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How to choose the right college and major in China?

Chinese students who have just taken gaokao, the national college entrance examinations, face another important moment: a choice of university.

It is a choice that may determine their career and the rest of their life, let alone the following four years in college.

Many factors should be taken into consideration, the most common being university ranking, major, region, personal interest. But balancing these factors is the difficult part.

Over 100 colleges took part in college entrance consultation fair in Xu Chang, Henan Province. (Photo: VCG)

University ranking: For those focused on prestigious educational institutions, university rankings are significant. It is important when applying for a job after graduation.

Major: Choosing the subject or discipline forces them to think about what type of job they see themselves in. Some students think the major decides the job. Majors such as finance, accounting and computer science that can help one land a job are very competitive. While the overall rank is important, ranking by subject is also crucial.

Region: Metropolis such as Shanghai and Beijing determine the choice of workplace. People always think that more opportunities are available in big cities because of more internship opportunities there. Also, it is common for students and their parents to consider other issues related to location. For example, students who are from the south of China may prefer southern universities because of similar practices. More importantly, it is easier for university graduates to work and live there.

Personal interests: Most students spend at least four years in college. It’s not a short time. It is one of the most important transition periods of their lives. So it is important to choose a major and university they prefer.

Besides the four factors, others should be considered. The difficult part is how to balance these, because they require time, information and commitment.

Here are some tips for students.

If you have high grades, it is better to choose the so-called 985/211 universities. Because the pedagogy, faculty, quality of education in famous universities are superior to general universities.

For internship or work opportunities, it’s better to choose universities located in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. There are more top firms and organizations in such cities. It’s more convenient for you to get an internship or job if you study in the city.

If you haven’t had a career plan or goal and don’t know which major to choose, then the basic majors are recommended for you. Basic majors such as Accountancy, Computer Science are applied widely in society, which makes it easier for you to find a job. If you want to change your major later, the skills you get from the basic majors won’t be seen as useless for your future plan.

A careful selection of the major is needed. Majors that are popular now may not be so in the future. Considering the nature of China’s development will help you choose the subject and employment prospects.

Famous universities will boost your job prospects because firms look for reputed institutions. Also, schoolmates are your important human resource in the society.

However, there is a saying: “Whatever your undergraduation choice, you will regret it at some time in the future.” It’s because your mind is not sufficiently mature at the age of 18. Some may change their major, especially in graduate school. It is also normal for people to find a job which has to do little with their undergraduate major.

Choosing undergraduate education is important, but more important is choosing how to spend undergraduate life.

(Produced by Wang Zitong and Qiao Wai)