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Admittedly has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Admittedly.
Admittedly has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Admittedly is a New York City-based education technology platform that provides personalized college matching and admissions advisory services for high school students. The system utilizes personality assessments, academic records, and personal interests to pair applicants with suitable universities while offering tracking tools for guidance counselors. Operating on a business model that charged higher education institutions for targeted recruitment and data analytics, the consumer-facing platform remained free for students. Prior to its acquisition, the company served hundreds of thousands of student users and raised approximately $1.2 million in seed funding. The startup secured financial backing from notable investors including Quotidian Ventures, RRE, and New York Angels, before being acquired by the National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA) in 2016. Admittedly was founded in 2013 by Jessica Brondo Schwartz, Emily Cole, and Thomas Caleel.
Admittedly is a modern college admissions platform that combines AI-driven tools, personalized coaching, and expert guidance to help high school students craft standout applications for top universities.[1][2][3] It serves students, parents, and counselors by offering tailored programs—from free advisory tools to high-touch coaching—solving the challenge of navigating increasingly competitive admissions where perfect grades alone aren't enough.[2][3][5] The platform democratizes access through scalable tech, partnerships like Advantage Testing for test prep, and a focus on equity for underserved communities, with a proven track record: 99% of founder Thomas Caleel's students get into one of their top three schools, including Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT.[1][2][5]
Admittedly's growth stems from its strategic, depth-focused approach—building authentic narratives over gimmicks—delivering acceptances to elite institutions and life-changing results for families.[1][2]
Admittedly was founded by Thomas Caleel, a former Director of Admissions at a top competitive university, who brings over 20 years of experience shaping strategies for students, governments, and institutions worldwide.[2][4][5] The idea emerged from Caleel's insider knowledge of evolving admissions landscapes, where holistic review demands more than resumes—prompting a platform that provides insider expertise at scale.[2]
Early traction built on Caleel's personal success rate, evolving into a team-based model with specialists in essays, interviews, financial aid, and more, all under his oversight.[2][4][5] Pivotal moments include partnerships like Advantage Testing, expanding into test prep and equity-focused outreach to make elite prep accessible beyond income levels.[1][5]
Admittedly rides the edtech democratization wave, leveraging AI and online platforms to disrupt traditional, elite-only admissions consulting amid rising competition (e.g., test-optional shifts, holistic reviews).[1][2][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic admissions chaos and equity pushes, where market forces like income disparities and application volume favor scalable, affordable tools over pricey tutors.[1]
It influences the ecosystem by partnering with test-prep leaders like Advantage Testing, fostering mentorship for underrepresented talent, and normalizing data-backed strategies—shifting power from legacy networks to merit-focused tech.[1][5]
Admittedly is poised to expand as AI enhances personalization in edtech, potentially integrating more predictive analytics for admissions odds and global reach (e.g., U.K./Canada via team experts).[4] Trends like rising international applications and financial aid complexity will amplify demand; expect deeper nonprofit ties and VR interview sims to evolve its influence from U.S.-centric coach to global equity leader.
This positions Admittedly as the strategic edge in an admissions arms race—democratizing top-tier success where talent truly determines destiny.[1][2]
Admittedly has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in August 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2014 | $1M Seed | — | BoxGroup, Colle Capital, Foundry Group, Gotham GAL Ventures, Grace Beauty Capital, IA Ventures, Purpose Built Ventures, Queensbridge Venture Partners, Rose Tech Ventures, RRE Ventures, Scout Ventures, Seven Seven SIX, Uprising, Vayner RSE, Y Combinator, Esther Dyson, Frank Rimalovski, Lori Greiner, Sean Glass, Joanne Wilson, Shawn Byers, Correlation Ventures, Quotidian Ventures | Announced |
Key people at Admittedly.
Admittedly has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Admittedly's investors include BoxGroup, Colle Capital, Foundry Group, Gotham Gal Ventures, Grace Beauty Capital, IA Ventures, Purpose Built Ventures, QueensBridge Venture Partners, Rose Tech Ventures, RRE Ventures, Scout Ventures, Seven Seven Six.
