Purvi Mody: Head of College Counseling

Hello, I’m Purvi! 

As a Co-Founder and Head of College Counseling at Insight Education, I have the incredible privilege of helping students discover who they are, define their goals, and bring their college dreams to life. I have always believed in the transformative power of education, and after more than 27 years in the college admissions field, my passion for this work has only grown deeper.

My journey began in 1998, when I started working privately with students on SAT prep and college admissions strategy. In 1999, I joined Achieva College Prep (later acquired by Kaplan/The Washington Post), where I designed and launched the Jump Start Program for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders—an initiative that remains close to my heart. Since then, I’ve had the honor of working with more than 2,000 students, guiding them not only through the intricacies of college applications but through the formative years of their academic and personal development.

My students have been admitted to top universities across the country and around the globe—places like Stanford, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Yale, MIT, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, UT Austin, and the University of Washington. Internationally, I’ve supported students earning admission to Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, and Imperial College in the UK, as well as the University of Toronto, McGill, Waterloo, and UBC in Canada. Each success story is a reminder of how powerful it is when students are matched with the right schools and empowered to tell their stories authentically and boldly.

My counseling philosophy is simple but deeply personal: help each student find the schools that are the best fit—academically, socially, and emotionally—and then guide them in presenting themselves in the most honest and compelling way possible. Whether I’m working with a middle schooler just starting to build the foundation for high school success, a freshman exploring passions and clubs, or a senior fine-tuning a personal statement, I approach every interaction with care, strategy, and heart.

Over the years, I’ve also worked closely with families navigating transitions between middle school and high school, as well as those exploring graduate programs, including law and medical school. No matter the stage, I love diving deep with students and helping them build the confidence and tools they need to thrive. I am also an active member of WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Counseling), where I continue to stay engaged with developments in higher education and the college and university admissions landscape both in the United States and Internationally.

I graduated with honors from UCLA with a BA in Psychology, and minors in Education and Business. I later earned a Master’s in Education from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Stanford recently honored me with the Governors’ Award for exemplary and long-standing volunteer service to the university. I will also be joining the Stanford GSB Alumni Association (GSBAA) Board of Directors effective September 2025 for a three-year term. I am inspired, excited and humbled to join the GSBAA!  

What truly drives me every day, is my connection with students. I thrive on their energy, ambition, and resilience—and I consider it a great honor to be part of their lives during such an important chapter. Helping a student discover their voice, their purpose, and their path forward is what makes this work so meaningful to me.

When I’m not reading college essays or strategizing summer internship plans, you can usually find me cheering for the San Francisco 49ers, watching a Stanford football game, or enjoying a musical in San Francisco with my family. My oldest son is now a freshman at Menlo-Atherton High School, and my two younger boys, ages 10 and 7  (future Insighters!), are in elementary school. Time really does fly!

If you’re looking for someone who will guide your child with wisdom, dedication, and genuine care, I would love to speak with you. Let’s work together to make your child’s college admissions journey one filled with clarity, confidence, and possibility.