The higher ed system and the conventional signals employers rely on are cracking. At the advent of Google and internet search, universities were slow to allow students to use it for research. Today, most universities tend to restrict rather than embrace AI use. The NYT recently released an article about Harvard students (not only a Harvard issue) skipping class and not doing the readings (I may or may not have been guilty of this). The blame is implicitly on (lazy) students and grade inflation, which is somewhat warranted, but it neglects the realities of students trying to position themselves for internships and jobs within a system that has not really evolved with them. Competition and urgency are higher than ever, while entry level opportunities are becoming scarcer in the AI age. For many, the luxury of fully devoting yourself to a liberal arts education and traditional classes is fading. Differentiation no longer happens through GPA, excluding graduate school career paths (law, medicine, etc). It is not enough. Candidates increasingly need to stand out through internships (especially during term time), side hustles & projects, extracurriculars, and building their personal brand. Rational agents optimizing for career outcomes are naturally devoting more time to these areas. If you are a college student looking for opportunities to get you a step ahead, check out Teli Labs.
Great insights. At Harvard, I focused on leading a student organization to develop my leadership skills while building in public and documenting that journey on LinkedIn. Sharing my experiences leading the organization helped me grow my LinkedIn following and build a strong personal brand, one that’s opened more doors than I’ve ever applied for. It’s clear that the levers of success are changing.
I liked this line "it neglects the realities of students trying to position themselves for internships and jobs within a system that has not really evolved with them." Side hustles are the new meta, even internships are impossible nowadays
This is part of what inspired my Ph.Me project. Sometimes, rather than trying to win the game, it’s better to realize that you can create your own game.
I agree. Used to focus on straight A’s In high school, but in college learning the basics and prioritize things that build your career to be something meaningful has been more important.
Full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/us/harvard-students-absenteeism.html