High-profile voices in tech and culture are sharpening the debate over the value of traditional degrees. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he’s "envious" of Gen Z dropouts who have the mental space to build startups, framing entrepreneurship as an alternative to collegiate paths. Malcolm Gladwell counseled STEM hopefuls to avoid elite institutions like Harvard unless they can be top performers, warning of higher dropout risk. The twin messages complicate college recruitment and advising, pressuring universities to better signal return-on-investment and to expand experiential, startup-oriented pathways.