The Craze of Pursuing Graduate Studies
Each year, millions of Chinese college students sit for qualifying examinations for graduate studies, primarily in Master’s programs. Students prepare for those examinations either through years of arduous self-education or by spending large sums of money attending local training schools. The publishing of examinations-related study materials and the training programs offered, both online and offline, have combined to form a sizable industry.
An alarming fact about this craze is that most students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will. Faced with the harsh reality in the employment market, which is forever looking for graduates with higher degrees, many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to avoid unemployment and to enhance one’s competitiveness in future job hunting.
However, without that voluntary initiative, most students who do enter graduate schools are not motivated. For them, the only thing that ultimately counts is the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job hunters. As to the actual substance of their graduate studies, it’s not a big deal for them, as long as it leads to that degree or diploma. It is really pathetic to see that students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motive—not for the sake of loving what they study, but for the sake of merely landing a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied.
The chill truth is that students soon find their anticipations are a mere dream. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies, the employment situation remains as severe as ever. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. They need to reflect on this craze and would have been better off distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills when they were undergraduates.
