China’s historically elite universities face growing pressure from a diverse crop of competitors courting applicants fearful of a brutal labor market.
Recently released data from China’s annual gaokao college admissions exam painted a troubling picture for big-name brands: Top-tier institutions such as Peking University failed to attract enough students to fill a number of programs, newer establishments had higher entry requirements than traditionally dominant ones, and vocational schools are seeing applications surge.
With China’s youth unemployment rate still stubbornly high, “Now more than ever, students are opting for majors with strong job prospects over prestigious universities,” the South China Morning Post said.