The Power of Education: A Conversation With Crimson CEO Jamie Beaton

In this blog post we've captured the most memorable and revealing insights from Jamie Beaton's conversation with Bruce Cotterill on the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast. During the interview Beaton shared numerous personal anecdotes about his own journey to Harvard, the world of hedge fund investing, and beyond, recounting the challenges of establishing Crimson's global footprint while also earning graduate degrees in his own right from the likes of Yale, Princeton, and other top schools. You'll hear Beaton's personal views on what students and families should look for in a prospective university, discover what makes Crimson so successful, and hear what Jamie thinks about AI and the future of education.

In Episode 26 of the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, Jamie Beaton, co-founder and CEO of Crimson Education, sat down with host Bruce Cotterill for a wide-ranging discussion about Beaton’s life journey and the success and vision of the company he co-founded, Crimson Education.

Beaton discussed his leaving New Zealand to attend Harvard and his next steps on to the world stage, first in a high-stakes advisory role at the New York Tiger Investment Fund, and on to a passionate quest for academic adventure at schools like Yale and Princeton — earning graduate degrees in law, international relations, educational technology and more. But, even before graduating magna cum laude from Harvard, Beaton had begun building Crimson Education.

Beaton then rapidly led Crimson's expansion, establishing a global footprint in over twenty countries in less than three years.

You can listen to the full episode here:

• iHeart Radio
• Spotify
• Apple

Now, under Beaton's continued guidance as CEO and after celebrating ten years of service, growth, and success, Crimson Education stands out as a global leader in admissions advising.

With a proven approach for getting students from around the world into top schools, such as Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford, and more, including Cambridge and Oxford, Crimson now attracts thousands of bright young international scholars from middle-school to high-school age to its virtual doorstep every year.

Jamie’s own journey and the many alumni whose lives have been transformed at Crimson provide a powerful blueprint for how strategic admissions planning and access to the world’s best universities can shape scholars into able leaders, launch stellar careers, and open doors to new visions and opportunities, not just for Crimson students but for society as a whole.

When it comes to Crimson’s success, it reflects the shared expertise of the consultancy's 850+ team members, Beaton's commitment to fostering a results-driven culture, and a collective focus on helping motivated students chart pathways to top schools in a very competitive admissions landscape.

From Dream Schools to Educational ROI, and Beyond…

When asked what’s at the heart of an excellent university and transformative university experience, Beaton acknowledged that most young scholars who come to Crimson bring a love for learning and a strong drive for getting into top-ranked schools.

But when it comes to gauging the value of a top-notch education, Beaton emphasized thinking about prospective schools in terms of career goals and return on educational investment:

Fundamentally, education for most people is an economic transaction where you invest money and learning, and you’ve got to get returns from that experience…The single most important thing is which university best maximizes your odds of getting into the career you want.

Jamie illustrated this point by sharing personal and student success stories. For example, he himself wanted to work for a hedge fund after graduating, and Harvard was well-known for sending graduates to top-tier Wall Street jobs.

Similarly, for those interested in creative fields like theater, schools such as Juilliard offer specialized programs that can open doors to careers on Broadway.

For students pursuing medicine, a prestigious program like Cambridge Medicine provides an unparalleled foundation for future doctors.

Jamie’s advice is clear: students should prioritize schools that align with their specific career goals. While factors like weather and campus life are worth considering, they pale in comparison to the career prospects that a top university can offer. As Jamie joked, he would have attended Harvard even if it were on Antarctica because of the career opportunities it provided.

Intangible Benefits of Attending the Most Selective Universities

Beyond the advantages of a rigorous academic experience and reputation, Beaton also talked about less tangible benefits students can get from attending very selective universities, listing some of the attributes he thinks go into the making of a great university:

• How strong are the professors?
• How strong are the networks connecting professors, programs, and students to meaningful opportunities outside the university?
• The students around you — are these folks you want to learn from and who will inspire you, propel you forward, and contribute to an academic culture that makes everyone better off?

To add to these, Beaton spoke of a culture of integrity — schools pointing students beyond what they’re studying, encouraging global ambition and broader knowledge.

Crimson Education’s Holistic Approach to College Admissions

Crimson Education’s approach to college admissions goes far beyond helping students connect with tutors and mentors and improve their test scores. Their holistic and personalized approach looks at the whole individual, what they’ve accomplished, what their passions, university aspirations, and career goals are — using this to inform all of the student’s next steps. 

The advising process then pairs students with a team of experts — helping students choose the right subjects in school and connect with the best extracurricular or leadership activities.

As the time to pick colleges and craft applications draws nearer, students work with a suite of expert strategists — Former Admissions Advisors from top schools, a hand-picked strategist, and specialized mentors — as they finalize their list of prospective schools, manage application tasks and timelines, craft compelling essays, and take various steps to ensure the best outcomes, from letters of recommendation all the way to prepping for admissions interviews.

It’s a very comprehensive process, but it works, getting students into top universities and launching amazing careers. Beaton put it this way,

Our job at Crimson is to find where you are right now and amplify that to make you the best version of yourself.

Each new school year, Crimson’s network of experts — many with their own experiences at fantastic universities — have helped thousands of students gain admission to the Ivy League and other top institutions.

In fact, Crimson has sent over 1,000 students to the Ivy League and more than 6,000 students to the world’s top 50 universities, including Stanford, Oxford, and Cambridge. This success is driven by our in-depth knowledge of what each university looks for in an applicant and our ability to guide students and families with an individualized strategy that maximizes each student’s chances of success.

Spotlight on Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges

As part of his approach, Beaton maintains a relentless focus on technology and innovation and spoke in this interview about the example of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is transforming education. 

Beaton highlighted AI's potential to democratize access to high-quality tutoring and personalized learning experiences, making it easier for students to get the help they need, no matter where they are in the world.

Jamie also shared his experience using AI while studying at Princeton, where it helped him tackle challenging math and finance problems.

Now Jamie is excited about AI's potential to make increase opportunities for students. For example, says Beaton, with AI tools, students can receive immediate feedback and tutoring in a way that was once only possible through expensive, one-on-one sessions.

This shift could offer significant benefits, reducing the costs associated with private tutoring and making world-class education accessible to motivated students anywhere in the world.

However, Jamie also noted the risks associated with AI, particularly the risk of AI leading to a decline in genuine learning:

A huge portion of usage is actually high school students using AI to write their work, to plagiarize essays.

Jamie advocates for live assessments where students are tested in real-time, without access to AI tools, to ensure they are truly learning and not cutting corners. While AI is a powerful tool, it must be used responsibly to avoid undermining the educational process.

Addressing the Challenges in New Zealand’s Education System

Jamie was candid in his assessment of New Zealand’s education system, calling for urgent reforms. He expressed concern that the NCEA curriculum is not preparing students to compete with their international peers, particularly when compared to more rigorous systems like the A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Jamie shared concerns about the system needing more academic rigor, the kind necessary to produce graduates who can excel on the global stage. He pointed out that students taking A-Levels are significantly more likely to gain admission to top universities compared to their NCEA counterparts, particularly in fields like medicine and science.

Despite the system's shortcomings, Jamie acknowledged that New Zealand still produces some exceptional students — but they succeed in spite of the system, often thanks to additional support from programs like Crimson.

Crimson Global Academy: Expanding Access to World-Class Education

To address some of the limitations in traditional education systems, Crimson launched the Crimson Global Academy (CGA), a fully accredited online high school. CGA offers students the chance to study the A-Level or AP curriculum from anywhere in the world, allowing them to gain the qualifications needed for top university admissions.

Through CGA, students in rural or underserved areas can access the same high-quality education as their peers in major cities. Jamie shared the story of a student from KeriKeri who, through CGA, was able to gain admission to Princeton University — a testament to Crimson's larger commitments to leveling the educational playing field.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Education

As the podcast concluded, Jamie shared his vision for the future of education. He believes that the combination of human mentorship and AI technology will revolutionize learning, making it more personalized, accessible, and efficient.

He envisions a future where students are no longer limited by geography or resources, but instead have access to the best educational opportunities, regardless of where they are. At Crimson, Jamie and his team are leading the charge to make this vision a reality.

To hear more about Jamie Beaton’s thoughts on the future of education and the work being done at Crimson Education, listen to the full episode here.