New England colleges and universities are often presented as a source of economic advantage in the New England states for providing a strong talent pool for regional employers. Yet, many state officials and others are questioning the efficacy of colleges and universities in serving regional labor market needs, as employers across New England are currently experiencing pronounced shortages of skilled workers. A so-called "brain drain" problem is frequently cited. This is cued in part by the relatively low percentages of New England high school graduates going to a college in their home states. Yet, while New England high school graduates go to college out of state at high rates, they are very likely to stay within the region to go to college. With over three-quarters of New England high school grads staying in the region to go to college, and the more than 24,000 students from outside the region starting college in the region as freshmen each year, the most important problem to address is not keeping high school graduates in state to go to college but rather it is more strongly connecting New England college students who are from the region and from outside the region to careers and employers in the region. A regionwide "career coach with connections" type approach, that strengthens the connectivity of college students and programs in the region to regional businesses and jobs, can help bolster the region's economic future.