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Free Webinar and Live Q&A
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 · 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET

Rigor or Burnout?

How to choose courses that actually help your student grow.

Every course-selection season brings pressure to take the most advanced classes possible. But admissions readers do not simply count AP, IB, or honors courses. They look at a student’s choices in the context of their school, interests, academic history, performance, and capacity. Join Thomas Caleel and Shane Trujillo, former admissions professionals from Wharton and Stanford, for a practical conversation about choosing an appropriately challenging course load that supports meaningful learning, long-term growth, and a strong application.

Reserve Your Free Spot

What We'll Cover

This is a practical session for families who want to replace course-selection anxiety with a clearer decision framework. Thomas and Shane will explain how admissions readers interpret academic rigor in context, why the hardest possible schedule is not always the strongest choice, and how students can build a course plan that reflects real curiosity and sustained growth. A live Q&A at the end will give families the chance to ask questions directly.

How Admissions Readers Evaluate Rigor in Context

Learn why rigor is not measured by counting AP classes alone. Thomas and Shane will explain how a transcript is read alongside a student’s school profile, available courses, academic interests, prior performance, and overall trajectory.

When More Rigor Helps, and When It Becomes Too Much

Understand the difference between an appropriately demanding schedule that supports growth and an overloaded one that can affect grades, learning, health, activities, and momentum.

How to Build a Course Plan That Actually Tells a Story

Get a practical framework for selecting classes that develop genuine interests, support future exploration, and make a student’s academic choices feel intentional rather than reactive.

Your student does not need to take every difficult class.
Register below to learn how to choose the courses that make sense for their path.

 

Meet Your Hosts

Thomas Caleel

Founder and CEO, Admittedly; Former Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Shane Trujillo

Director of Student Success & Operations; Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Stanford University; Former Associate Director of College Counseling, The Dalton School

Choose Challenge With Intention

The strongest course load is not necessarily the most punishing one. It is the one that challenges a student appropriately, reflects genuine interests, and leaves room for sustained learning and growth.

Before the next course-selection decision, give your family a clearer way to weigh rigor, readiness, performance, wellbeing, and long-term direction. Join Thomas and Shane for an admissions-informed answer to the question families ask every fall: how much rigor is enough?

Reserve Your Free Spot
Thomas Caleel

Thomas Caleel has spent more than 20 years shaping admissions strategy at the highest levels of education. As the former Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Wharton, he reviewed tens of thousands of applications and made final admissions decisions for one of the world’s most selective business schools. Today, he leads Admittedly and helps students make thoughtful academic and admissions choices grounded in authenticity, intellectual curiosity, and long-term growth.

shane

Shane Trujillo brings experience from both sides of the admissions process. At Stanford, he evaluated thousands of applications, led the QuestBridge Match process, and conducted specialized reviews for transfers, athletes, and students with complex personal contexts. He later spent four years as Associate Director of College Counseling at The Dalton School, helping high-achieving students make thoughtful decisions within a demanding academic environment. He is known for helping students create coherence across their courses, activities, and application narrative.