# Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707 Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707.md RSS feed: https://feeds.libsyn.com/461571/rss Official site: https://sites.libsyn.com/461571 Author: Thomas Caleel Episodes: 136 ## Resource 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. ## Machine-readable JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707 Markdown: https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707.md ## Episodes - [S5E13: Why Passion Projects, Research, and "Founder" Titles Are Failing Students (And What Admissions Officers Actually Value)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e13-why-passion-projects-research-and-founder-titles-are-failing-students-and-what-admissions-officers-actually-value) — 2026-05-15T22:57:00+00:00 - [S5E12: Why Leadership Titles Are Losing Value in Modern College Admissions (And What Matters More)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e12-why-leadership-titles-are-losing-value-in-modern-college-admissions-and-what-matters-more) — 2026-04-25T00:00:00+00:00 - [S5E11: How Top Applicants Approach Extracurriculars: What Stands Out, What Blends In, & The Mindset That Actually Matters](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e11-how-top-applicants-approach-extracurriculars-what-stands-out-what-blends-in-the-mindset-that-actually-matters) — 2026-04-11T01:00:00+00:00 - [S5E10: ADHD, Executive Functioning, & College Readiness: What Parents Need to Know Before Senior Year](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e10-adhd-executive-functioning-college-readiness-what-parents-need-to-know-before-senior-year) — 2026-04-03T13:00:00+00:00 - [S5E9: How to Recover Your Admissions Strategy If You Fell Behind in High School (Course Rigor, GPA & Strategy)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e9-how-to-recover-your-admissions-strategy-if-you-fell-behind-in-high-school-course-rigor-gpa-strategy) — 2026-03-20T17:00:00+00:00 - [S5E9: What Exceptional Applicants Actually Do: How 5 Unique Students Beat the Odds in Ivy League Admissions](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e9-what-exceptional-applicants-actually-do-how-5-unique-students-beat-the-odds-in-ivy-league-admissions) — 2026-03-12T20:00:00+00:00 - [S5E8: Inside the Minds of Elite Admissions Officers: How AOs Are Trained To Review Your Application (Interview with Former Duke AO)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e8-inside-the-minds-of-elite-admissions-officers-how-aos-are-trained-to-review-your-application-interview-with-former-duke-ao) — 2026-02-21T00:09:00+00:00 - [S5E7: Why I Built Admittedly After 20 Years in College Admissions — and Where We're Going Next](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e7-why-i-built-admittedly-after-20-years-in-college-admissions-and-where-we-re-going-next) — 2026-02-11T14:00:00+00:00 - [S5E6: What Parents Should Know About Academic Tutoring & Test Prep: Fit, Timing, & Real Progress](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e6-what-parents-should-know-about-academic-tutoring-test-prep-fit-timing-real-progress) — 2026-02-03T22:09:00+00:00 - [S5E5: The Ivy+ Roadmap: How to Plan Ahead for Competitive Admissions (From 8th-11th Grade)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e5-the-ivy-roadmap-how-to-plan-ahead-for-competitive-admissions-from-8th-11th-grade) — 2026-01-29T23:23:00+00:00 - [S5E4: Am I Doing Enough? The Right (And Wrong) Way to Approach Extracurricular Activities in Highschool](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e4-am-i-doing-enough-the-right-and-wrong-way-to-approach-extracurricular-activities-in-highschool) — 2026-01-21T23:28:00+00:00 - [S5E3: Raising Resilient Kids: Nature Connections, Mental Health, and College Readiness with Mario Mendez of Wilderness Youth Project (WYP)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e3-raising-resilient-kids-nature-connections-mental-health-and-college-readiness-with-mario-mendez-of-wilderness-youth-project-wyp) — 2026-01-13T20:35:00+00:00 - [S5E2: Junior Year College Admissions Strategy: Balancing Academics, Counselors, and Activity Planning for Success](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e2-junior-year-college-admissions-strategy-balancing-academics-counselors-and-activity-planning-for-success) — 2026-01-06T22:09:00+00:00 - [S5E1: New Year, New Goals: How to Take Control of College Admissions in 2026](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s5e1-new-year-new-goals-how-to-take-control-of-college-admissions-in-2026) — 2025-12-30T20:44:00+00:00 - [S4E43: 10th Grade Check-In: Grades, Extracurriculars, and Planning for Competitive College Admissions](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e43-10th-grade-check-in-grades-extracurriculars-and-planning-for-competitive-college-admissions) — 2025-12-17T23:07:00+00:00 - [S4E42: Inside the Mind of a Top Tutor: Why Students Struggle and How to Help Them Thrive (With Advantage Testing's Michelle Chasin)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e42-inside-the-mind-of-a-top-tutor-why-students-struggle-and-how-to-help-them-thrive-with-advantage-testing-s-michelle-chasin) — 2025-12-09T16:54:00+00:00 - [S4E41: Freshman Year Check-In: The Essential Guide to Grades, Activities & Summer Planning](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e41-freshman-year-check-in-the-essential-guide-to-grades-activities-summer-planning) — 2025-12-02T21:04:00+00:00 - [S4E40: Results Guaranteed? The Real Story Behind Stats, Success Rates, and College Consulting Claims](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e40-results-guaranteed-the-real-story-behind-stats-success-rates-and-college-consulting-claims) — 2025-11-25T18:54:00+00:00 - [S4E39: How to Plan a Strategic Summer (Before It's Too Late)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e39-how-to-plan-a-strategic-summer-before-it-s-too-late) — 2025-11-18T19:00:00+00:00 - [S4E38: The Hidden Half of College Admissions: What Students Overlook (and What Actually Matters)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e38-the-hidden-half-of-college-admissions-what-students-overlook-and-what-actually-matters) — 2025-11-04T21:38:00+00:00 - [S4E37: The 3 Biggest Mistakes Students Make in High School (And How to Fix Them Before Senior Year)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e37-the-3-biggest-mistakes-students-make-in-high-school-and-how-to-fix-them-before-senior-year) — 2025-10-28T21:27:00+00:00 - [S4E36: No, College Admissions Aren't Getting Easier in 2026: Here's What You CAN Control](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e36-no-college-admissions-aren-t-getting-easier-in-2026-here-s-what-you-can-control) — 2025-10-21T18:08:00+00:00 - [S4E35: Confidence, Clarity, and College Admissions: Global Tutoring Insights with Advantage Testing's Matthew Demmer](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e35-confidence-clarity-and-college-admissions-global-tutoring-insights-with-advantage-testing-s-matthew-demmer) — 2025-10-07T15:59:00+00:00 - [S4E34: Inside the Review Room – How Admissions Officers Read Applications](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e34-inside-the-review-room-how-admissions-officers-read-applications) — 2025-09-30T19:14:00+00:00 - [S4E33: Do The SAT and ACT Still Matter? Test Optional Policies and the Ivy League Explained](https://stenobird.com/podcast/admittedly-college-admissions-with-thomas-caleel-6069707/s4e33-do-the-sat-and-act-still-matter-test-optional-policies-and-the-ivy-league-explained) — 2025-09-26T14:43:00+00:00 ## Actions Episode pages expose an explicit `request_transcript` action. A page view does not automatically enqueue transcription.