as an educator to connect with students and help them learn to learn more effectively and more joyfully.

The results speak for themselves. Since founding Custom Academic Coaching in 2014, 97% of the college applicants I’ve worked with have been admitted to one or more of their three top-choice colleges.