Investor Kevin O’Leary warned students to carefully weigh the value of a college education before taking on debt, arguing that professional relationships can be among the biggest benefits of higher education.
O’Leary Questions College Debt
On Monday, O’Leary wrote on X while sharing a clip of himself discussing the value of higher education.
"In most cases, you’re going into debt, so you better make sure the value is there," he wrote. O’Leary added that "The education is important, but the real value is the people you meet on the journey."
In the clip, O’Leary urged students to ask themselves a fundamental question before pursuing higher education.
"Why are you in school? Is the question you should always ask yourself because in most cases, you’re going into debt. So you want to create some value," he said.
College Network Can Pay Off
O’Leary said students could eventually rely on people they met in college for collaboration, information or professional assistance as their careers develop.
"Some of the people in your classes are going to be your friends for the rest of your life and your business associates," he said.
He added, "They will know you from the old days. That is your network."
Growing Concerns Over College Readiness
Earlier this year, Investor Anthony Scaramucci said schools often prepared students academically but failed to teach practical skills such as resilience, entrepreneurship, networking, and handling failure.
He emphasized that persistence, optimism and resilience were more important to long-term success than intelligence.
Last year, Palantir CEO Alex Karp similarly said college graduates needed specialized, practical expertise to increase their earning potential.
He questioned whether prestigious degrees consistently led to high-paying jobs and noted that skilled vocational workers could sometimes out-earn Ivy League graduates. He also suggested AI could help noncollege workers develop valuable skills.
Meanwhile, a Cengage Group study found nearly half of college graduates felt unprepared for the workforce, with 56% identifying a lack of job-specific skills as their biggest educational gap.
The findings add to broader concerns about college costs, career readiness, and the value of traditional degrees.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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