Based on the Australian Youth Barometer survey of 527 young people aged 18–24, this piece reports that while a majority valued their education, a significant proportion felt it left them unprepared. Young people described being made “book smart” but not taught essential life skills — budgeting, taxes, cooking, workplace readiness. Nearly two-thirds had turned to informal online learning to fill these gaps. The piece also highlights declining social connection in university, with post-pandemic hybrid learning leaving many students isolated. A concise, data-grounded example of the gap between what education delivers and what young people say they actually need.