Seeing that the 2024 postgraduate entrance examination is coming, we inevitably find a fact: the number of postgraduate entrance examination applications has shown a downward trend for the first time!According to figures released by the national education department, the number of students who applied for the postgraduate examination this time reached 4.38 million, a decrease of 360,000 compared to 4.74 million last year. The decline in this data makes people wonder: why is the graduate enrollment fever gradually cooling after years of economic growth?
First of all, a large part of the reason is that this year has been a difficult year. As the number of college graduates continues to grow, the talent market in colleges and universities is becoming increasingly competitive. On the Internet, we can see the signing of many college graduates. Many college students choose to find a job as soon as possible once they have their dream job opportunity during their college years. Nowadays, the social environment is getting worse and worse, and it is difficult for families to support their children to take graduate exams, especially those who participated in World War II and World War III. In stark contrast, the number of candidates participating in the 2024 National Public Examination*** will reach 2.9 million, 400,000 more than in the same period of the previous year, reaching a record level. This is also a good explanation of why there are fewer and fewer postgraduate exams: more and more students are starting to apply for the national civil service!For them, the college entrance examination and postgraduate entrance examination are both the beginning, and the civil service examination and the examination establishment are the ultimate goals, but there are too many competitors, and there are only dozens or hundreds of positions.
Secondly, the lower employment expectation after graduate school graduation is also one of the main factors causing the reduction of employment pressure after graduate school. Admission to a master's degree takes both a lot of time and a lot of money, therefore, at the master's level, the number of students gradually decreases;In particular, some students in finance and applied disciplines often need more than 100,000 yuan, and some do not have accommodation. Although the number of postgraduate examinations has been increasing in recent years, and the number of postgraduate examinations is now about to exceed the million mark, as the proportion of postgraduate examinations in colleges and universities is getting higher and higher, the chances of entering prestigious universities are getting smaller and smaller. Originally, better income and more jobs could be obtained by increasing the degree, but with the increasing number of master's degrees, the value of the master's degree is also decreasing, especially for those unknown universities, employers are more inclined to choose a bachelor's degree above the first line. Even those graduates who enter prestigious universities from ordinary universities will still be discriminated against by their employers in the eyes of their employers. For example, in a place in Shanghai, there were only about 40 universities that needed reserve cadres with master's degrees, and the students who graduated from universities were all graduates from key universities.
Third, the pandemic has had some impact on students' overseas Xi plans. As a result of this, global air routes have plummeted, visas have increased, and overseas Xi has become even more difficult. Today, international flights are almost back to pre-flu levels, and the only problem is to book in advance. Rather than preparing for graduate school at home, many students go abroad, such as the UK and Australia, where their universities have a much higher international standing than Chinese universities and have a much smaller number of years to study for a master's degree. Although some people always make fun of them as "water masters", it is actually a selection based on their foreign language level, self-care ability, family conditions and so on. In addition, for overseas students returning to their home countries in the future, there will be many benefits to settling in a first- or second-tier city. From this point of view, many schools will recruit universities ranked in the top 50 or more. UK universities are also increasing their standards for admitting foreign students, including more IELTS and academic scores.
All in all, in this age of competition and worry, each of us is just a speck in this time. As a senior, I sincerely wish everyone who takes the exam a good result. Whether it is a graduate school entrance examination, a civil servant, or going abroad, everyone must choose the most suitable one according to their actual situation and hobbies. The most important thing is to keep learning Xi in their respective industries, improve their skills, and lay a good foundation for future development. Opportunities are everywhere, and it's up to us to be prepared to face them. I hope that each of us can find our own brilliance in the journey of life.