Last weekend, my son’s school organized a career counseling session with one of Asia’s leading counsellors. He was an impressive communicator, skilled in engaging his audience. This blog reflects on his insights, especially his take on the value of SAT exams.
The session began with an interactive exercise where he asked ChatGPT to design an image based on a rich description of Bharat Mata, portraying her with multiple arms representing bravery, sports, and many other ideals. Within two minutes, ChatGPT produced a remarkable design. The counselor pointed out how, while a human designer might take several days for such work, AI could now create it instantly, potentially reducing demand for traditional design roles. He then asked ChatGPT to draft a legal document based on specific inputs, showcasing how quickly legal tasks could be accomplished, questioning the future need for some lawyer roles. Finally, when ChatGPT demonstrated its coding abilities, he spoke about its impact on the software engineering landscape.
As a member of the G20 council, the counselor shared insights into India’s evolving education system—a promising shift. I appreciated his emphasis on not pressuring kids to achieve unnecessarily high scores. Incidentally, this seminar was held in a five-star hotel in Bangalore, a place I last visited when a startup I worked for, VMLogix, was acquired by Citrix. Back then, I dreamt of one day owning a hotel like it. Now, life has shifted my focus towards even bigger aspirations.
The charismatic speaker captivated parents, explaining that the SAT has a five-year validity and that over 50 universities accept SAT scores for admission. He showcased admission offers their students had received, including scholarships as high as $1,800,000! His presentation was inspiring, and the seminar form even had a field for those interested in connecting with education loan providers.
He recommended that students start preparing for the SAT as early as the 9th grade, cautioning against taking it without proper preparation and suggesting their coaching program, priced at INR 1 lakh. I picked up plenty of sales and presentation tips from his style.
I strongly believe that no matter how high one rises, lasting success relies on positive habits and strong ethics.
My main takeaway from this session?
