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Free Webinar and Live Q&A
Sunday, September 13, 2026 · 1:00 PM PT / 4:00 PM ET

The 9th to 11th Grade Admissions Reset

What you cannot afford to miss this fall.

Your student does not need a perfect résumé or a five-year plan. But the choices they make this fall can shape the direction of their academic and extracurricular story for years to come. Join Thomas Caleel and Kirsten Sharett, two former Ivy+ admissions professionals, for a practical reset on what students in grades 9 through 11 should actually be doing now. You will learn how to focus on the choices that build genuine momentum, and stop mistaking busyness for progress.

Reserve Your Free Spot

What We'll Cover

This is a practical session for families who want clarity before the school year gets away from them. Thomas and Kirsten will explain how admissions readers interpret the direction of a student's choices over time, and how students can make existing interests more meaningful without adding commitments simply to fill a résumé. A live Q&A at the end will give families the chance to ask grade-specific questions directly.

The Difference Between Involvement and Direction

Learn how admissions officers distinguish passive participation from genuine curiosity, contribution, and growing ownership—and how students can make their existing activities more meaningful.

What Strong Applicants Build Before Senior Year

Explore how academic engagement, initiative, character, and impact develop over time, and how students can build these qualities authentically rather than trying to create a “perfect” profile.

The school year is already moving.
Register below to join us live on Sunday, September 13th at 1:00 PM PT / 4:00 PM ET.

 

Meet Your Hosts

Thomas Caleel

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

Kirsten Sharett

Senior Counselor; Former Admissions Reader, Princeton University; B.A., Barnard College; M.S., Columbia University

Don´t Miss This

This is a rare opportunity to get direct, unfiltered answers during our LIVE Q&A with former Wharton and Princeton admissions
officers about what the transfer process actually requires, and whether it's the right move for you.

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. He has advised governments, universities, and educational organizations on admissions strategy and holistic application review. Today, he leads Admittedly and helps students build thoughtful application strategies grounded in authenticity, intellectual curiosity, and long-term growth.

Kirsten

Kirsten brings more than seven years of admissions insight from the Ivy League to the global stage. As a former Admissions Reader at Princeton University, she evaluated applications from around the world and has since guided ambitious students toward acceptances at Ivy League, Ivy+, and top-30 institutions. Her background in communications and branding gives her a distinctive storyteller's instinct, helping students connect their interests, choices, and accomplishments into a narrative that admissions readers can immediately understand.