41 reviews for College Admissions Counseling – Gold

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Bora Soyturk – May 12, 2026

   Kristin has a very genuine caring approach in guiding you through the vast options available. From the start, she listened to my son’s wishes and interests and helped him narrow down the options; all while putting my son and us, the parents, at ease. As we progressed along this journey, she continued to provide support whenever we had additional questions, and regularly checked-in with us. Thank you!

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Heidi da Rosa – April 3, 2026

   Heidi is thriving, living her new independent life. We could not be more proud of her and pleased with this university placement. She made the right choice, although, I suspect that a few, if not all of the five institutions may have also been a right choice as well.

   Without your professional, competent and dedicated care for Heidi, none of this would have happened. The investment was well worth it. We are sincerely grateful for your service.

   Most sincerely,
   Michael P. da Rosa

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Kevin Harper – February 26, 2025

   I’ve paid for BTS services for two of my children and both times I was pleased with the knowledge and support my children received. Due to the structure of support services, my children were able to exhibit greater independence and personal accountability through the tasks from beginning to attending their university of choice. One child decided to attend college locally, but the experience was no less valuable. Thank you Kristin Hamaker and founder Jennifer Viemont for the excellent customer service with my teens.

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Molly Carnes – February 26, 2025

   We went with the Gold plan from Beyond the States and it has been incredibly helpful. My daughter had missed the public university deadlines to apply but Kristin found us affordable private school options that were perfect for her and her interests. And her interests were narrow and the only country being considered was France. There is no way we would have been able to find these schools and navigate the process on our own. Kristin gave us honest and practical advice. And my daughter was accepted to her top choice school in Toulouse! She is a strong student but did not do AP classes or an IB track in high school but with Beyond the States guidance, she is on her way to France. Totally worth every penny.

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Fabio Secaira – February 7, 2025

   We had our eyesight set on Beyond the States for a long while before we finally purchased the Gold program, and we are extremely glad we did. Kristin provided a wealth of information during the one-on-one session, and the Best Fit list was well thought out, explained the reasons why each program was picked, taking into consideration my son’s interests and preference of city/weather. He submitted 5 applications within the last few days and he has one acceptance letter already. We’re waiting to hear back from the other 4 programs, most of which were the ones included in his Best Fit List. We would not hesitate to use BTS again, and we would recommend them to anyone that would like to explore the option of studying in Europe.

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Murphy Hall – January 22, 2025

   Beyond the States was a lifesaver in our search. Great resources and Gold package gave us the confidence to fully explore this option. Will be heading to The Netherlands in the Fall!

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Michelle McCalleigh – October 26, 2023

   I am in my mid-fifties and decided to join my two passions, learning and traveling. Beyond the States reduced so much research time in finding a program that encompassed my interests of study, area of Europe I was most interested in, programs taught in English, and the cost of the programs. Jennifer did an incredible job matching my interests with schools to produce the Best Fit list. The one-on-one zoom meeting helped relieve many of my fears of applying to a university in Europe at my age. I would highly encourage anyone, regardless of age, to look at Beyond the States if they have the slightest interest in studying in Europe.

8. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Megan MacDonald – October 26, 2023

   Beyond the States best fit list helped me find my dream university. Using the expertise of Beyond the States helped me find a college that meets all my needs and I will graduate debt free. Thank you!

9. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Sarah North Carolina – October 25, 2023

   The Beyond the States database allows us to sort and filter to find just the schools that have what we are looking for, which has is very helpful. Then the webcasts I have found confirming and reassuring as you really give a lot of relevant detail about the various subjects. Most comforting though have been the Q&A calls. As we have narrowed down our findings, we have more and more specific questions and not knowing can be worrisome. Being able to ask directly and hear your knowledgeable answers continues to reassure us that this is the right direction for us. Its a big deal doing something that outside the box and having your constant positive support is really key for us to continue to have the confidence to do this. Now that we’ve visited it really seems within reach.

10. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Makena Behnke – August 5, 2023

    I found this class extremely helpful because finding information about European schools could be very difficult especially if you don‚Äôt have a college counsellor to ask (like me). I learned a lot about the process of applying and it helped me kind of narrow down what I‚Äôm interested in academically. There were pieces of information that I learned from this course that you can‚Äôt really find on the internet because it‚Äôs something you learn from experience. Thank you 🙂

11. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    kim janson-smith – June 10, 2023

    My son is a junior and this has assisted him in defining 1)areas of academic and cultural interst 2) what he wants to achieve out of his college experience 3) confidence in his decision making

12. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Dawn New York – May 5, 2023

    The things I really appreciated about Beyond the States was the detailed information about programs abroad including pricing, programs and even living conditions with lots of articles from current students in particular countries. Definitely a real feel for what these students will experience once abroad. Also, the monthly calls were very informative and we definitely had whatever questions or concerns we had answered and frequent live conferences online were helpful as they hit a number of different topics and concerns for both students and parents. All and all, a great experience and we appreciate the help and information you have provided and continue to provide.

13. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Naomi Norris – February 24, 2023

    One thing that I found very helpful in this course was getting to communicate with people who were considering the same things I was and getting to listen to them pick your brain during the zoom calls.

14. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Antoine Guerin – January 25, 2023

    This class helped me immensely to find colleges overseas and select from them. Highly recommended!

15. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Max Yarborough – December 23, 2022

    The list that Jennifer provided for me was tailored exactly to what I needed. The more information you provide about yourself, your interest, and past experiences, the more likely she is to hone in on what‚Äôs best for you 🙂 I found a great school in Prague that‚Äôs well under my budget at 297euros! I wouldn‚Äôt have been able to get this info without her or this service and I‚Äôm really grateful for her.

16. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Camille Smith – November 25, 2022

    I loved the class because Jenn made me feel very confident in the application process. I loved that it was so organized because it helped me gather all the information I needed beforehand, which made the process a lot less daunting. The class gave specific information on the motivation letter, CV, interview process, etc. and I wouldn’t have been able to complete the process this smoothly without the class. I am so thankful for Beyond the States!

17. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Holly Indiana – November 7, 2022

    I’m so excited that my daughter is accepted to Erasmus University in the Netherlands! She is beyond excited to begin her college experience. We had never heard of Erasmus and would not have known where to begin without Beyond the States. Erasmus was on my daughter’s “Best Fit” list and it’s a perfect fit. We have felt educated and supported since we joined BTS. I’m also pleased that we have access to other families from around the country whose students will attend Erasmus. It’s a community we would not have had. Let’s also not forget that the money we have saved for college will go so much further in Europe. No crippling student loan debt for our daughter. I can’t say thank you enough for the help we have received in getting here.

18. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Sophie Michigan – October 31, 2022

    I would not have even known where to start looking at colleges in Europe without Beyond the States. They helped with searching for colleges that would fit me and also helped me through the application process. I am very grateful for all of the guidance that I have received from Beyond the States.

19. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Courtney Marsh – October 10, 2022

    I just wanted to thank you for your assistance and the Best Fit List! I applied to Bocconi after talking to you and I just found out a couple of days ago that I got in! I plan to enroll and move to Milan in the fall. I’m very excited to attend school abroad and I couldn’t have done it without your help! Thank you so much for the guidance and many resources you provided!

20. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Helen Worsnop – September 8, 2022

    Well first off, I ordered the Best Fit List which was the most helpful thing. Then the class itself was hugely helpful as it simplified the process and gave very easy to understand information on how to apply and how to choose and research the colleges. 100% worth it, if I had tried to do the process myself I would be so lost.

21. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Tracy – August 28, 2022

    Beyond the States has lit a fire for our 16-year-old daughter and opened a world of possibilities for her. We are very thankful for Jennifer and the services she provides on her website. I recently signed up for email support in which I could email Jennifer and receive answers to our most pressing questions as we took her courses. It was exactly what we needed right now! Her answers were thoughtful and detailed and will help us move forward as we explore the idea of our daughter heading off to Europe for college.

22. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    madde johnson – August 15, 2022

    Super helpful! The class told me everything i needed to know about the application process and how i need to go into the application process with a different mindset than i have been taught in high school. The lists were very helpful and i will definitely be using them next year when i start applying abroad!

23. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Molly New Jersey – June 24, 2022

    If your kid is considering studying abroad, Beyond the States offers a community of like-minded, helpful parents, where you can get answers to your questions and compare notes with others.I believe college abroad will be transformative for my daughter, and I don’t think we’d be pursuing this path if I hadn’t stumbled across an article about Beyond the States a couple of years ago. Luckily for us I did, and now we are well on our way to making college abroad a reality. With BtS, I feel like part of a generous community that shares its knowledge and experiences, so I don’t to figure out everything on my own. I can’t imagine how our family would even navigate all the details we’d need to know about studying abroad without BtS and its members. So I am really grateful that BtS exists, and I tell everyone I know about it.

24. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jan Martinet – May 26, 2022

    My twin sons are sophomores but they’ve been thrilled to be able to look at these college options. They’re sold and we’ll be using Beyond the States expertise to help us through the application process when that comes around. Great organization!

25. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Anne Oregon – May 26, 2022

    When my daughter said she wanted to go to college in Europe, I was at a complete loss as to how to make that happen. Then I found Beyond the States. This site has been incredibly helpful to us by providing a thorough database of the many colleges available as well as offering informative webinars and blogs about the many facets of attending college in Europe. And best of all, Jennifer actually visits the colleges and so is able to give great insight into each one which helped us narrow down the choices to find the best fit. Jennifer is also great about promptly responding to any questions or concerns you may have. My daughter was recently accepted into the University of Pecs, Hungary and we couldn’t have done it without Beyond the States. I would highly recommend this site to anyone considering college in Europe.

26. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Lori Davison – February 14, 2022

    I consider myself to be excellent in researching and once my son decided he would like to look into colleges in other countries I dove into all the info. I could find. Since we had no direction it became quite clear that this was a huge task. Finding a college that provides the degree he wants, looking into where it’s located, if the course is taught in English, the tuition cost, etc. became overwhelming. I discovered BTS while doing some Google Searches and wrote down the web address just in case we needed it in the future. Well, the future came about 2 weeks later when we were about to give up on studying abroad. We wound up joining BTS and once we received the database we were both so excited. We found a ton of college possibilities with all the important information right there for us to see very clearly. Right now my son has applied to 3 different schools in the Netherlands. Not only did we find these schools that look amazing but also will be saving thousand of dollars a year. We also listened to some of Jenn’s webcasts and courses where we have learned so much. This has given us the confidence to know that this is exactly what my son wants to do.
    Jenn provides the most valuable info that I have found. She is extremely knowledgeable and it is so clear that this is her passion.
    Another benefit of BTS is that I feel like Jenn has made her site feel like a community and It is so good to know that when my son gets strange looks at times when he tells people he is going to college in Europe that we are certainly not alone.
    I feel like finding BTS and becoming a member has been one of our best decisions!
    It is a huge deal when your child wants to go to college abroad. A life changing adventure. BTS helped us make the best decision possible and I am so thankful!

27. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Pasquale Bernardi – February 10, 2022

    The membership offers tons of great information and guidance. The videos are excellent, as are the classes. The BTS team is very friendly and responsive. I do not know how we would have navigated the process successfully without this membership. Worth every penny!

28. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Theo California – February 4, 2022

    I am often astounded, in looking back, at how I ended up where I am. I went through the normal college process, got into some schools, didn’t get into some others, the differences between the schools being minuscule. I could have very easily ended up at another American college, had the typical American college experience, and have had the trajectory one might expect. However, a little over a year ago, almost as a fluke, I paid for the Beyond The States Best Fit List, and was subsequently introduced to about ten schools in Europe. When I was younger I would insist I would study in some far flung land, but as my college years approached I considered less and less this possibility. It had all but slipped my mind, until I came across Beyond The States. One of the schools to which I was introduced was Leiden University College, with which I became immediately enamored, due to its fascinating study program, its truly global student body, and its location in the heart of The Hague, one of the world’s major hubs for international diplomacy and law. Now, I am approaching the end of my first year at Leiden University College, and I know that there is no better place in which I could have ended up. And I know that I would not have, if it hadn’t been for the help of Beyond The States.

29. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Ava – January 6, 2022

    Jenn responded to me quickly and gave really tailored feedback about the list of programs I was considering! There are so many programs in the Beyond The States database for each area of study, so I really appreciated getting to run my initial thoughts by her. Her first hand knowledge of the schools really helped me to narrow down my choices.

30. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Cathy Garber – January 3, 2022

    Beyond The States has been an absolute godsend for us. My son attended a private school where they were really focused on Ivy League schools, so the college counselling department was of little help in helping my son fulfill his lifelong dream of attending college in Europe. We did a lot of research on our own before finding BTS, but the info we needed was much easier to find on the BTS database and having Jenn, Tom, and their team to bounce questions and ideas off of was incredibly helpful. We used the database a lot, and once we had narrowed the search, we worked with Jenn to evaluate our our list and make sure there weren’t any red flags or missing schools. And, we have greatly enjoyed getting to know other parents/students on the same journey and learning from thrive experiences. My son applied to his top choice school in the Netherlands in October, received an invitation to interview within 48 hours, and received conditional acceptance within a few days of the interview. Wow! I love the efficiency. I am so glad I found the BTS podcast, listened, joined, and reached out. I know we could have navigated this process on our own, but I am certain it would have been a lot. More difficult, stressful, and I am not sure we would have the same outcome. I am forever grateful to the BTS team and we are already planning to work with them to find the right program when my son is ready for grad school. I cannot recommend them enough! Thank you!

31. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Amy Patton – December 27, 2021

    I found the database very useful in the search for programs that met my son’s interests. I am confident that we would not have found these programs without the database. In addition to finding the programs, reading the descriptions and reflections on each university was also quite helpful. The cost of the subscription to the database is reasonable for the value of the information gained. My son is a junior and still has time to change his mind before applications are due. I would not hesitate to subscribe again to guide a further search.

32. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Tiana Julian – December 20, 2021

    Our membership with Beyond the States was the single most crucial piece of our daughter’s college seeking journey. The tools and services provided allowed our daughter to easily select programs of interest based on her likes and admission criteria. The process is transparent, and by choice, she avoided much of the unnecessary stress and complication that has taken over the standard American process. She leaves tomorrow for Europe. We know she will graduate without loans and have uncountable opportunities that could not be duplicated here. Jennifer’s commitment, connections, and desire to share resources with others is what makes Beyond The States shine.

33. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Ali Riddle – November 6, 2021

    Beyond the States has been amazing in helping my narrow down my options and commit to a school in Europe. It brought me further in the process after doing research on my own and provided information about universities that I couldn’t find myself!

34. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Catherine Weiss – October 17, 2021

    This is an amazing service! We are signing up again when my youngest gets to be the right age. I recommend it to anyone considering college in Europe for their high schoolers!

35. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Ethan Fite – August 30, 2021

    This class was an eyeopening experience into the world of European college. It was very well taught by someone who knows everything there is to know about European college. It was comforting to have the ability to talk to other students in the same situation as I am, reassuring me that I am not alone is my unique choice of college. The lessons were very well structured and helped me tremendously at finding programs I could see myself attending. At the start, I had no idea, and by the end of the class I had 5 programs I was very interested in. Overall, this class has prepared me for my next step in life in ways I could not have ever imagined. Would greatly recommend!

36. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jordyn Bichel – August 30, 2021

    So thankful we found Beyond the States for our daughter who is going to AAU Prague Fall 2021. This would NOT have been possible without BTS! Going through high school she knew she didn’t want a typical US university and deal with the competitive nature of trying to get in. We found Beyond the States in a google search and started a lot of research on their website and bought the book Jennifer Viemont wrote. Once we read the book and did the research, we knew this was what we were looking for. With the help of the wonderful website and search engine BTS had, we were able to narrow down her top schools. She chose AAU Prague as she fell in love with the city, culture, size of the university, her major, and student/teacher ratio. If we never found Beyond the States, I am not sure we would have even known about college abroad for a Bachelor degree in an English speaking program. Our high school was unfamiliar with this process and BTS. We were able to educate them about other options than what was being presented at an inexpensive price tag. Jennifer also had a meeting with the school and they now have their information in the counseling office and present to the students there is another option to earn a college degree. Thank you so much and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for her!!

37. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Kelly Thompson – June 4, 2021

    When our daughter approached us about going her entire schooling in Europe, I gave it a 10% chance of happening. Because of Jenn and BTS, we have no doubt that we will be visiting our child abroad while she studies. Jenn has provided key research and guidance for our family. I hate to admit but before we started this journey, I had quite a bit of American exceptionalism when it came to education…I was wrong!

38. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    John Cusey – May 12, 2021

    The best fit list was extremely helpful for my son as he looked at schools to apply to in Europe. The top suggestion from the analysis was the Maastricht Science Program. On paper it is exactly what he had been looking for but didn’t know existed. We visited d and he fell in loves it the place. He was just accepted to attend there and it feels like the perfect fit. About half the price of in state tuition here and a highly ranked school.

    Thank you Beyond the States.

39. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Nick Kentucky – April 20, 2021

    I wish the database you and Tom have created existed when I was in high school. Without the database, and your assistance via the Best Fit list, I highly doubt, nay can say with almost absolute surety, that my longtime desire to study in Europe would be just months on the horizon. When you are unaware of how many programs are out there, and how to even go about searching for them, its an incredibly laborious task, as I’m sure you know all too well.

    I’ve applied to multiple schools in Europe, after receiving feedback from Jenn via a “Best Fit” list. Two of my favorites, one of which I’ve already been notified I’ve been accepted to, were not in countries I initially had in mind! If it were not for the “Best Fit” list, those outstanding programs and schools would unfortunately not have been on my radar, as it were.

40. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Tricia Kroll – April 13, 2021

    I have always felt that college in America was not for me and even at age 10 I knew I wanted to go to Europe. However, resources to find options outside of my home state let alone country were nonexistent in all my schools. As I became older and began researching American colleges I felt unimpressed and lost. Finding out about Beyond the States has changed my life. I was a little hesitant about paying $50 but it was so worth it. The database is extremely easy to navigate and made something that should feel overwhelming very calm. I personally didn’t know what country I wanted to go to so it was fun clicking around and seeing what each nation specializes in. When looking at a program, Beyond includes a lengthy and in depth description on education, food, housing, and social activities while also including financial information. Jenn’s notes made the entire program feel more personable and confident in my decisions. For anyone on the fence, pay for one month and check it out. It’s extremely easy to cancel and so worth the time to go look and explore. Beyond the States found me my dream program and I’m so excited for university.

41. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Laura Connecticut – February 3, 2021

    BTS has the most comprehensive information for American students looking to study in Europe. Without it, we would never have found the school we ultimately chose. Start with one-month membership. Dig around and see what possibilities are available. A European school is not for everyone, but everyone should consider a university in Europe. Beyond the financial benefits, the quality of education, and the increased job opportunities upon graduation, there is self awareness and personal growth from the experience of living in another culture
    for 3 or 4 years that cannot be found from attending an American university.