Does your child believe that myth, “If I don’t get into a good college, I won’t be able to get a good job when I graduate”?
(You can see the article I wrote debunking this myth here.)
The graph at the bottom of today’s post is going to make both you and your child feel instantly better.
For every kid who fears their college isn’t good enough, here’s great news.
Today I’m featuring excerpts from a brilliant article written by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic.
Thompson boldly tackles the question:
Do employers really care what college you went to?
What do they actually look at when deciding whether or not to hire a new college grad?
The answer is something every parent—and every student—needs to know.
When employers named the most important elements in hiring a recent college grad, college reputation finished at the bottom of the list.
At the bottom? That’s astounding.
Now we’re curious. What was at the top of the list?
At the top of the list were experiences outside of academics. Internships. Paid jobs. Volunteering.
As an academic strategist, I’d go further. The most powerful résumé actually combines all three of these—and the volunteering is most effective when it connects directly to the student’s college major, internships, and other paid work.
Peter Cappelli is a Wharton professor and the author of this timeless, renowned paper on job skills. “When employers . . . hire from college,” he says, “the evidence suggests that academic skills are not their primary concern. Work experience is the crucial attribute that employers want—even for students who have yet to work full-time.¹”
Now we’re curious. Which U.S. 4-year colleges provide their students maximum amounts of real-world work experience?
Read my article: 7 Reasons to Apply Exclusively to Co-op Colleges.
Work experience is the #1 thing employers look for in a new hire candidate.
Students have time to both study and work when they’ve taken the 1/2-day seminar I provide here:
THE STRATEGIC COLLEGE STUDENT: How to Get Higher Grades While Studying LESS Than Most Other People
Here’s the good news to pack up and take home:
Thompson, in The Atlantic, says: “When you drill down into how a college’s reputation affects hiring, employers’ mean rating of ‘regionally known’ colleges and universities was practically indistinguishable from their rating for elite schools.”
My suggestion to parents and guidance counselors?
Let’s stop demoralizing and scaring kids by telling them this lie: “If you don’t get into a good college, you won’t be able to get a good job when you graduate.” Instead, let’s tell them: “Be sure to plan ahead and do 2–3 paid internships during college—it’s one of the best ways to set yourself up to get a great job when you graduate!”
For clear, step-by-step help getting your kids through college debt-free and into jobs they love afterward, get your copy of my book:
Important—> It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.
You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
Let's you and I walk together toward the goal of debt-free college for your kids.
We can accomplish this no matter your current income level—even if your kids never get a single scholarship.
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Do you have very specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?
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Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, as well as on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.
This article was written by a caring human expert. AI tools may have assisted with research or editing.
¹ Peter Cappelli, “Skill Gaps, Skill Shortages, and Skill Mismatches: Evidence for the U.S.,” NBER Working Paper No. 20382, © 2014 by Peter Cappelli. All rights reserved.
This article was updated on June 17, 2026.