The college admissions process is not what it once was. Accessibility to college has increased, making college admissions more competitive. The old “formula” of good grades and extracurriculars as a fool-proof way of getting into college no longer serves students. So what’s the new wave of college admissions? What’s the secret sauce? We’ve invited Thomas Caleel, former MBA Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, (podcaster and dad!) to break it down for us. Who is Thomas Caleel? (1:24) College admissions is at boiling point (2:43) Why has it become so competitive? (4:45) Crafting a Cohort (7:58) Passion goes a long way (8:57) You don’t need all the bells & whistles (17:12) Is there a secret sauce? (18:38) Success Looks Different for Everyone (22:12) College is More than Curriculum (28:15) First Generation Students (29:07) “AI” is not your authentic voice (34:39) When Adriana used Chat GPT to tell someone off professionally (38:59) Adriana’s college admissions experience (41:40) Admissions looks at the whole picture (43:12) Thoughts on affirmative action being axed (44:40) “Who are you at this point in time?” (49:29) Self-awareness at 17 (50:45) How a famous criminal case helped Amy’s dad pick her career (54:00) Raising an adult (56:30) Is College at 18 reasonable? (58:51) Growth happens outside a college classroom, too (1:04:01) When Thomas feels like he’s winning at parenting (1:13:22)