Postgraduate entrance examinations: Moving towards rationality.
On the day Wang Jin decided to give up on pursuing a master’s degree, she posted on Weibo: “I do everything because I love life and cherish living. If I can achieve my goals earlier, why should I engage in things that are not suitable for me? As long as I am determined to follow my path, even if another road has beautiful scenery, I can thrive on the path that brings me joy.”
In May of this year, Wang Jin, a student at Anhui University of Finance and Economics, began an internship at a state-owned enterprise after abandoning her plans for graduate school. By September, she successfully signed a tripartite agreement. She attributes this smooth transition to her timely decision to stop losses, conserving her energy and not hesitating too long on an unsuitable path.
Yin Xin, a student at a 211 university in Guangzhou, is currently interning at an internet company. In the past, she grew up with expectations of taking the teacher qualification exam, pursuing a master’s degree, or finding a stable job, but later realized she had other options. Compared to pursuing a master’s degree, she now looks forward to rapid growth in a large company.
He Wen, who once viewed the graduate entrance exam as a “thematic essay,” was initially a firm supporter of pursuing a master’s degree, believing it to be the safest choice. However, after registering, she fell into a slump in her studies. He Wen reevaluated herself and ultimately decided to abandon the exam.
Since 2015, the number of applicants for the graduate entrance exam has been rapidly increasing, from 1.65 million in 2015 to 4.74 million in 2023. After a period of fervor, interest in the exam has gradually declined. By 2025, the number of applicants is expected to drop to 3.88 million, continuing a decrease of 500,000 from 2024.
“The decrease in numbers does not affect my personal determination. I am pursuing a master’s degree out of interest. The greatest growth and gain for me is the ability to focus and work diligently, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the development of my mindset,” said Ge Yu, a repeat candidate for the exam, in an interview with The Paper. She believes that the graduate entrance exam is the only way for her to delve deeply into her area of interest. She also senses that her peers are more strongly pursuing stable positions, with some friends taking the exam to improve their chances of securing a government job in three years.
Some are resolute, while others are wavering. Gao Ziguan, who is already working, is still torn between taking the exam or not. He wants to achieve breakthroughs in his career but is uncertain whether a graduate degree will bring substantial improvement. “Perhaps accumulating work experience can also bridge the gap in education,” he mused.
On December 21-22 of this year, over 3 million candidates will enter the initial examination for the 2025 master’s degree program, marking their final sprint after a long journey.
Motivation
Su Yin, a senior majoring in logistics engineering at a 211 university in Nanjing, is about to step into the graduate entrance exam arena. Initially, her dorm had four students preparing for the exam, but by summer, only three remained, and ultimately only Su Yin and one other roommate decided to take the exam. She admits that pursuing a master’s degree in logistics engineering may not be necessary, but fearing she might not find an ideal job with a satisfactory salary after graduation, she decided to “go with the flow.”
“I officially started preparing in April this year. If I pass the written exam, I still need to prepare for the interview in April next year, which is a long process.” Su Yin was in good shape initially, but as time passed, the pressure increased sharply. Recently, she often feels her right eye blurring and sometimes needs over an hour to recover.
Su Yin’s parents support her decision to take the exam, but to avoid disturbing her studies, they rarely message her during the day. This makes Su Yin feel “guilty” for her occasional relaxation. Currently, she mainly adjusts her study state by sleeping, saying, “After a good sleep, I feel guilty the next day and study twice as hard.”
Fang Fang, a junior who decided to switch to film studies for her master’s degree, feels more at peace. “My motivation for taking the exam is that I want to be a university student again, to study quietly and create in a field I love.” After clarifying her direction, Fang Fang is not confused about pursuing a recommendation for graduate school or competing for jobs; she feels the world is beautiful and serene.
Fang Fang compares her recent period to “a saturated solution,” stating, “Desires are balanced, health is normal, and studying is heartfelt. I haven’t focused on studying for a long time, nor have I listened to lectures so seriously or delved into knowledge after class. Maintaining a proactive state and receiving timely feedback on my growth makes me feel at ease.”
Football is the motivation for Ding Xi’s graduate studies. In November of this year, the 2024 Zhejiang Youth Campus Football League concluded, with Ding Xi’s team winning first place in the men’s college B group. Ding Xi, a student majoring in Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering at Zhejiang Normal University, is actively preparing for this year’s graduate entrance exam while sweating it out on the football field. “I want to pursue a master’s degree partly because I have a bit of a prestigious school complex, and I also want to experience three more years of university life. It may sound childish, but I want to play pure campus football.” Football has become a driving force for Ding Xi’s graduate studies, as he hopes to cross into the football program at Tongji University without considering future employment or salary.
“Getting in”
This year marks Ge Yu’s second attempt at the graduate entrance exam. Last year, she applied to a 211 university in the southwest but unfortunately failed the initial exam due to mistakes in some subjects. “I am persisting for another year because I am interested in the subject. The graduate entrance exam is the only way for me to delve deeply into this interest.” With a year of experience, Ge Yu began preparing in July after finishing her graduation tasks, taking half a day off every Sunday while dedicating the rest of her time to studying.
Ge Yu has personally felt that the number of people taking the graduate entrance exam is decreasing overall. Her peers are more strongly pursuing stable positions, and some friends are preparing for the exam to improve their chances of securing a government job in three years. “But the decrease in numbers does not affect my personal determination. I am pursuing a master’s degree out of interest. The greatest growth and gain for me is the ability to focus and work diligently, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the development of my mindset.” For Ge Yu, the biggest challenge now is her mindset. Over the two years of preparation, she has also discovered her own adjustment methods—getting a good night’s sleep and enjoying good meals.
Hu Yunyun was fortunate in comparison, as she successfully “got in” last year while maintaining a “go with the flow” attitude. “One of my friends ultimately did not take the exam, which I believe was due to fear and anxiety about the unknowns of the graduate entrance exam, worrying about potential failure. I was influenced by that too, but later I told myself to take it easy; if I don’t get in, I don’t get in. I can still find a job afterward.” Despite her efforts to maintain a balanced mindset, feelings of confusion accompanied her throughout the exam preparation phase.
During the long preparation period, Hu Yunyun often asked herself, “What is the meaning of everything I am doing now? Would finding a job be better than taking the exam?” However, once she entered a study environment, her mind was filled only with memorization and practice questions. The route from the library to her dorm became a two-point line, where she would listen to her favorite music along the way. Back in her dorm, she would play games and scroll through social media for brief relaxation. Occasionally, on weekends, she would arrange gatherings with friends for meals and chats.
“Before the graduate entrance exam, I also wanted to earn more money and live a life of my choosing. But influenced by the exam, my material desires gradually decreased. I realized my living costs are not high, and I can use more money to do other things while meeting my basic survival needs.” In the past, Hu Yunyun thought that as long as the salary was decent, any job would suffice. After “getting in,” she developed a clearer career plan, stating, “After a semester of exposure, I found that my current major aligns very well with my values, and since I pursued a master’s degree, I cannot waste this qualification.”
Giving Up
Starting her preparation in March this year and entering the final sprint in December, Wan Chengqu began to contemplate abandoning the exam just ten days before this year’s master’s degree entrance exam. “Many people currently believe that applying to non-prestigious schools is not cost-effective, but good schools have more competition. I want to withdraw now; I think working is better than pursuing a master’s degree.” Wan Chengqu is a recent graduate majoring in Human Resource Management at East China Jiaotong University, originally hoping to create more opportunities for herself through graduate studies.
She explained that recent graduates in Human Resource Management can only take the academic master’s exam, while professional master’s programs require sufficient relevant work experience. However, academic master’s assessments are often stricter. Wan Chengqu is the only one in her dorm participating in the graduate entrance exam this year, as most of her peers believe that finding a job is more practical. Faced with an uncertain future and the prolonged pressure of studying, Wan Chengqu experienced unprecedented stress.
She described her preparation for the graduate entrance exam as a “dark moment” in her life, studying during her free time before the summer, and then from
