Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

By Thomas Caleel

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Subscribers: 3
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Episodes: 121

Description

Does thinking about applying to college, grad school, or prep school make your head spin? The Admittedly Podcast is for both parents and students preparing for or navigating school admissions. We aim to demystify the admissions process and share with you what you really need to know to succeed. Our host, Thomas Caleel, former director of MBA admissions and financial aid for the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, is here to help. He is a lifelong entrepreneur and CEO of a global admissions consulting agency where he works with families worldwide to help them achieve their educational goals. New episodes go live every Tuesday and Thursday. Learn from our guest speakers, live coaching sessions, and weekly solo episodes. Have admissions questions you'd like answered on the show? Apply to be coached by Thomas himself on one of our upcoming recordings. In this podcast, we don't promise easy answers or quick fixes. But with decades of experience under his belt, Thomas will address the practical aspects of applying to school and how to think like an admissions officer to improve your college or prep school application.

Episode Date
S4E42: Inside the Mind of a Top Tutor: Why Students Struggle and How to Help Them Thrive (With Advantage Testing's Michelle Chasin)
Dec 09, 2025
S4E41: Freshman Year Check-In: The Essential Guide to Grades, Activities & Summer Planning
Dec 02, 2025
S4E40: Results Guaranteed? The Real Story Behind Stats, Success Rates, and College Consulting Claims
Nov 25, 2025
S4E39: How to Plan a Strategic Summer (Before It's Too Late)
Nov 18, 2025
S4E38: The Hidden Half of College Admissions: What Students Overlook (and What Actually Matters)
Nov 04, 2025
S4E37: The 3 Biggest Mistakes Students Make in High School (And How to Fix Them Before Senior Year)
Oct 28, 2025
S4E36: No, College Admissions Aren't Getting Easier in 2026: Here's What You CAN Control
Oct 21, 2025
S4E35: Confidence, Clarity, and College Admissions: Global Tutoring Insights with Advantage Testing's Matthew Demmer
Oct 07, 2025
S4E34: Inside the Review Room – How Admissions Officers Read Applications
Sep 30, 2025
S4E33: Do The SAT and ACT Still Matter? Test Optional Policies and the Ivy League Explained
Sep 26, 2025
S4E32: Applying to Columbia: How to Write Your 2025 Supplements For Success
Sep 19, 2025
S4E31: Cracking the UPenn Supplements: Thank-You Note & Community Essay Tips
Sep 19, 2025
S4E30: Applying to Yale: A Guide to the Short Answers and Essays
Sep 18, 2025
S4E29: How to Approach Harvard's 2025 Supplemental Essays for Admissions Success
Sep 18, 2025
S4E28: Stanford Supplements 2025: How to Approach Them (and What to Avoid)
Sep 17, 2025
S4E27: Complacency or Commitment: The Choice That Defines Ivy+ Outcomes
Sep 09, 2025
S4E26: The Joy of Tutoring: Arun Alagappan on Reducing Anxiety and Unlocking Potential
Aug 21, 2025
S4E25: The 2025 Admissions Reality — How Funding Cuts, Student Visas, and Campus Culture Will Shape This Cycle
Aug 15, 2025
S4E24: The Road Starts Early — Middle School Advice With Dr. Peggy Burich Smith
Aug 03, 2025
S4E23: The 2025 Common App (What to Know Before You Start)
Jul 26, 2025
S4E22: Applying Early to College (When It Helps—and When It Hurts)
Jul 18, 2025
S4E21: Playing to Win—How Student Athletes Get Admitted
Jul 11, 2025
S4E20: The Additional Info Section—What to Say (and What to Skip)
Jul 04, 2025
S4E19: Don't Write Your Essay Yet (Start Here Instead)
Jun 28, 2025
S4E18: Sophomore Year Done Right (Q&A for Rising 10th Graders)
Jun 20, 2025
S4E17: Rising Seniors: Planning, Positioning, and Building Your Edge
Jun 13, 2025
S4E16: Harvard, International Students, and How We Got Here
May 30, 2025
S4E15: The Introvert's Guide to Standing Out in College Admissions
May 16, 2025
S4E14: The 'Passion Project' Trap (And What Actually Works)
May 09, 2025
S4E13: The Truth About Competitive Admissions: Hard Work Isn't Optional
May 02, 2025
S4E12: Admissions Are Changing for International Students: What You Need To Know
Apr 25, 2025
S4E11: Your Summer Fell Apart… Now What?
Apr 18, 2025
S4E10 End-of-Year Check-In: Are You on Track for College?
Apr 11, 2025
S4E9: Can One Mistake Ruin My College Chances?
Apr 04, 2025
S4E8: Real Students, Real Success: How They Beat the Odds in College Admissions
Mar 28, 2025
S4E7: Maximizing College Guidance: School Counselors & Outside Experts
Mar 21, 2025
S4E6: Doing Extracurriculars Right (and Wrong)
Mar 14, 2025
S4E5: Are Safety Schools Actually Safe?
Mar 07, 2025
S4E4: Who IS Thomas Caleel? Revisiting Our 'Why'
Feb 21, 2025
S4E3: What's The Deal With Deferrals?
Feb 14, 2025
S4E2: Expanding the Ivy League Isn't That Simple
Feb 07, 2025
S4E1: Let's Talk About Transferring
Jan 31, 2025
S3E26: You Asked, We Answered
Jan 24, 2025
S3E25: College Admissions Have Changed. But How?
Jan 21, 2025
S3E24: Managing Stress in College Admissions
Jan 03, 2025
S3E23: Is an Ivy League Education Worth It?
Dec 27, 2024
S3E22: Don't Be Afraid of Your Admissions Essays!
Dec 13, 2024
S3E21: Why (and How) You Should Plan Ahead
Dec 06, 2024
S3E20: Getting the Most out of Undergrad Interviews
Nov 19, 2024
S3E19: College Application Planning Tips for Juniors
Nov 11, 2024
S3E18: Getting Creative with the UChicago Supplement (2024)
Sep 27, 2024
S3E17: How to Get into Brown University (2024)
Sep 26, 2024
S3E16: Answering the Johns Hopkins Supplement (2024)
Sep 17, 2024
S3E15: Tips for the Stanford Supplement (2024)
Sep 15, 2024
S3E14: How to Answer the Yale Supplement (2024)
Sep 13, 2024
S3E13: The Best Approach to the Cornell Supplement (2024)
Sep 08, 2024
S3E12: How to Succeed with the Penn Supplement (2024)
Sep 01, 2024
S3E11: How to Approach the Harvard Supplement (2024)
Aug 25, 2024
S3E10: How to Ace the Columbia Supplement (2024)
Aug 20, 2024
S3E9: How to Choose Between MBA Programs
Aug 15, 2024
S3E8: Benefits to Dual Enrollment and Middle Colleges with Delenn Ganyo
Aug 08, 2024
S3E7: How to Succeed on the Common Application
Aug 01, 2024
S3E6: Is Boarding School the Right Choice?
Jul 12, 2024
S3E5: How to Respond to Disciplinary Trouble During College Applications
Jul 04, 2024
S3E4: How to Build a College List
Jun 27, 2024
S3E3: How to Decide Junior Year Summer Activities
Jun 21, 2024
S3E2: How to Prepare for College Admissions During Junior Year of High School
Apr 26, 2024
S3E1: How to Handle College Admissions Outcomes and Navigate Waitlists
Apr 23, 2024
S2E29: How to Write Your UC College Application. Why are University of California Essays Different
Nov 02, 2023
S2E28: It's Nov 1st -- Now What? College Admissions Next Steps
Nov 02, 2023
S2E28: Should I Contact The School After I Submit My College Application?
Oct 24, 2023
S2E27: College Admissions and the Applicant Portal: What is it?
Oct 20, 2023
S2E26: How to Master University of Chicago's Unconventional Supplement Essays
Oct 17, 2023
S2E25: SAT/ACT Prep Discussion with David Blobaum, National Test Prep Association
Oct 10, 2023
S2E24: How to Write Great College Admissions Supplement Essays
Oct 05, 2023
S2E23: Should I Have Additional Recommenders for My Common Application?
Oct 03, 2023
S2E22: How to Address Learning Disabilities and Accommodations with Chris Holloway, Educational Psychologist
Sep 27, 2023
S2E21: How to Choose Your Major When Applying to College
Sep 26, 2023
S2E20: How To Write a WINNING Common App Essay. Answering Your Questions
Sep 19, 2023
S2E19: Career Highlight - How to Drive Change: Navigating the Shift from Tech to Climate Tech with Christian Hernandez
Sep 12, 2023
S2E18: Do Alumni Interviews Matter?: Tips on How To Crush Your Alumni Interview for College Admissions
Sep 07, 2023
S2E17: How to Write a Great MBA Admissions Essay. Tips from Ex-Director of MBA Admissions at Wharton
Sep 05, 2023
S2E16: How to Decide If You Should Take the GRE or GMAT for MBA Admissions
Sep 04, 2023
S2E15: Interview with @LimmyTalks: How to use AI in College Admissions, Following Your Path, Life as a Student at Duke University
Aug 29, 2023
S2E14: Why To Avoid Talking About Family in Common App Essays
Aug 24, 2023
S2E13: Common App Essay Topics, Using AI, Storytelling & Making the Most Of The Word Count
Aug 22, 2023
S2E12: Can I Include My Social Media In My College Application?
Aug 21, 2023
S2E11: Benefits of Tutoring Beyond Academics: Interview with Ryan Long, Tutor & Founder of Learn Untethered
Aug 15, 2023
S2E10: Do I Need a Passion Project For Success in College Admissions?
Aug 10, 2023
S2E9: How to Write A Great Common App Essay: What's your hook?
Aug 08, 2023
S2E8: What Book To Read As A Parent of a High School Student Applying to College?
Aug 07, 2023
S2E7: Your Teacher Doesn't Hate You & Fostering Intellectual Curiosity: Interview with Matt Gainsley
Aug 01, 2023
S2E6: To Go To College Or Not? Why College Isn't the Right Path for Everyone
Jul 27, 2023
S2E5: SAT scores, Legacy Admissions, Common App Essay Topics & More: Answering Your Questions for College Applications
Jul 25, 2023
S2E4: Help! I Got a Bad Grade in Junior Year. Will This Affect My College Application?
Jul 20, 2023
S2E3: Interview with Sam Hassell - Great Minds Advising - Avoid These Mistakes In Your College Application Essays
Jul 18, 2023
S2E2: Should I Take a Gap Year After Senior Year of High School?
Jul 13, 2023
S2E1: Common App Tips, Affirmative Action, Essay Strategy, and Early Decision
Jul 11, 2023
Best of Season 1: What Extracurricular Activities Look Best On College Applications?
Jun 19, 2023
Best of Season 1: What To Do As a Highschool Junior to Prepare For College Applications
Jun 12, 2023
Season 1 Finale: BIG Thank You and What's to Come for Season 2
Jun 03, 2023
19. Top Things to Do This Summer as a Junior Applying to College [Part 2]
May 09, 2023
18. Top Things to Do This Summer as a Junior Applying to College [Part 1]
May 04, 2023
17. MBA Applications: What You Need to Know About a Deferred Admission MBA
May 02, 2023
16. Using ChatGPT to Write Your Admissions Essay
Apr 25, 2023
15. Financial Aid: Breaking Down the Different Types
Apr 18, 2023
14. Admissions Scandals: How Does This Affect You as an Applicant?
Apr 13, 2023
13. Ivy Day was 3/30: My Thoughts on Next Steps after Receiving Your College Admission Decision
Apr 11, 2023
12. What Goes into a GREAT Admissions Essay: Interview with Dr. Lauren Rubin [Part 2]
Apr 04, 2023
11. Standardized Test Prep: Interview with Dr. Lauren Rubin [Part 1]
Mar 31, 2023
10. 1:1 Coaching Session [Part 3]: How to Start Thinking about College Admissions as a Freshman
Mar 28, 2023
9. 1:1 Coaching Session [Part 2]: How to Start Thinking about College Admissions as a Freshman
Mar 23, 2023
8. 1:1 Coaching Session [Part 1]: How to Start Thinking about College Admissions as a Freshman
Mar 21, 2023
7. College Admissions Decision Day: Did You Make the Cut? What the Schools Aren't Telling You, & Navigating Next Steps
Mar 16, 2023
6. What Summer Activities Look Best on a College Application?
Mar 14, 2023
5. College Admissions: Do You Have the Courage to Succeed?
Mar 09, 2023
4. High School Activities: What Matters Most, and What Strategy to Take for Success
Mar 07, 2023
3. Transfer Applications
Feb 22, 2023
2. Junior Year of High School
Feb 22, 2023
1. Admissions
Feb 22, 2023
Welcome to Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel
Feb 22, 2023