Graduating from college used to be a surefire way to land a job. But for recent grads like Madia Bellebuono, the reality is far from that. Despite earning a degree in strategic marketing and public communications from the University of Vermont, Bellebuono spends her days scrolling through LinkedIn in a Boston coffee shop. She’s applied for over 300 jobs since graduating in May 2024 but remains unemployed.

“I think the school could have done—and still can do—a better job preparing their students for the post-grad world,” Bellebuono shared. “It’s not just about the next test or your grades.”

Her story is far from unique. A recent study from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed the widest unemployment gap between new graduates and experienced degree holders since the 1990s. Experts point to two main reasons: increased competition and higher employer expectations.

“Graduating college no longer gives you a leg up,” said David Deming, a professor of public policy at Harvard. “Skill requirements for entry-level roles are higher today than they were a decade ago.”

The job market has indeed slowed down. While the U.S. economy added an average of 186,000 jobs per month in 2024—similar to pre-pandemic levels—it’s a far cry from the hiring surge during the recovery. Entry-level workers are feeling the pinch the most, with employers often looking for skills that recent grads don’t yet have.

This shift has put pressure on colleges to step up their game. Schools are increasingly focusing on career readiness, with programs like internships and co-ops becoming essential. Northeastern University, for example, has seen a 53% jump in applications since 2020, thanks to its co-op program that blends academics with real-world work experience.

Other schools, like the University of Vermont, are following suit. Starting in fall 2025, UVM will launch an undergraduate co-op program, funded by over $15 million in donations. “We’re expanding career readiness efforts to ensure our students are prepared for the job market,” a university spokesperson said.

But the burden isn’t just on universities. Employers also play a role, as Deming pointed out: “The first thing you can do is raise wages. Often, the issue isn’t finding the right candidate—it’s being willing to pay for them.”

For grads like Bellebuono, the struggle continues. “I’ve come across a lot of interviews where they ask questions I just don’t have answers for because I don’t have enough experience,” she said. “I wish I’d had more support from my university.”

As the job market evolves, so too must the way we prepare students for it. The days of relying solely on a degree are over—experience is now the golden ticket.