Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

How To #133

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.

S4E14: The ‘Passion Project’ Trap (And What Actually Works)
May 9, 2025 – 18:38
S4E13: The Truth About Competitive Admissions: Hard Work Isn’t Optional
May 2, 2025 – 17:42
S4E12: Admissions Are Changing for International Students: What You Need To Know
Apr 25, 2025 – 12:49
S4E11: Your Summer Fell Apart… Now What?
Apr 18, 2025 – 11:44
S4E10 End-of-Year Check-In: Are You on Track for College?
Apr 11, 2025 – 23:06
S4E9: Can One Mistake Ruin My College Chances?
Apr 4, 2025 – 16:47
S4E8: Real Students, Real Success: How They Beat the Odds in College Admissions
Mar 28, 2025 – 22:00
S4E7: Maximizing College Guidance: School Counselors & Outside Experts
Mar 21, 2025 – 15:15
S4E6: Doing Extracurriculars Right (and Wrong)
Mar 14, 2025 – 18:16
S4E5: Are Safety Schools Actually Safe?
Mar 7, 2025 – 14:02
S4E4: Who IS Thomas Caleel? Revisiting Our 'Why'
Feb 21, 2025 – 13:56
S4E3: What's The Deal With Deferrals?
Feb 14, 2025 – 15:28
S4E2: Expanding the Ivy League Isn't That Simple
Feb 7, 2025 – 10:13
S4E1: Let's Talk About Transferring
Jan 31, 2025 – 23:41
S3E26: You Asked, We Answered
Jan 24, 2025 – 24:27
S3E25: College Admissions Have Changed. But How?
Jan 21, 2025 – 26:46
S3E24: Managing Stress in College Admissions
Jan 3, 2025 – 17:27
S3E23: Is an Ivy League Education Worth It?
Dec 27, 2024 – 16:05
S3E22: Don't Be Afraid of Your Admissions Essays!
Dec 13, 2024 – 11:02
S3E21: Why (and How) You Should Plan Ahead
Dec 6, 2024 – 37:30
S3E20: Getting the Most out of Undergrad Interviews
Nov 19, 2024 – 15:13
S3E19: College Application Planning Tips for Juniors
Nov 11, 2024 – 27:42
S3E18: Getting Creative with the UChicago Supplement (2024)
Sep 27, 2024 – 04:33
S3E17: How to Get into Brown University (2024)
Sep 26, 2024 – 06:42
S3E16: Answering the Johns Hopkins Supplement (2024)
Sep 17, 2024 – 02:44
S3E15: Tips for the Stanford Supplement (2024)
Sep 15, 2024 – 04:13
S3E14: How to Answer the Yale Supplement (2024)
Sep 13, 2024 – 06:33
S3E13: The Best Approach to the Cornell Supplement (2024)
Sep 8, 2024 – 03:47
S3E12: How to Succeed with the Penn Supplement (2024)
Sep 1, 2024 – 06:20
S3E11: How to Approach the Harvard Supplement (2024)
Aug 25, 2024 – 07:04
S3E10: How to Ace the Columbia Supplement (2024)
Aug 20, 2024 – 07:58
S3E9: How to Choose Between MBA Programs
Aug 15, 2024 – 11:38
S3E8: Benefits to Dual Enrollment and Middle Colleges with Delenn Ganyo
Aug 8, 2024 – 20:34
S3E7: How to Succeed on the Common Application
Aug 1, 2024 – 17:55
S3E6: Is Boarding School the Right Choice?
Jul 12, 2024 – 16:04
S3E5: How to Respond to Disciplinary Trouble During College Applications
Jul 4, 2024 – 12:27
S3E4: How to Build a College List
Jun 27, 2024 – 18:07
S3E3: How to Decide Junior Year Summer Activities
Jun 21, 2024 – 19:09
S3E2: How to Prepare for College Admissions During Junior Year of High School
Apr 26, 2024 – 23:50
S3E1: How to Handle College Admissions Outcomes and Navigate Waitlists
Apr 23, 2024 – 16:06
S2E29: How to Write Your UC College Application. Why are University of California Essays Different
Nov 2, 2023 – 19:29
S2E28: It's Nov 1st -- Now What? College Admissions Next Steps
Nov 2, 2023 – 02:33
S2E28: Should I Contact The School After I Submit My College Application?
Oct 24, 2023 – 04:01
S2E27: College Admissions and the Applicant Portal: What is it?
Oct 20, 2023 – 02:42
S2E26: How to Master University of Chicago's Unconventional Supplement Essays
Oct 17, 2023 – 15:59
S2E25: SAT/ACT Prep Discussion with David Blobaum, National Test Prep Association
Oct 10, 2023 – 27:06
S2E24: How to Write Great College Admissions Supplement Essays
Oct 5, 2023 – 22:26
S2E23: Should I Have Additional Recommenders for My Common Application?
Oct 3, 2023 – 06:27
S2E22: How to Address Learning Disabilities and Accommodations with Chris Holloway, Educational Psychologist
Sep 27, 2023 – 31:24
S2E21: How to Choose Your Major When Applying to College
Sep 26, 2023 – 04:52

Recent Reviews

Natasha444_

Interesting take!

Love your unique perspective on admissions and what to focus on. Lots of ideas I hadn’t even thought of before! Going to make my 15 year old start listening. Thank you!!
PamPfromSB

SUCH GREAT INFO!

Thomas is the real deal. He has lived his life not only attending great schools, but at Wharton he helped students put MBA on their resume. He is now sharing his valuable information here for free! PLEASE, do yourself and/or your future student a favor and take the time to listen to his wisdom. I know him personally, and can tell you he is a person with integrity, a devoted husband and father and knows what he’s talking about!!
Alexi Christine C

I wish I had this sooner!

Applying to college with such a stressful time for me and I wish I had this resource back then. Thomas breaks down college admissions in a stress-free and easy to understand way. Anyone getting ready to apply to college definitely needs to listen!
Chase Chewning

SO valubale

MUCH NEEDED resource, one that I wish I had when making such a huge life transition as going from school to the real world, college, and everything in between.
momofthree123123

Great advice from a pro

Been loving this podcast so far! Thomas offers some great tactical advice and is a true expert in the field. As a parent, who has already gone through this process with my oldest I highly recommend this podcast to anyone even starting to think about the college admissions process. You won’t be disappointed.