Leap Scholar Review: I Spent Three Years Preparing for Civil Services. Then I Changed My Mind Entirely.

Three years into preparing for civil services, I had a genuine change of heart. Here's my Leap Scholar review, in my own words, on pivoting toward environmental science instead, scoring an IELTS band of 7 when I only needed 6.5, and landing an offer from Trinity College Dublin.

Q1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

Sure. I'm Vedant Dongre, a resident of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. I did my bachelor's in pharmaceutical chemistry from Holkar Science College here in Indore, and I'm 23 years old. I applied for my master's at Trinity College Dublin, and I've already received my confirmation letter.

Q2. Why did you start preparing for IELTS in the first place?

After finishing my graduation, I initially wanted to pursue a master's, but I took a three-year job specifically to prepare for civil services instead. Sometime during those three years, I had a genuine change of heart and decided I wanted to pursue an entirely different stream. So toward the end of November 2025, I started researching universities and colleges abroad, and that's when I ran into all the requirements involved, one of the main ones being English proficiency through IELTS. I started looking for prep materials and guides across the internet, and I found Leap Scholar through one of their ad campaigns.

Q3. What first attracted you to Leap Scholar's platform?

A few specific things: their AI speaking assessment, the mentorship program, and their genuinely flexible scheduling. Since I was balancing both work and study without a fixed schedule, that flexibility mattered a lot; they arranged my sessions around my timing rather than the other way around.

Q4. Did you know what band score you needed before you started preparing?

I checked around a few university websites and used the free resources available online at the time to understand the exam format and figure out the minimum band I needed. That was really the extent of what I knew going in.

Q5. Did you take the free band prediction test?

Yes, and I scored around a band 5. Genuinely eye-opening, it showed me exactly where I stood and how much I actually needed to improve.

Q6. Did you use any free tools before purchasing the full course?

I went through the intro videos and sectional tools available at the time, and they helped me understand the exam format and practice individual sections. But once I'd worked through all of them, I realized what was genuinely missing was a structured routine and proper mentorship.

Q7. How was the AI speaking evaluation tool specifically?

Honestly, it was one of the most useful features I came across. Since it's AI-based, I never felt hesitant or judged while using it. It was genuinely accurate at pinpointing my pronunciation and fluency issues, delivered the feedback smoothly, and genuinely helped build my confidence.

Q8. What convinced you to upgrade to the paid course?

Mostly the access to multiple mock tests, routine testing, and one-on-one mentorship. Those specific programs were what pushed me to actually purchase it.

Q9. What was your typical prep day like?

Honestly, I don't remember the exact structure anymore. What I do remember is that they recreated a genuinely exam-like environment for me, which gave me a real platform to put all the resources I'd already been using into actual practice.

Q10. How did your counselor specifically help you?

Genuinely a lot. At the start, I had no idea where to begin, whether to focus on writing, speaking, or reading first, or what my actual weaknesses were. My counselor monitored my progress and consistently guided me.

Q11. Walk me through exam day.

It was genuinely nerve-wracking at first; even after a month of preparation, I wasn't sure what to expect from the examiner or the exam itself. Once I entered the center, there was a thorough check, and then I was given specific timings for each section. For me, it went: reading, then listening, followed by writing, and lastly speaking. My speaking examiner, whose name I honestly can't recall, had a genuinely calming tone, and that's what helped me stay confident and speak with real clarity through that section.

Q12. Which module was hardest for you?

Speaking and writing were the hardest modules for me, without question, mainly because they weren't part of my regular daily life the way reading or listening naturally are. I felt like I lacked the fluency and structure IELTS specifically expects, and I had to work hard on expressing my thoughts more clearly.

Q13. Any specific tip you'd share?

Staying calm and confident is really important. A lot of the time, you actually know the material and you understand what you're reading or listening to, but you second-guess whether your answer is right. In speaking, that same doubt can make you fumble something that was actually correct in your head. Managing that self-doubt matters just as much as the content itself.

Q14. What was your final score?

After about a month of consistent effort from both sides, mine and the team's, I achieved an overall band of 7.

Q15. Did you expect that score going in?

No, not at all. Based on what I'd checked on university websites, I only needed a minimum of 6 to 6.5, so a 7 genuinely exceeded my expectations.

Q16. Which country did you end up targeting, and why?

Ireland, specifically. It's the only English-speaking country in continental Europe, and the course I'm pursuing has real policy impact; EU environmental policy tends to get adopted widely across the continent. I wanted to end up somewhere my work would actually carry weight.

Q17. How many university offers did you receive?

I got two offers from University College Dublin, one for epidemiology and one for a Master's in Public Health, plus an offer from Trinity College Dublin for a Master's in Environmental Science, which I ultimately accepted. Getting that band 7 fully satisfied my English proficiency requirement across every application, so I didn't have to worry about that part at all going forward.

Q18. When are you actually leaving for Ireland?

I've planned for September 1st, but I'm currently still waiting on my visa approval.

Q19. Would you recommend Leap Scholar to others?

Highly, yes. It's genuinely flexible and versatile; the platform adapts well to what each student actually needs. On top of that, the team was consistently helpful throughout, whether it was materials, data, mock exams, one-on-one mentorship, or speaking practice. Having someone genuinely supporting you throughout the process made a significant difference.

From three years spent preparing for an entirely different career path to a band 7 that opened doors at both UCD and Trinity College Dublin, this journey is proof that changing direction mid-career doesn't have to mean starting from zero. For anyone reconsidering their path after years spent on a different one, this Leap Scholar review is worth reading closely.