The converging trends of a competitive labor market, ballooning university tuitions, new online learning alternatives, and fast-changing job roles has created a tipping point in the perceived value of college degrees. The percentage of jobs requiring a college degree fell from 51% in 2017 to 44% percent in 2021. And according to Gallup, the percentage of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 who view college education as "very important" dropped from .....more

Students from underrepresented communities are often given the advice to "network for better opportunities." However, the unfortunate reality is that white, more privileged groups continue to control access to the majority of jobs and career opportunities, often through hidden rules of engagement and closed networks that are passed down generationally and tied to wealth or social connections. The authors highlight three paradoxes that hold .....more

How many colleges should students apply to? While there is no "magic number," research shows there is a big benefit to keeping it on the higher side. A study by economist Amanda Pallais found that when students submitted college applications to four schools, as opposed to three, there was a major positive outcome. Low-income students, on average, ended up attending more selective schools as a result. The financial value of this is large: .....more

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started. Start early. Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don''t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay. Keep the focus narrow. Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens .....more

Will attending grad school actually help you reach your goals?

The best way to increase your odds of getting into your dream business school is taking the time to submit a great application. And that means you need to start earlier, go deeper, and finish stronger. There''s a few ways to do that. Take the GMAT or GRE ASAP. Put in at least three to six months of study. If you''re fresh out of college, you likely won''t have to revisit the rules of grammar or basic math. Dial up your intellect. .....more

While internships have high value in the job market, research shows that 43% of internships by for-profit companies are unpaid. Not paying an intern for their work, time, and effort is not just unfair, it''s unethical and exploitative. Unpaid internships deepen the existing social divide. A survey conducted by NACE found that paid internships disproportionately go to white, male students with parents who have a college degree. The survey also .....more

Graduating is a big deal, and feeling some confusion or jitters about what comes next is natural. To help you navigate this next chapter, we asked five professors and career services professionals for their advice. Here''s what they think you should know. Applying to jobs is a skill you must learn and refine. Practice often. A job search is a job on its own. It''s going to take a lot of mental energy and strength, so make sure you''re .....more

Covid-19 has impacted universities and colleges around the world, causing major changes to student life. These changes, from not being able to live on campus to taking classes online, have taken their toll on college students financially, academically, and mentally. During the Fall 2020 semester, we asked more than 400 college students around the world to tell us, in their own words, how they are dealing with the pandemic. We asked about their living .....more

Getting an MBA (Master of Business Administration) takes a lot of time, money, and effort. So it''s important to really think about whether or not it is worth your while to pursue one. Here are some things to consider. The right reasons: To hone skills like influence, empathy, and building business strategies; to help you make a career pivot; to accelerate the pace of your professional development; to expand and diversify your professional .....more