Graduate schools of famous universities in Beijing still enjoy
huge popularity among applicants in spite of the dropping number of
postgraduate applications this year.
Some 214,450 students have registered to take the postgraduate
entrance exams for universities and research institutes in Beijing
in 2008, 3.2 percent down from last year, the Beijing Authority of
Education and Examinations said.
Analysts say that the decline has been a result of fiercely
competitive job market in which master-degree holders are no longer
attractive to employers. But, first-tier institutions of higher
learning in Beijing do not seem to be affected, according to a
survey by the China Youth Daily published on
Wednesday.
Four universities including Peking University, Renmin University
of China, Beijing Normal University and Tsinghua University have
each received more than 10,000 postgraduate applications this year,
it said.
Peking University plans to admit 4300 students for 2008
postgraduate programs, but a total number of 20,756 applied, said
Sheng Yuhai, Vice President of the university's Graduate
School.
"I really wish to change my life by entering famous university.
There are too many post-graduate students and those from less
famous ones are regarded as less competitive." Zhou Wen said.
Zhou is from a less famous university in Tianjin. He had been
applying for the graduate school of a famous university in Beijing
for three years in a row and finally succeeded.
For many others, entering a famous university is a
long-cherished dream. Li Wen, a senior student of an ordinary
university in Tianjin, said, "My father urged me not to bury my
dream there on my first day of college. He said that my dream is
not over yet, I can still have it."
"Apply for the best, and Peking University is yours," her father
has said, talking about a postgraduate study to her on the
phone.
Degrees from famous universities are regarded as good social
capital. According to the result of an online questionaire about
"do you have famous university complex?", 55% of the 3,871 people
surveyed said yes, acknowledging they still long for a dream to go
to a prestigious school.
"Actually, in China, landing a degree from famous university
means that you have got some great social capital when you enter
the society." said Lin Li, a Renmin University graduate and Peking
University post-graduate who is now working for a provincial
government.
(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)