According to the latest data, the number of applicants for the national master's degree entrance examination this year was 4.38 million, compared with 4.74 million last year and 4.57 million the year before, showing a decline for the first time. This has also been a phenomenon since 2015, reflecting a decrease in interest in graduate school entrance examinations. Compared to a decade ago, the number of applicants for the graduate entrance examination has increased significantly from 1.72 million to 4.38 million. This data has caused people to think about the changes in the popularity of graduate school entrance examinations.
It is widely believed that there are a number of reasons for the decline in the number of students enrolled in the graduate admissions examination. First of all, the increase in employment pressure has made more and more candidates choose to give up the postgraduate entrance examination and choose direct employment or other ways to continue their studies. Secondly, with the socio-economic development and the improvement of career thresholds, some undergraduate graduates believe that obtaining a master's degree may not bring them obvious employment advantages, thus reducing their enthusiasm for postgraduate entrance examinations. In addition, the requirements for applicants for graduate admissions are also getting higher and higher, and some candidates feel that they do not meet the requirements or face a lot of competitive pressure, so they choose to give up.
At present, there are a total of 869 graduate enrollment units in the country, which cover different types of universities, military academies and scientific research institutes. Among them, there are 400 universities with the right to confer doctoral degrees, and these universities also have the right to confer master's degrees. In addition, there are 221 ordinary universities that have the right to confer master's degrees, but not doctoral degrees. Among the military academies, 29 are qualified for graduate admission. In addition, there are 219 units and research institutes that are qualified for graduate students.
In addition to universities, there are also some units and research institutes among these graduate student enrollment units. These units and research institutes have a deep research foundation and strength in various fields, and also provide more research opportunities and resources for graduate students. Their research interests cover many fields such as natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and technology, and have made important contributions to the development of graduate education in China.
In addition, it should be noted that there is also a phenomenon of differentiation among graduate admissions. Some colleges and universities with geographical advantages, strong school-running strength, and distinctive professional characteristics have a greater competitive advantage in graduate student enrollment. This is also because when candidates choose graduate schools, they are more inclined to choose universities with good reputations and strong academic strength.
Judging from the downward trend in the number of applicants for the graduate entrance examination, I believe that this phenomenon may be related to the change in the employment environment. With the development of society and economic transformation, the demand for highly educated talents in the job market is also gradually changing. Some individuals may focus more on practical experience and the development of vocational skills than on pure academic research. Therefore, the choice of postgraduate entrance examination may also be different.
In addition, I think the differentiation of graduate admissions units is also a cause for concern. Although there are many units with graduate enrollment qualifications, in the specific admission process, some famous universities or colleges with strong majors still have a greater competitive advantage. Therefore, when choosing a graduate school, candidates also need to comprehensively consider the school's running strength, faculty, scientific research conditions and other factors, as well as their own professional interests and development plans.
Overall, the decline in graduate student enrollment reflects to some extent the change in candidates' attitudes and choices towards postgraduate admissions. Instead of blindly following as in the past, we will pay more attention to the needs of personal development planning and career development. For the education sector and graduate admissions units, it is also necessary to pay attention to and adapt to this change, and provide more diversified and targeted postgraduate education programs to meet the needs and expectations of different candidates.