Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

Being honest and truthful in your application is the first step to take when trying to get into the college of your dreams. It's common to try and make ourselves look good in the application, but there is a fine line between trying to look good and lying. In this episode, Thomas shares some tips about this topic, citing the Varsity Blues Scandal - one of the most significant cases of this nature ever investigated. It's crucial to understand this process: admissions based on merit are a priority for schools, and any misinformation provided in the application can result in the revoking of the admission at any time. Key Highlights The Varsity Blues Scandal was classified as a conspiracy. People involved in this fraud took advantage of loopholes in the admission process. You can't control or prevent anyone from cheating. There is a fine line between lying and making yourself look good. All claims and statements need to match reality. Schools can and sometimes will revoke the admission if any misstatement arises. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Follow Admittedly on social media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

Ivy Day is when all the Ivy League schools release their admissions decisions. It's an important day for students, but also a very stressful one. After all, it's the day when the student sees the result of 4 years of hard work, and it can be positive or negative. Whatever the results are, it's time to be smart and strategic. In this episode of the Admittedly Podcast, Thomas shares his thoughts on the next steps after receiving a college admission decision. If the results are positive, it's time to celebrate while being sensitive about your colleagues. If the result is not what you wanted, there are things you can do to minimize the loss, process the pain, and prepare for the future. In the end, it's not about being competitive; it's about finding the right place for you. Key Highlights What are the next steps after receiving your college admission decision? There are three possible outcomes: positive, negative, or waitlist. Don't take it personally. Be sensitive about the results involving your colleagues. Evaluate your next steps with strategy. You might want to take some time and be involved in your local school's activities. A "gap year" can be taken during this time to travel, work, research, or volunteer. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Follow Admittedly on social media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

In this episode of Admittedly Podcast, Thomas connects with Dr. Lauren Rubin. Dr. Rubin has over twenty years of experience teaching test prep and essay writing to students of all ages. In today's show, Dr. Rubin talks about the important writing components of an essay and how to organize the ideas on the paper. One of the key steps to making a great essay is to first read the material with attention and fully understand the concept of what was read. After that, the next step should be using evidence to prove your point and structure all the facts and sources. Even before this step, it's also important for the student to have feedback on their previous essays in order to improve their skills. Key Highlights Learn the writing aspects of a great essay. To keep sharpening writing skills is crucial to practice. The student needs to have guidance throughout the practice. The student also needs to understand what is being asked of them. The process of writing needs to take into account the character limits. It's important to revise what was written in the first drafts. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Related Links Dr. Lauren Rubin's website: www.centerforscholasticsuccess.com Download Free Writing Guide: www.thomascaleel.com/free-guide Follow Admittedly on Social Media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

In this episode of the Admittedly Podcast, Thomas connects with Dr. Lauren Rubin. Dr. Rubin has over twenty years of experience teaching test prep and essay writing to students of all ages. In today's show, she shares several tips and strategies for standardized tests. For the student to reach their greatest potential, it's important to take the proper test and the one whose particularities the student has more ability with. Dr. Rubin also highlights the differences between SAT and ACT, the importance of reading and writing, and how often the student needs to study for the tests to succeed. Key Highlights Reading is crucial to succeeding on tests. Students should start to study for the tests in their junior year. Sometimes quality is more important than quantity when it comes to studying. Learn the differences between SAT and ACT. Tips for international students (writing and grammar). Reading well and writing well are connected. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Related Links Dr. Lauren Rubin's website: www.centerforscholasticsuccess.com Download Free Writing Guide: www.thomascaleel.com/free-guide Follow Admittedly on Social Media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

In this episode of Admittedly Podcast, Thomas takes us through a coaching session with a participant who is currently a freshman. Thinking about college admissions ahead of time can make a difference when it comes to analyzing all the options and alleviating the pressure. Part 3 of this coaching session discusses what a student should do over the summer. There are a lot of courses, extracurricular activities, and summer jobs available for high school students, and colleges really value this type of commitment. These summer activities can also make a difference for students to find out what they like to do, their passions, and which interests they would like to keep and turn into a career. Key Highlights It's normal to feel pressure as a freshman when thinking about college. A good college is fundamental, but it's not a guarantee of success. Why is it important to think about college ahead of time? A lot of students have the same thoughts and concerns by this time. It's ok not to know what you're passionate about as a freshman. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Related Links Apply to be a guest: www.thomascaleel.com/apply-for-podcast Follow Admittedly on Social Media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

In this episode of Admittedly Podcast, Thomas takes us through a coaching session with a participant who is currently a freshman. Thinking about college admissions ahead of time can make a difference when it comes to analyzing all the options and alleviating the pressure. Part 2 of this coaching session is all about Thomas explaining how the experiences learned with a summer/temporary job can be applied to college applications. Thomas highlights that nowadays schools tend to look for students who have specific interests and talents, besides having good grades. The 'uniqueness' of a student is what is making the difference, and a job can really help in this way. Key Highlights It's normal to feel pressure as a freshman when thinking about college. A good college is fundamental, but it's not a guarantee of success. Why is it important to think about college ahead of time? A lot of students have the same thoughts and concerns by this time. It's ok not to know what you're passionate about as a freshman. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Related Links Apply to be a guest: www.thomascaleel.com/apply-for-podcast Follow Admittedly on Social Media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

In this episode of Admittedly Podcast, Thomas takes us through a coaching session with a participant who is currently a freshman. Thinking about college admissions ahead of time can make a difference when it comes to analyzing all the options and alleviating the pressure. At this stage, it's important to make an inventory of the student's life: favorite hobbies, favorite activities, interests, different languages… Any information is fundamental to help the person make an interesting and effective choice. Although having the courage to follow your passion in college is important, not every student will know what this passion is, and it's ok. That's why talking to professionals can really help. Key Highlights It's normal to feel pressure as a freshman when thinking about college. A good college is fundamental, but it's not a guarantee of success. Why is it important to think about college ahead of time? A lot of students have the same thoughts and concerns by this time. It's ok not to know what you're passionate about as a freshman. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Related Links Apply to be a guest: www.thomascaleel.com/apply-for-podcast Follow Admittedly on Social Media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

The great day is here! You are finally receiving the answers you wanted and you might feel relieved. However, this moment can be very stressful as well because the outcome might not be what you were hoping for. In this episode, Thomas shares tips for the decision day. What to do if you were denied? How to celebrate if you were admitted? And what does 'waitlist' actually mean? These are probably the three most common answers inside the letter in your hands. It's also important to know how to navigate the next steps. If you were admitted, it's time to celebrate but it's also time to be thoughtful about your colleagues and other students. If you were denied, don't take it personally. If you were relocated to a waitlist, it's time to analyze the situation… Tune in to learn more! Key Highlights No matter what the outcome is, remember there are many paths to get what you want. With so many colleges reaching out, it's important to analyze all your options. At the end of the day, you can only go to one school. See what makes sense financially. Enjoy your education opportunity. About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Follow Admittedly on social media TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast

Summer isn't just for relaxation—it's a prime time for self-growth and meaningful experiences. Thomas discusses how summer jobs can enhance skills that colleges value, while emphasizing the importance of balancing leisure with development. He also explores the merits of attending prestigious academic programs versus local opportunities and cautions against lavish family trips that might lack valuable learning. Plus, there's advice on how to strategically plan summers for future goals and the best ways to engage in internships!

It's every parent's goal for their high school student to stand out. The problem is that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to college admissions. A set of activities that got one child into Stanford might result in a series of rejections for another. In this episode, Thomas will talk about the dangers of the comparison trap, and how courage is a student's best friend throughout the admissions process. Everybody is different, not only in what they do, but in why they do it and in how they present their accomplishments to the admissions committee. Thomas discusses why it's so important for parents to uncover that one thing that will allow their child to shine and embrace their authentic self. The secret to discovering what makes one unique, he explains, can be found once they have the courage to step out of their comfort zone, to do something different, meaningful, and with impact. Key Highlights Unlocking your child's unique potential How courage can be a student's guiding light in the admissions process The key to successful negotiations Having the courage to embrace a different academic track Starting a club with a strong purpose About Thomas Thomas is a parent and alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley. For three years, he was director of admissions and financial aid at Wharton School. He worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and professors to create the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, wellness, and sporting goods. As the founder of Global Education Opportunities, he works with diverse and underserved communities to help them become successful college students. Thomas started the podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for parents and applicants. Follow Admittedly on social media: TikTok: @admittedlypodcast Instagram: @admittedlypodcast