Who Needs College Anymore?: Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter

by Kathleen deLaski

272 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2025

Reviews

[Tats · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gives a lot of relevant ideas and examples of where the educational sphere is moving, what is losing its relevance and what is gaining momentum. A lot of interesting programs and projects were covered, but the question is what exactly will be scaled. The only disadvantage is that the book is focused on the US market, which is quite specific.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a great job of capturing the current needs in our job preparation landscape. It's enraging to read about how much we are letting down young people as they try to get their start in the world! She has great examples of things that have worked in certain times and places, but none of them made me feel optimistic that we are on our way to solving these issues at any more than the smallest niche level. She seems to feel that optimism borne mostly out of the clarity of how bad the current situation is... but it's been that bad for a while and that doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere! I certainly hope she is right because muddling along is only about to get less effective with all the workplace disruptions coming our way.

[Sophie Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm conflicted on this book because she highlights a lot of the issues facing higher ed but I can't help feeling a little disappointed that we continue to see it as the responsibility of the university to train students for employer specific skills rather than producing people with the capacity and inquiry skills to learn in a new job.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️ (Audiobook)

Who Needs College Anymore? is a highly informative and eye-opening read—and my first four-star non-fiction book. I may be a bit biased, but I genuinely loved it. The book made a compelling case for rethinking the traditional college pathway, especially as fewer students are choosing to pursue four-year degrees.

I especially appreciated the shoutout to my old high school and my college career counselor—it made the message feel personal and grounded in real-world experience. Kathleen deLaski does a great job arguing that schools should meet students where they are by encouraging alternative pathways like certifications, trade schools, and hands-on learning.

This perspective really resonated with me. For my own career, my college degree hasn’t been particularly useful. What actually gave me the skills I needed were certifications, a three-month boot camp, and practical, hands-on experience. The book validates that these paths are not “less than,” but often more aligned with today’s workforce.

Overall, this is a thoughtful, timely book that challenges long-held assumptions about education and success. I’d recommend it to educators, students, parents, and anyone questioning whether college is truly the right—or only—option.