In recent years, the number of applicants for graduate exams in China has continued to climb, but in 2024, the trend has suddenly reversed, leaving many people surprised and confused. In the past, the postgraduate entrance examination was regarded as a shortcut to improve one's employment competitiveness, but now these expectations seem to be difficult to achieve, so many candidates decide to give up the postgraduate examination. In this article, we will discuss the phenomenon of "devaluation" of graduate students and their views on the future of graduate school.
The experience shared by a graduate student of the class of '21 resonated widely. When she graduated from university, she received an offer from a company with a monthly salary of 8,000 yuan. Although she was tempted, she decided to go to graduate school, thinking that a graduate degree could make her pay higher. However, when she re-entered the job market after graduation, she found that her gold content did not improve, but declined. She works far from home, and her salary is 2,000 yuan less than when she graduated from her bachelor's degree. This kind of treatment made her unacceptable, and she felt that her efforts were not duly rewarded, and she was even inferior to an undergraduate. She lamented that she had lost her wife and soldiers, missed out on her salary and failed to improve her professional status. Her experience has made many people angry, and some even want to delete their master's graduation information to ** this phenomenon.
The reason for the depreciation of graduate students can be attributed to the fierce competition in the job market and the oversupply of graduate students. In recent years, colleges and universities have expanded the enrollment of master's students, resulting in a significant increase in the number of graduate students. However, the corresponding job growth has not been much, resulting in an imbalance between supply and demand, which has made it difficult for graduate students to find employment. In addition, some employers do not necessarily offer higher salaries and positions to graduate students, but rather focus more on work experience and practical ability. This also makes the value of graduate students devalued.
Although the depreciation of graduate students does exist, a master's degree is still a valuable qualification. Especially in some technical and professional fields, a master's degree is still a must-have. And, if there is an opportunity to advance to a certain managerial position, a graduate degree can still be a motivator. Therefore, it cannot be said that graduate school is "devalued".
The knowledge and skills acquired during graduate school may not be immediately valuable in the job market, but they will come in handy for future development and career advancement. Therefore, graduate school can be said to be "value preservation", but in the new career graduates, this value has not yet been revealed. If you have the ability, it is best to choose to study in a double first-class university, because the society has a high degree of recognition for prestigious universities.
In the current situation, graduate school is indeed challenging, but it does not mean that it is completely worthless. In terms of personal development, graduate school can provide more in-depth academic research and expertise, laying a solid foundation for future career paths. In addition, graduate school also develops independent thinking and problem-solving skills, paving the way for future development. Therefore, I believe that graduate school still has its positive value, but it should be more sensible when choosing to go to graduate school, take into account personal interests and development directions, and have a more comprehensive understanding of the employment situation.
Despite the worrying depreciation of graduate students these days, there is still some value in master's degrees. Graduate school continues to have a positive impact on an individual's career and academic development, especially in certain professional fields. Although the employment situation is not optimistic, we cannot overemphasize the singular value of employment and ignore the importance of knowledge acquisition and personality development. When choosing whether to pursue graduate school, we should be more cautious and take into account our personal interests, career plans and market needs. Only in this way can you make better use of the opportunities brought by graduate school and achieve your personal development goals.