Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.

The line elevates character—specifically empathy and everyday consideration—over formal credentials as a predictor of long-term flourishing. It suggests that social intelligence, kindness, and the ability to cooperate earn trust and open doors in ways that a degree alone cannot. Read as advice to parents and educators, it reframes “success” as relational and ethical, not merely academic or economic. In Edelman’s broader public persona as a child advocate, the sentiment aligns with a values-based approach to raising children: cultivating decency and responsibility as durable assets that travel across workplaces, communities, and life stages.