In recent years, the craze for postgraduate entrance examinations has continued to rise, and the number of postgraduate students has been increasing every year. However, in 2023, the number of master's degree applicants in the country will decline for the first time, which has attracted widespread attention. In the following, I will analyze the changes in the number of graduate students in the past ten years, and interpret the reasons for the decline in the number of graduate students this year from different perspectives.
Since 2015, the number of postgraduate students has increased year by year, from 1.65 million in 2015 to 4.74 million in 2023. Every year, a large number of students choose to go to graduate school, which also reflects the fierce competition in domestic graduate education. However, the decline in the number of graduate students this year has aroused people's thinking and concern.
1. The expected value of learning Xi is reduced
The decline in Xi expectations can be said to be one of the primary reasons for the decline in the number of graduate students this year. Over the past few years, some candidates have found that a graduate degree does not offer a clear advantage to employment. With the employment landscape unstable and competition intensifying, many students believe that it is more important to accumulate practical experience in the workplace. For example, after graduating from his undergraduate degree in 2020, a friend was faced with a job offer with a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan and the option to continue his graduate studies, and finally he chose to work. Over time, the friend found that his job salary had not improved due to his graduate degree, and he felt that it was wiser to choose a job than if he had spent three years in graduate school. This phenomenon is prevalent among many people, and it has gradually led to a decline in the number of graduate school students.
In addition, the time cost of graduate Xi is also an important factor for students to consider. Three years of graduate Xi is quite long for most people, which means they can't get normal work experience during this time, reducing the competitive advantage of participating in jobs. Comparatively speaking, work experience plays a more practical and direct role in one's career development.
2. The cost of learning Xi increases
Under the current economic situation, the inability of ordinary families to afford the cost of their children's Xi studies is also an important reason for the decline in the number of graduate students. The relatively high cost of postgraduate Xi, coupled with the fact that many institutions have publicly expressed their decision not to set up dormitories for graduate students, has greatly increased the cost of Xi. In the past three years, the epidemic has brought a huge impact on the whole society, and the income of many families has plummeted, and for ordinary families, the cost of postgraduate Xi has become a heavy burden. Therefore, many parents may advise their children to start working as early as possible to relieve financial pressure.
3. The influence of public ***
In the current employment situation, some majors that are easy to apply for civil servants are graduates who directly graduate from the public service and no longer choose to study for graduate school. In the past, having a graduate degree helped to recruit civil servants, but with the increase in the number of graduate students, this help is no longer obvious. In contrast, many civil service positions that are easy to apply for now only require a bachelor's degree to meet the application requirements. Therefore, for those candidates who originally planned to improve their chances of being hired as a civil servant through graduate status, it is not so necessary to apply for graduate school.
4. Strengthen the quality control of graduate students
In recent years, due to the continuous increase in the number of graduate students, major colleges and universities have been forced to increase the number of graduate students, resulting in uneven quality of graduate students. However, the state attaches great importance to the quality of graduate education, and in order to improve the overall quality of graduate students, many colleges and universities have begun to strictly control the training of graduate students. This has led to a continuous increase in the threshold for postgraduate training, and the graduation requirements have become more and more stringent. Graduate students no longer only need to pass the examination to obtain a degree certificate, but also need to meet a certain level of scientific research ability and innovation ability. This is undoubtedly an extra pressure for those candidates who just want to mix up a degree certificate. Due to the limitations of their personal abilities, they may choose to give up the idea of going to graduate school, which is one of the reasons for the decrease in the number of graduate students.
So, what can we do about the trend of the number of graduate students next year?Judging from the current situation, the trend of declining the number of graduate students is likely to continue. First of all, the employment situation is still not optimistic, and many students will prefer employment over graduate school. Second, the cost of graduate Xi continues to rise, making it even more difficult for ordinary families to afford. In addition, for some positions that are easy to apply for, a bachelor's degree is enough to meet the requirements, which also reduces the necessity of postgraduate examination. Finally, the strengthening of quality control of graduate students will further screen out some candidates who pursue graduation certificates.
Overall, the downward trend in the number of graduate students reflects the changes in the current society's perception and perception of graduate education in many ways. Although the number of graduate students has dropped this year, for those students who still insist on going to graduate school, they may have a better chance of landing because of the reduced competition. Whether you choose a job or continue your studies, the key is to be clear about your development goals and plans, and work hard to achieve them.