Thomas Caleel is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania (CAS ‘94) and the Wharton School (MBA ‘03). After earning his MBA at the Wharton School in 2003, he moved to Silicon Valley to focus on venture investing. From 2005-08, he was Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Wharton. In that capacity Thomas worked closely with admissions professionals, students, alumni, and faculty to curate the best possible MBA class. Thomas has been an entrepreneur his entire life in the fields of finance, agriculture, alternative energy, wellness, and athletics.

As the founder of Global Education Opportunities LLC, Thomas works as a high-level admissions advisor to help families and students achieve their education goals, and has advised governments, global corporations, and large nonprofits on education partnerships and policy. Thomas started his podcast Admittedly because he is passionate about demystifying the application process for all parents and applicants. He has spoken at a variety of engagements both domestically and internationally.

Over the past fifteen years, Thomas has brought his unique perspective and experience to bear helping families navigate the stressful and complex world of admissions. As a parent himself, Thomas understands that we will do everything we can to provide the best possible future for our children, and in today's highly competitive admissions landscape, that means finding an experienced, credible counselor to maximize outcomes. 

Thomas has also worked with government entities, private companies, family offices, private wealth groups, and foundations to provide in-house training to benefit existing talent-development programs and providing unique and compelling benefits to members/employees. His talks help parents and students gain a clear inside perspective on the US admissions process, and additional services have included longer Q&A sessions and even individual meetings with high-value internal clients/executives/families to asses their personal education goals.

Thomas relishes the opportunity to speak to families, from intimate coffee chats to auditoriums filled with thousands of anxious applicants. His podcast, Admittedly, is ranked in the top 10 or 20 in most major markets in How To, and his social media is inundated with applicants and parents asking for advice. Thomas is direct and honest about the challenges facing applicants, but he conveys this truth in a sincere, often entertaining style that is bracing but comforting and supports big dreams.