Experts in
Admissions, Academics, & Extracurriculars
Cultivating adaptive skills and lasting purpose in an ever-changing world.
97%
of families whose teen got into a top-choice college.
$5k–$40k
per year in merit scholarships earned by CAC students.
2016–2026
eleven graduating classes of published admissions outcomes.
How we work together
Three ways in
Every engagement starts with a conversation about where your teen is now and what they want next.
Grades 9–11
College Planning & Prep
Understand the options, the timelines, and the admissions practices colleges keep under wraps — early enough to act on them.
Grades 11–12
College Admissions Coaching
Application strategy, school list, essays, recommendations, interviews, and scholarships — from first draft to final submission.
All grades
Academics & Extracurriculars
Study skills, course selection, and extracurricular development that builds a genuine record rather than a padded one.
About CAC
Coaching, not gatekeeping
Nena Malhotra founded Custom Academic Coaching to give families a straightforward account of how admissions actually works, and a plan their teen can carry out themselves.
Students come away with essays in their own voice, a college list they can defend, and the habit of making decisions on purpose. Parents come away knowing what happens next.
More about Nena
Nena is an independent educational consultant and an expert in admission to American and British undergraduate and graduate programs — 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.
She graduated a year into the Great Recession with a degree in English & Comparative Literary Studies and a minor in Art History from Occidental College, then worked in admissions offices, law firms, arts nonprofits, and small business ventures. She studied law at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, where she was First Year Moot Court Champion, and at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, and clerked at the ACLU of Southern California, the Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation, and Public Counsel.
Those years shape how she works: admissions experience to explain how gatekeepers actually decide, a tactical approach from debate and moot court, and an editor’s eye for the narrative that wins over a reader.
Executive Member of the Board of Trustees at The Pasadena Waldorf School since 2022. Member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA).
What sets us apart
How we work
People-first approach
Everything we do is built around understanding your needs and helping you succeed.
Long-term relationships
We’re not just here for the now. We build lasting relationships with our clients and grow with them over time.
Proven process, flexible execution
We bring structure where it counts and adaptability where it matters.
“Nena is so much more than just a college advisor. She is a mentor, a supportive friend, a confidant and your student’s biggest cheerleader.”
NancyAttorney & Proud Mom
In their words
Students and parents
“If it wasn’t for Nena’s counseling I wouldn’t have been able to transfer to my dream school: NYU Tisch!”
ArhanaFilm Student, New York University
“Nena really made the process significantly easier and less stressful. I wholeheartedly believe it is because of her guidance that I was able to get into my dream college.”
DavidBusiness Student, University of Southern California
“Nena is patient, dedicated, and knows exactly how to build trust with both students and parents.”
CarloSoftware Engineering Executive & Proud Dad
Specialists on call
Expert coaches
Nena brings in a specialist when a student’s path calls for one. Click a card to read more.
Applying this fall?
Join the 97% of families whose teen got into a top-choice college.
Seats are limited.