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Thomas Caleel, College Admissions

@admittedlyco

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🎯 Expert Admissions Counseling
🎙️ Host of the Admittedly Podcast
🏛️ Ex-Wharton MBA Admissions Director
👇 Apply for a Complimentary Strategy Call

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🎓 Regular Decision results are in, and we couldn’t be more proud of our students.

These acceptances represent years of curiosity, persistence, growth, and thoughtful effort… both inside and outside the classroom. It’s been an honor to support such driven, reflective, and genuinely interesting young people through this process.

This list spans 70+ colleges (and counting), with waitlist decisions still ahead. We’re continuing to work closely with students navigating next steps and advocating for strong outcomes wherever possible.

To our seniors: congratulations. We are so excited to see what you build next. 🎉🎊

If you’re currently on a waitlist and unsure what to do, feel free to send us a DM.

If you’re in grades 9–11 and want guidance on how to approach this process with clarity and confidence, comment “ACTION.”

More great news still to come.

#collegeadmissions #collegeresults #ivyleague #collegeadmissionsstrategy #classof2026 🎉 by @admittedlyco

If you're targeting highly selective schools, you MUST be highly selective with your time.

Tag a high schooler who needs to hear this.

#highschool #collegeadmissions #ivyleague #academia #studygram #parentingtips #collegeapps by @admittedlyco

The goals of English class essays are different than admissions essays. Free essay writing guide linked in our bio.
#collegeadmissions #commonapp #collegebound #collegeapplications #collegeapps #academia #parentingtips #highschool #parenting #studygram by @admittedlyco

What do students get wrong about Ivy League admissions? We asked someone who knows the process firsthand.
In our latest episode of The Synapse Podcast, we sat down with Thomas Caleel, former Director of MBA Admissions at Wharton and founder of Admittedly, to discuss what it really takes to stand out in highly competitive university admissions.
One of his biggest insights? There's no checklist that guarantees admission. In fact, focusing too much on checking boxes can distract students from what actually matters: building an authentic application that reflects who they are.
From extracurriculars and academic rigor to the importance of telling your story, Thomas shares valuable insights from his experience in admissions.
🎙️ Watch our full conversation with Thomas Caleel on YouTube.
thesynapsepodcast.com
#TheSynapsePodcast #CollegeAdmissions #UniversityAdmissions #IvyLeague #AdmissionsAdvice by @admittedlyco

🚨 For students aiming at top colleges, summer planning starts NOW.

That's why we're hosting a free live Summer Planning Webinar + Q&A next week! We're going cover the biggest planning mistakes to avoid, what to prioritize, and how to make the most of each summer in high school.

💬 Comment "SUMMER" to join us live on Tuesday 11/10!

#highschool #ivyleague #collegeadmissions #parentingtips #summerstrategy by @admittedlyco

JUNIORS: READ THIS ⬇️

The summer before senior year is an important opportunity to strengthen your college application. But not every program with a prestigious university's name attached carries the same weight in admissions.

Here's the distinction families need to consider:

🎓 Highly selective programs: Programs like Yale Young Global Scholars, RSI, SSP, and MITES have competitive selection processes. They're very different from programs that primarily offer an educational experience in exchange for tuition.

💸 Paid university summer programs: Just because a program takes place at Wharton, Stanford, or another prestigious institution doesn't mean attending it will give you an admissions advantage.

🎯 Your broader summer strategy: Even a worthwhile program shouldn't exist in isolation. How does it connect to your interests, extracurricular involvement, and the story your application will tell?

The question isn't just whether a summer program is good. It's whether it's the right use of YOUR time and money.

🎙️ We break down summer programs, paid research, and what actually strengthens a selective college application in S5E31 of the Admittedly Podcast: Pay-to-Play College Admissions: When Summer Programs & Research Actually Help (And When They Hurt).

💬 Juniors and parents: What questions do you have about summer 2027? Drop them below. I'd love to address them!

#JuniorYear #CollegeAdmissions #SummerPrograms #CollegeAdmissionsAdvice #IvyLeagueAdmissions #HighSchoolJuniors #CollegePlanning by @admittedlyco

College admissions looks very different depending on where your student is in high school.

Swipe to find their grade and see what they should be focusing on right now.

Freshman year is about laying the groundwork, not building a college resume overnight. The choices your student makes now can help them discover what they actually want to pursue.

💬 Comment ROADMAP for our free High School Roadmap Guide for 9th Graders.

Sophomore year is a great time to start narrowing interests and thinking more intentionally about courses, activities, and summer plans.

💬 Comment TEN for our free Sophomore Year Guide.

Junior year is when college planning starts getting real. Testing, recommendations, college lists, and extracurricular strategy all deserve attention before senior year.

💬 Comment JUNIOR for our free Junior Year Planning Guide.

Comment the keyword for your student's grade and we'll send the guide your way!

#parentingtips #collegeadmissions #ivyleague #highschool #collegeapplications by @admittedlyco

by @admittedlyco

I've spent 20+ years working in admissions, and I've seen firsthand how difficult it is for high school students to build nonprofits that create meaningful, lasting impact.

Meanwhile, a consistent part-time job can demonstrate qualities colleges genuinely value: grit, responsibility, humility, teamwork, and a willingness to do hard work.

You don't need a prestigious internship or an impressive-sounding title to show those qualities.

And that doesn't mean starting a nonprofit is a bad idea. If you're genuinely passionate about a cause and prepared to commit to it, absolutely pursue it.

But don't overlook the value of showing up, working hard, and doing something well over time.

Follow @admittedlyco for more insights into what selective colleges actually value.

#CollegeAdmissions #CollegeAdmissionsAdvice #ExtracurricularActivities #HighSchoolStudents by @admittedlyco

No, this is not a joke.

Kalshi is reportedly moving to introduce prediction markets tied to college admissions statistics, including application numbers and acceptance rates at selective universities like Stanford and Duke.

I'm not convinced this is a good idea, but I'm curious to hear what you think.

👇 Let me know in the comments.

#Kalshi #IvyLeagueAdmissions #CollegeAdmissionsNews #HigherEducation by @admittedlyco

Imagine spending $5,000 on a research program, giving up weeks of your child's summer, and then finding out admissions officers aren't particularly impressed by it.

That's money, time, and opportunities your child could have invested in something that actually strengthens their application.

And here's what many families don't realize: Most students don't even NEED research to build a competitive Ivy+ application.

So when is research worth the investment, and when are you paying for a credential that carries little weight?

🎙️ I break it all down in the latest episode of the Admittedly Podcast: S5E31, Pay-to-Play College Admissions: When Summer Programs & Research Actually Help (And When They Hurt).

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

#ivyleague #collegeadmissions #highschool #researchprograms #parentingtips" by @admittedlyco

🚨 JUNIORS: Waiting to start prep can put you at a significant disadvantage in the college admissions process.

By the time your school schedules its first college planning meetings, you'll be halfway through junior year. And you could already be missing important opportunities that you won't get back.

Here's what you should be doing NOW:

📚 Teacher recommendations: Build relationships with teachers who can speak to more than just your grades.

📝 SAT/ACT: Create a testing plan that leaves time to prepare and retake if needed.

🎯 Extracurriculars: Take initiative and make a meaningful impact in the activities you care about.

☀️ Summer plans: Research opportunities before application deadlines pass.

And this is just the beginning. There are plenty of other decisions you'll need to make throughout junior year, and waiting until someone tells you what to do can leave you scrambling to catch up.

The earlier you understand what matters and when, the more time you have to build a strong application.

💬 Comment JUNIOR and we'll send you our FREE Junior Year Planning Guide so you can start planning seriously NOW.

#ivyleague #11thgrade #collegeprep #admissionsadvice #highschool by @admittedlyco