Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

In this episode of Admittedly Podcast, Thomas breaks down the different types of financial aid students can get. Although it's an important topic, it's also highly individual; every situation needs to be analyzed separately. Thomas explains that there are two main types of financial aid: merit-based and need-based. Need-based scholarship involves a form called FAFSA (Free Application for Federal S...

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 e...

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...

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 attent...

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 st...

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...

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 a...

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, dif...

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...

Summer is an awesome time for students. It's time for connecting with relatives and friends, traveling, and relaxing, but it's also time for creating opportunities. While enjoying summer just relaxing can be a great way to recharge, it's important to take time to learn as well. It can be the first step to a successful career. In this episode, Thomas shares strategies and tips to utilize summertime...

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 admis...

"What are the best high school activities to invest time in?" This is a common question by students and parents. Unfortunately, there's no algorithm or formula that spits out a specific activity that guarantees admission into a certain university. If you haven't listened to our episode on  courage  yet, please do so! When it comes to taking on tasks both inside and outside of academics, courage ab...

There are lots of reasons why you might want to transfer schools. Maybe you got into a school that was not high on your list. Maybe you got into a school you really wanted to go to, but you didn't like the experience. There are times when circumstances change - you want to move closer to family, or you don't like the weather where you study. In this episode, Thomas will talk about how transferring...

In this episode of Admittedly, Thomas addresses families with high schoolers in their junior year. Admissions counselors at schools are contacting juniors, parents are scrambling over how and when to get started, and the pressure is on to get everything ready for college applications. Thomas touches on the importance of grades junior year, why leadership roles can make you a better candidate for u...

It can be a confusing and terrifying process to apply to colleges, and this podcast is designed to help parents and prospective students work through it together. Your host, Thomas, will go through a year of admissions, what parents and applicants need to know about, and what it takes to be successful in your educational journey. Most of our friends and family who give us admissions advice have su...

Welcome to the Admittedly Podcast, with your host Thomas Caleel. Thomas is the former director of MBA admissions and financial aid from his alma mater, The University of Pennsylvania.  The Admittedly Podcast is about one of the most confusing, opaque, and anxiety-inducing processes in the world: admissions. Thomas has been involved in admissions as a student and alumnus since high school, and it's...