Summary of Key Points
The trend in filling out college entrance examination (Gaokao) application forms is shifting from prioritizing schools to prioritizing majors. An increasing number of students and parents are no longer blindly pursuing the prestige of top universities such as Tsinghua University and Peking University; instead, they place more emphasis on the employment prospects and strength of the respective majors. High-scoring candidates are even willing to give up less popular majors at these prestigious institutions in favor of popular and highly sought-after programs at schools like Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University. The admission scores for some smaller, specialized institutions (such as Shanghai Customs College) and new research-oriented universities (like Ningbo Dongfang University of Science and Technology) have surpassed those of certain traditional 985 universities. Behind this change is the rational decision-making of students and parents, driven by greater access to information about the “certainties of the future.”
1. High-Scoring Candidates Choosing Majors Over Prestigious Universities
In the past, Tsinghua and Peking University were the ultimate goals for many candidates, but now high-scoring students are using their choices as a form of “voting.” For example, the “Electronic Information (Computer Yongqiang Experimental Class” at Shanghai Jiao Tong University had an admission score of 695 points in Hunan, which is higher than the scores required for Tsinghua (692 points) and Peking University (690 points). A candidate from Guangdong with a score of 693 points (ranked 63rd in the province) directly opted for this program over Tsinghua or Peking. Why? As Zhang Ming, who failed to get into Peking University over 20 years ago, said: “Even if you are admitted to an unpopular major at Peking University, your employment prospects may not be as good as those of a student from a more popular major.” Today’s candidates understand that the prestige of a prestigious university does not guarantee a good job; instead, they value majors with strong employment opportunities and higher salaries, such as computer science and software engineering.
2. Smaller, More Specialized Institutions Making a Comeback
Not only are the popular majors at top universities in demand, but some “non-traditional” institutions are also gaining prominence:
- The physics-related major group at Shanghai Customs College had an admission score of 662 points, which surpassed the requirements for similar majors at Nanjing University.
- Ningbo Dongfang University of Science and Technology (a new research-oriented university) scored 662 points, exceeding the admission requirements for education-related majors at Beijing Normal University and the innovative programs at China Agricultural University.
- The admission scores for Shenzhen University of Technology and universities in the Greater Bay Area also surpassed those of some 985 institutions.
These schools share a common characteristic: they are smaller in size but more focused on specialized fields (such as intelligent technology and advanced manufacturing), which are in high demand by the national economy. They also have excellent faculty, including academicians and renowned experts, resulting in better employment prospects.
3. The Core Logic of Prioritizing Majors: Employment Prospects + Access to Information
There are two main reasons for this shift towards prioritizing majors:
- Employment is a critical need: Majors in emerging fields like computer science and electronic information make it easy to secure high-paying jobs in tech companies, whereas less popular majors may lead to difficulties in finding employment after graduation. Professor Ding Changfa from Xiamen University notes that this is a rational choice for students.
- Information is becoming more transparent: In the past, students relied on teacher recommendations or rumors when filling out applications, but now they can easily access data on job prospects, salaries, and industry trends through the internet. Parents can easily compare the average salaries of different majors and naturally prefer those with better employment prospects.
4. A Major Shift from “Prestigious University Worship” to “Practicality in Education”
In the past, being admitted to a prestigious university was a source of pride for entire communities, and the reputation of the school was equated with success. Today, students and parents place more value on future career prospects. Professor Ding Changfa believes that this change is inevitable due to economic and social development:
- In the past, information asymmetry meant that people could only judge the value of a university based on its reputation.
- Society now needs “professional talents” rather than just graduates from prestigious institutions.
- The advancement of the internet and AI technologies gives students greater autonomy in their choices, freeing them from the influence of university prestige.
In short, parents and students are becoming more pragmatic. It is better to choose a popular major at an ordinary university or a highly needed major at a specialized institution than to attend a prestigious university with an unpopular major, as a stable career is more important than temporary fame.
Conclusion
The trend of prioritizing majors in Gaokao applications reflects a shift from pursuing nominal prestige to focusing on practical outcomes. This change not only indicates progress in educational attitudes but also reflects the increasing demand for skilled professionals in society. For students, choosing the right major may be more decisive than selecting the right university for their future career development.