"Why this program · Why now · Why you."
Graduate admissions consulting for students of Indian origin pursuing master's programs at leading US and Canadian research universities. Graduate admissions is not about packaging — it is about answering these three questions with clarity. We help you do that well.
Mohan Karkada (MS, PhD, FAGE) brings 30+ years inside North American academia — Senior Staff Scientist at Harvard Wyss Institute, Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie. The anxiety, self-doubt, and decision paralysis of the graduate season — he understands them and is professionally equipped to support them.
Skill Sync operates as a coordinated team — but Mohan serves as Project Director for every family, personally owning the strategy and deploying essay coaches, former Admissions Committee faculty, and skills specialists at precisely the right moments. Parents always communicate with Mohan.
Skill Sync partners with former Admissions Committee faculty and Program Directors at leading US and Canadian research universities who have actually sat on graduate admissions decisions — included in the complete Package, never sold separately. Graduate review is conducted by departmental faculty committees, whose perspective is fundamentally different from undergraduate admissions officers.
Not line-editing — but thinking through "why this program, why now, why you" together. This is the defining difference of Skill Sync's graduate service.
Email and WhatsApp replies within 24 hours on weekdays; within 12 hours during the two-week window before any deadline. Families never wonder whether a message reached us.
This guide lists every potential charge. Once the Foundation Service or the complete Package is signed, prices do not change unless you actively add modules. If the engagement does not meet your expectations within 14 days of the first consultation, you receive a full refund.
Skill Sync's graduate service is offered in two structures — the complete Package, or the Foundation Service plus à la carte modules. Either way, the Foundation Service below is included.
Apple-led full-season support — assessment, deep dive, season management, stress and decision support.
Deep evaluation of academic background, research and internship experience, and target direction across US and Canadian programs — identifying strengths and gaps.
Working with the counselor to clarify "what I want to study, why I want to study it, what I'll do after" — the foundation for school selection, the SOP, and recommendation letters.
Matching short-term career goals and long-term professional trajectory to program selection across the US and Canada.
Standardized testing roadmap and target-score assessment for US and Canadian programs (instructional hours not included).
Complete timeline, deadline tracking, materials checklist, and progress monitoring across each program portal.
Support through the anxieties, self-doubt, and decision-making moments of the season; family coordination as needed.
From signing to matriculation — including post-admission offer comparison, visa preparation, and the transition into the program.
1-on-1 interpretation of admission / rejection / waitlist outcomes; multiple offer comparison; PhD vs. Master's decision; funding negotiation; matriculation transition guidance.
All modules below are included in the complete Package. If the Foundation Service has been signed and a single module is added later, the signed-client preferential rate applies.
Researching ten target programs across US and Canadian universities — analyzing admissions preferences, curriculum structure, and career outcomes; building a balanced reach / target / safety list.
Deep work on the principal essays — from brainstorm through structure to multiple revision rounds; supplemental essays guided program by program.
Mock interviews (with recorded playback analysis), industry and academic question training, presence and delivery coaching.
Recommender selection strategy, framing guidance, and submission tracking.
Review of each application portal (US CAS / Canadian institutional systems), deadline management, supplementary materials follow-up.
Faculty-perspective essay review, mock interviews, and insider admissions perspective across US and Canadian programs.
Restructuring the CV from a graduate-admissions perspective — quantifying impact, surfacing research potential.
F-1 (US) / Study Permit (Canada) preparation, mock interview, entry and on-campus transition guidance.
Skill Sync's graduate engagement is offered as the complete Package or the Foundation Service plus à la carte modules. The Package covers all materials for ten programs and Mohan's continuous presence throughout.
Additional programs: Each additional program (beyond 10) — Please enquire.
Standalone: Single modules purchased without the Foundation Service, at standard market rate.
Signed-Client Add-On: After the Foundation Service is signed, modules are added at the preferential rate.
For short-term support, single sessions, or applicants evaluating whether to begin the complete engagement. Mohan directly.
Initial consultation (1 hour) is complimentary. The Deep Assessment Package (consultation + written assessment report) is available on request — fully creditable toward the complete engagement within 6 months.
1-on-1 instruction by the Skill Sync tutoring team, scheduled as needed.
The complete engagement is paid by milestone. Hourly packages are paid in full and remaining unused hours can be reconciled and refunded.
Knowing why you want to study matters more than how the essay is written. Skill Sync stays with each family long after the application season — from doctoral planning and career development to F-1 / OPT / Study Permit support, and trusted Boston / Halifax-area resources for housing and care.
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