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Free Webinar and Live Q&A
Thursday, November 19, 2026 · 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET

The 3 Actions That Shape Your 9th or 10th Grader's College Options

A Parent's Guide to Making the Right Moves Now.

If you have a ninth or tenth grader, you may be wondering when to start thinking about college and how to be helpful without creating more pressure. The good news is that your student does not need a polished college plan yet. But the choices they make now can shape the options available to them later. Join Thomas Caleel and Dr. Peggy for a practical parent guide to the three areas that matter most: building an academic foundation, helping genuine interests grow into meaningful commitment, and creating the relationships and routines that make junior year easier to navigate.

Reserve Your Free Spot

What We'll Cover

This is a grounding, parent-focused session for families who want to replace vague admissions advice with a clearer framework. Thomas and Dr. Peggy will explain what your student can begin building in ninth or tenth grade, what can wait, and how you can offer support without taking over their schedule or turning high school into an admissions project. A live Q&A at the end will give you the opportunity to ask questions about your student's courses, activities, motivation, and next steps.

Build an Academic Foundation That Keeps Options Open

Learn how your student can make course and academic choices that provide appropriate challenge, preserve room for growth, and help them discover which subjects genuinely engage them. Thomas and Dr. Peggy will explain why a transcript is a developing story, not a one-time test of perfection.

Help Interests Grow Into Meaningful Commitment

Understand the difference between being busy and becoming genuinely engaged. Learn how your student can explore widely at first, then identify the activities, responsibilities, and questions worth deepening over time without adding commitments simply for a future résumé.

Create the Relationships and Routines That Support a Strong Junior Year

Discover how teacher relationships, family conversations, and realistic planning can reduce the pressure that often arrives in eleventh grade. The goal is not to map every step years in advance. It is to help your student develop the support, self-awareness, and ownership that make later decisions easier.

Your student does not need to have college figured out today. Register below for a clearer way to support the choices that will keep their future options open.

 

Meet Your Hosts

Thomas Caleel

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

Dr. Peggy

Admissions Strategist, Admittedly; Former Head of Upper School, Crane Country Day School; Former Director of Studies, Cate School; Ed.D., UCLA; M.A.T., Brown University

Support Now. Keep
Options Open.

The goal in ninth and tenth grade is not to create a finished college applicant. It is to help your student build the academic confidence, genuine interests, and trusted relationships that make future decisions easier.

Before comparison or junior-year pressure enters the conversation, give yourself a clearer way to support your student. Join Thomas and Dr. Peggy for an honest, admissions-informed conversation about the actions that can create meaningful momentum now.

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 and families make thoughtful choices grounded in authenticity, intellectual curiosity, and long-term growth.

peggy

Dr. Peggy brings more than 30 years of independent-school leadership, guiding students and families through every stage of the academic journey. Her experience includes serving as a middle-school Head of Students, college Admissions Strategist, and Director of Studies at elite California independent schools. She has served on middle- and high-school admissions committees and conducted college-level alumni interviews. Dr. Peggy is known for helping families build grounded, authentic admissions roadmaps through deep listening, compassion, and clarity.