August 25, 2005

  • Going to University in China

    Going To University In China



    It is one thing to get good entrance examination marks and get

    accepted, but can you afford to go?



    Here are the basic numbers via a post at Yannan:



    [translation]  According to the China Youth Daily, the Jilin

    Provincial Government Research Center conducted a study of students at

    a senior secondary school in a rural county.  28.7% of the students

    said that they were afraid of attending university, because their

    family cannot afford the university fees.



    According to the study by the Jilin Provincial Government Research

    Center, in 2004, the average university tuition fee was 6,000 RMB, the

    average room charge was 1,000 RMB and the average food expenses was

    4,800 RMB.  Combining the three items, university students need 11,800

    RMB whereas the average net income for Jilin rural residents was

    3,000.42 RMB.  That is to say, each university student requires the

    net income of four rural peasants.



    The report emphasized that tremendous pressure from the university

    tuition is the biggest reason for rural students being afraid to

    attend university.  But this author believes that the uncertain

    earnings is the true reason for rural students not wanting to attend

    university.  According to economic theory, expected benefits directly

    determines investment confidence.  If attending university is a form

    of investment, then what are the expected benefits?  Of course, it is

    more than a piece of paper that is a diploma; it has to be the

    benefits that the student will receives after getting a job.



    The data indicates that the employment situation for university

    graduates are not optimistic.  In 2002, the number of university

    graduates was 1,450,000; in 2003, 2,120,000; in 2004, 2,800,000; in

    2005, 3,400,000.  With the continuous increase in the number of

    graduates, the job situation is getting tougher and tougher.  Not only

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