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Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, the largest and fastest growing conservative youth activist organization in the country with over 250,000 student members, over 150 full-time staff, and a presence on over 2,000 high school and college campuses nationwide. Charlie is also the Chairman of Students for Trump, which aims to activate one million new college voters on campuses in battleground states in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election. His social media reaches over 100 million people per month and according to Axios, he is one of the "top 10 most engaged" Twitter handles in the world. He is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” which regularly ranks among the top news shows on Apple podcast charts.
Charlie Kirk Defends Why He Calls College a Scam to Skeptical Student at Campus Event
Charlie Kirk faces pushback from a college student who questions why he promotes "College is a Scam" messaging while visiting campuses. Kirk argues that over half of college graduates end up in jobs that don't require their degrees, comparing it to a business with a 50% failure rate that would be shut down by the federal government. The exchange covers dropout rates, what's actually being taught, the value of alternative career paths like trades, and whether modern universities deliver on their educational promises or simply sell expensive credentials.
A student at a campus event challenged Charlie Kirk about his "College is a Scam" messaging, asking him to elaborate on the controversial statement. Kirk responded with a statistical argument: half of college attendees will end up getting jobs that don't require a college degree at all.
"Any business that has a 50% rate of a customer being scammed will be shut down by the federal government for disenfranchising their customers," Kirk explained, using an analogy about Chili's fries with a 50% chance of food poisoning to illustrate his point about consumer protection standards that apparently don't apply to higher education.
The Dropout Crisis and What's Being Taught
Kirk added another layer to his argument by pointing out that 41% of people who enter college don't even graduate. Beyond the completion rates, he questioned what exactly students are learning in modern universities.
"Are you learning about the beauty of Western civilization and reading The Federalist Papers of Hamilton and Madison and Jay and do you get a positive view of America? Or do you spend time on postmodernism of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida and Jean Rostand and Derrick Bell?" Kirk asked, highlighting his concerns about curriculum content.
Education Versus Credentialing
When the student suggested college serves purposes beyond job preparation, including educating the population and networking, Kirk challenged the fundamental premise. He defined a scam as a situation where "a serious proportion of your customers are not given the value proposition that they pay for."
"This is just a glorified credentialing exercise," Kirk argued. "You're just paying for a piece of paper so you can get a job."
The student pushed back, defining education as "resources, learning how to work, learning how to move around a professional workforce," and insisted college was necessary for these skills. Kirk's response was direct: "I think you're being scammed, man. I take it from someone who didn't go to college, you don't need any of that stuff."
The Exception for Technical Degrees
Kirk acknowledged that certain professions genuinely require college education. When asked if a doctor would need a college degree, he responded, "Of course." He surveyed the room for engineers, recognizing technical fields as legitimate reasons for higher education.
However, he pointed out that only 18 to 20% of college students are studying engineering, while the vast majority pursue social sciences, psychology, and communications. Even for technical fields like engineering, Kirk questioned whether a four-year degree is always necessary, noting that someone could "learn to code in 6 months and work for Salesforce and earn $180,000 a year."
The Alternative Path: Trade Jobs and Management
Kirk presented several examples of lucrative careers that don't require college degrees. He asked the audience if they knew what a manager of a Walmart Super Center makes annually, revealing the answer: $400,000 a year, with no college degree required.
He continued with more examples:
The average plumber in Scottsdale, Arizona makes $115,000 a year
The average HVAC technician in Henderson, Nevada makes $175,000 a year
"There are 11 million job openings in this country right now that don't require college degrees," Kirk stated. "We are over-supplying college."
The Accusation of Taking Advantage
The student turned the tables, suggesting Kirk was "taking advantage of college and college students" by promoting his message on campuses. Kirk questioned whether informing students they might be getting scammed constitutes taking advantage.
"It's like going to a place to tell people you're being scammed. If you call that taking advantage, then so be it," he responded.
The student clarified he meant Kirk was taking their time. Kirk pointed out the student volunteered to engage in the conversation and noted he promotes these ideas in other venues beyond college campuses as well.
The Final Exchange
Kirk reiterated his core argument: "Half of you guys will end up getting a job where your entire college debt burden means nothing. You will get a job that does not require a college degree at all. You're four years wasted. You shouldn't have come here in the first place. Half."
The student disagreed, and Kirk acknowledged his right to that disagreement, ending with "I hope it's worth it." The exchange illustrated the fundamental divide between those who see college as an essential institution for education and networking, and those like Kirk who view it as an overpriced credentialing system that fails to deliver value for the majority of its customers.
