中國高校大學生"考研熱"降溫的背後

To Ji Xiaoyu, taking the national graduate school entrance examination was a natural part of his college plan.
對於季曉宇（音譯）而言，考研是他大學計劃裏順理成章的一部分。

“Obtaining a master’s degree will give me a better chance at getting a decent job,” said the 22-year-old graduate of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. He took the exam last year.
畢業於北京郵電大學、22歲的他表示：“研究生學歷可以幫我找到一份好工作。”去年，他參加了研究生招生考試。

But now, it’s no longer such a “natural” choice for many students. With employment benefits fading, students are thinking carefully about whether they should take the exam.
而現在，對於很多學生來說，考研不再是順理成章的事。隨着研究生就業優勢逐漸減弱，大學生們對待考研也是十分謹慎。

A total of 1.72 million students took this year’s national graduate school examination, according to the Ministry of Education. That’s 40,000 less than last year. For the first time in five years, the exam saw a drop in the number of applicants.
根據教育部發布的數據顯示，今年全國共有172萬學生參加研究生入學考試，較去年減少4萬人，這也是五年以來考研人數首次下降。

Wang Wei, senior lecturer of Kuakao Education, a training agency, thinks that a major reason for the decline is the dim career prospects for postgraduates.
跨考教育高級講師王偉（音譯）認爲，考研人數的下降主要源自於研究生就業前景的暗淡。

“Many students are now taking master’s degree courses as a shortcut to a better job,” said Wang. “But recent employment data may disappoint them.”
王偉說：“現在很多學生把讀研當作找到好工作的捷徑，而近來的就業數據可能會令他們心灰意冷。”

The employment rate of postgraduates in China in 2011 was 87 percent, 8 percent less than that of undergraduates, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
由人力資源與社會保障部發布的數據顯示，2011年我國研究生就業率爲87%，比本科生就業率低8個百分點。

Given this situation, experts are calling on students to think clearly about what they want a master’s degree for.
在這種情況下，專家呼籲學生考研要三思而後行。

Chen Lu, 23, is graduating this year from Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. She says taking the exam will enable her to pursue her real passion.
23歲的陳璐（音譯）今年將從天津財經大學畢業。她說考研使她去追求真正令自己興奮的專業。The logistics major has signed up for a master’s degree in journalism at Renmin University.
本科學習物流專業的她報考了人民大學新聞專業研究生。

Many other people are like her. According to MyCOS Research Institute, 28 percent of test takers in the 2012 national graduate school entrance examination applied for a major different from their bachelor’s degree.
很多人都和陳璐有着同樣的想法。北京教育諮詢公司麥可思研究院表示，在2012年報考研究生的學生中，跨專業考生佔到28%。

In deciding whether to take the exam or not, students are recommended to make the decision based on the nature of their major.
關於是否要考研，專家建議學生應該根據專業特點來做決定。

“For majors that focus more on theory, students should enroll in a master’s degree immediately after graduation as it’s important for them to keep up to date on the latest theoretical developments,” said Zhang Xiangkun, associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. These majors include mathematics, physics, philosophy and linguistics.
中科院副研究員張祥坤錶示：“對於側重理論的專業，學生應該在畢業後立即讀研，以便掌握最新理論研究成果，這對他們很重要”。這些專業包括數學、物理、哲學和語言學。

“But for majors that feature practical skills, getting familiar with relevant workplace skills as soon as possible and getting to know your own strengths and weaknesses is more urgent.”
“對於側重實踐技巧的專業來說，儘早熟悉相關工作技巧，瞭解自己優缺點則更重要。”

Computer science, telecommunication engineering and mechanics majors are of this kind.
計算機科學、通信工程和機械製造都是這類的專業。