A college dropout himself, Kanye West uses the cover art and a series of skits to frame the album as a commentary on the educational system, a criticism of what people expect to gain from school and of the tenuous connection which that often has to what is taught and learned.

The album's lyrics focused on themes of family, self-consciousness, materialism, religion, racism, and higher education, diverging from the typical gangster persona in hip-hop. The College Dropout received widespread critical acclaim.