In recent years, the graduate school entrance examination has been the goal pursued by college students, but recently the number of applicants for the graduate school entrance examination has shown a downward trend. According to the latest statistics, the number of applicants for the national master's admission examination in 2024 will be 4.38 million, a decrease compared with the previous two years. This is the first time since 2015 that the number of graduate students has declined after eight consecutive years of growth. This change is not affected by the demographic situation, because the data shows that the number of college graduates in our country is increasing in 2022 and 2023. This means that the enthusiasm for graduate school entrance examination has been weakened. The emergence of this trend has caused people to think and discuss.
In recent years, the postgraduate entrance examination has become a symbol of the dreams and origins pursued by college students. However, as the situation in the job market becomes increasingly severe, large enterprises have increased their requirements for academic qualifications, and various public examinations and examination editors have also raised the threshold. Coupled with the rising number of fresh graduates, the postgraduate entrance examination has become a safe haven for many students who choose to postpone employment. However, as time goes by, the "landing rate" of graduate school entrance examinations is getting lower and lower, and more and more students choose to take a different path. At the same time, there is a surplus of talents with higher education in some popular cities, and the number of graduate students even exceeds that of undergraduates. This makes the employment situation of graduate students less optimistic, and it has also led to a decline in the popularity of postgraduate entrance examinations.
The decline in the number of graduate students is closely related to the employment situation. With the increase in the employment pressure of college students, they have begun to treat the postgraduate entrance examination more rationally. Students have come to realize that graduate school entrance examination is not a one-size-fits-all solution and that there is no guarantee of success in employment. In big cities, having a master's degree or above has almost become the standard for recruitment in large enterprises, and the threshold for various public examinations and examinations has also been raised. In addition, the employment pressure of college students is further exacerbated, and many students tend to find employment first and then go to graduate school to gain practical work experience and career development opportunities. As a result, the cost performance of graduate school entrance examinations has declined, and more and more students have begun to re-evaluate their options.
The decline in the number of graduate students may affect students' employment and career development. For those students who have always regarded graduate school entrance examination as their academic planning, they need to re-examine their options and look for other paths. At the same time, people with master's degrees also face challenges in the job market. The emergence of a downward trend in graduate school entrance examination may mean that the upward channel is blocked, and the career choice of college students will also be affected.
Although the number of graduate students is currently declining, we should not assume that the pressure and challenges of college students have been reduced. On the contrary, the downward trend of graduate school entrance examination may mean that college students need to pay more attention to career planning and development. They need to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses more rationally and choose a development path that suits them. For those students who still wish to further their studies, they may need to focus more on the choice of field of study, gaining an in-depth understanding of the value and prospects of postgraduate education. At the same time, universities and society also need to pay attention to the reasons for the declining trend of postgraduate entrance examinations, actively improve the education and employment environment, and provide more choices and opportunities for college students.
In short, the declining trend in the number of graduate students reflects the rational thinking of college students on employment and career development to a certain extent. It is not only a matter of personal choice, but also of the educational and employment environment. We need to work together to provide better development opportunities and choices for college students, and promote the sustainable development of education and society.