It's exam season again.

　　The registration for the 2023 postgraduate examination is in full swing, and topics related to postgraduate entrance examinations are also continuing to heat up.

Will the number of applicants continue to rise?

How will the enrollment numbers change?

How will the professional courses be adjusted?

How to treat the phenomenon of "reverse postgraduate entrance examination" that is hotly discussed on the Internet?

Recently, these questions have always been on the hot search position of social media, affecting the hearts of candidates.

How do you view the new trend of research and examination in 2023?

The reporter interviewed relevant experts.

The 2023 research and recruitment plan has not yet been released, and it is unlikely to "reduce recruitment"

　　"At present, the postgraduate enrollment plan of Xi'an University of Technology has not yet been issued, but according to the situation in the past three years, the enrollment of postgraduates has shown a steady upward trend, with an average growth rate of about 10%. The number of postgraduate enrollments of Xi'an University of Technology is expected to continue to increase in 2023. " said Zhao Xiangmo, a professor and doctoral supervisor at Xi'an University of Technology.

　　The 2023 national graduate admissions plan has not yet been announced, but on some social media platforms, so-called "informed people" are already speculating about "reduction in the postgraduate entrance examination", and even analyzed that the number of "exemption students" has increased, resulting in a reduction in the number of unified candidates. So, the truth is What is the situation?

　　Wang Chuanyi, deputy director of the Graduate Education Research Center of Tsinghua University and a doctoral supervisor, said: "The quota for 'exemption' is generally controlled by the state at 50% of the school's total full-time enrollment plan for that year. Specific to each discipline, schools can The characteristics of the discipline and the development plan of the institution are decided independently.”

　　In fact, according to the number of applicants and enrollments for the unified examination every year, many schools and majors have far less than 50% of the "exemption" places.

For example, Xi'an University of Technology, only 10%.

　　Zhao Xiangmo introduced: "The school's 2023 'exemption of students' plan has increased compared with 2022, but due to the simultaneous increase in the enrollment plan, the current source of students is mainly from the candidates who participated in the unified examination and previous candidates."

　　The reporter learned that, according to the requirements of the Ministry of Education, some schools plan to enroll graduate students in 2023 according to 95% of the actual enrollment last year, and the actual enrollment will finally be determined according to the enrollment plan of the Ministry of Education.

Is this a trend of the so-called "shrinking"?

　　"As far as I know, before the education authority has officially issued an enrollment plan, all colleges and universities' 2023 enrollment plan will be implemented in accordance with this requirement, and it has basically been implemented in this way in recent years. I think this is an overall consideration for the whole country. As a result of the steady growth in the number of postgraduates, according to the situation in previous years, when the admissions plan is officially issued, the general number of admissions will be higher than the previous planned admissions plan." Zhao Xiangmo said, "Every year the postgraduate admissions quota plan is issued by the higher education department to the school. The school comprehensively considers future development and discipline layout, and tilts towards disciplines (fields) that focus on major national strategies, basic disciplines, key areas and major social needs.”

　　Graduate enrollment has been expanding in recent years, as has the number of applicants.

The data shows that the number of applicants will still increase in 2023.

Overall, is it possible to shrink?

　　"Judging from the current overall situation, I personally think that it is unlikely that graduate students will shrink in 2023." Zhao Xiangmo said, "According to the public data of the Ministry of Education, since 2016, the number of applicants for the postgraduate entrance examination in my country has been on the rise. Among them, the number of applicants nationwide in 2022 is 4.57 million, an increase of 21% compared with 2021. The reasons for the continuous increase in the number of postgraduate entrance examinations are various. First, the number of college graduates has increased year by year. In addition, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in the past two years, employment pressure In order to pursue a higher level of knowledge, improve their own quality and ability, and enhance their employment advantages, more undergraduate graduates have joined the team of postgraduate entrance examinations.”

　　Zhao Xiangmo said: "When the state formulates the postgraduate enrollment plan, it does not blindly and universally expand the scale, but expands the enrollment scale in a targeted and differentiated manner according to needs. In the past few years, the number of postgraduate enrollment places has focused on the central and western regions. Colleges are tilted.”

　　Wang Chuanyi also believes: "The plan for postgraduate enrollment is mainly based on economic and social development needs, social education needs and other aspects. The proportion of people with postgraduate degrees in the United States is 14.26%, the United Kingdom is 14.64%, South Korea is 4.45%, and China is only about 1%. Therefore, the scale of enrollment may continue to expand, but the growth rate varies with different types and levels. "

Exam content and bibliography changes are normal and have nothing to do with "difficulty"

　　The 2023 graduate admissions brochures of many schools have been announced, and the content of some professional course exams has changed, such as changes in reference books.

This has also aroused great concern. Does it mean that the exam will be more "difficult"?

Under the premise that the number of applicants is likely to increase, will it be "more difficult"?

　　Wang Chuanyi said: "The changes in the content of the examinations for professional courses belong to the school's independent adjustment based on the requirements for talent selection and the development and changes of the theoretical knowledge of the disciplines. With the update of knowledge and changes in the requirements for talent selection, it is normal to change the content of the examinations and the reference books."

　　In recent years, the Ministry of Education has requested to promote the proposition of first-level disciplines.

Taking Xi'an University of Technology as an example, according to this requirement, the number of self-proposition subjects will be reduced from 54 to 33, and the "Guide to the Subjects and References of the 2023 Postgraduate Admissions Examination of Xi'an University of Technology" will be released in time.

　　Each school publishes the bibliography, in fact, to reduce the review pressure of candidates and facilitate the majority of candidates to prepare for the exam.

　　"The increase in the number of postgraduate entrance examinations does not necessarily lead to an increase in the difficulty of postgraduate entrance examinations. Ten years ago, the number of postgraduate entrance examinations was small, but the number of postgraduates enrolled was also small; now the number of postgraduate entrance examinations is increasing, but the number of postgraduates is also increasing. Therefore, we cannot deliberately enlarge the absolute number of growth. 'Selling anxiety'." Wang Chuanyi said.

　　"The most important thing to see is that more important than the scale of the postgraduate entrance examination is the subject structure of candidates applying for the postgraduate entrance examination. A phenomenon of the current postgraduate entrance examination is that the competition for popular subjects such as economics and management is fierce, but the lack of high-quality disciplines involving major national strategies often encounters problems. Cold, unpopular secrets are difficult to inherit. How to guide the postgraduate group in a targeted manner, so that more candidates can integrate their personal studies into the great cause of national rejuvenation, is an important issue that needs urgent attention." Wang Chuanyi said.

　　For individual candidates, the ability to break out of the siege does not depend on the number of applicants and the score line, but on their own rankings in the majors and schools they are applying for.

　　The score line for graduate students is based on the ratio of admissions places to interview places.

For example, if a college recruits 100 people, if the ratio of the number of admissions and the number of people participating in the interview is 1:1.2, 120 people will enter the interview, and the scores will be arranged in descending order from high to low.

The specific difference ratio for the interview, the national guiding recommendation is generally not less than 120%, which is determined by each school.

　　Zhao Xiangmo said: "The principle of dividing the score line is that, first of all, the score of the candidates must meet the national score line of the current year, that is, the basic requirements for the preliminary examination results determined by the state, including the total score requirements of the test subjects and the single subject score requirements, which is what we call it. 'Double crossing the line'. The national line for postgraduate entrance examination is divided into two grades: A area and B area. The score line of these two types of areas usually differs by about 2 to 10 points. On this basis, the school can follow the number of people who have reached the national line and the enrollment plan. The matching degree will be self-marked, and the self-marked score will be determined by the collective research of the school's graduate admissions leading group depending on the situation of the year."

The phenomenon of "reverse postgraduate entrance examination" reflects the further improvement of the characteristics and advantages of professional disciplines

　　"Reverse postgraduate entrance examination" is also a recent hot topic, that is, the undergraduate graduates of "double first-class" construction universities, the goal of postgraduate entrance examination is no longer limited to "double first-class" construction universities, and ordinary institutions are also included in the scope of selection.

Many people take this as a signal that the postgraduate entrance examination "situation is grim".

　　"In fact, this has always been the case in previous years. Some are due to the choice of majors and tutors, and some are because many schools are not as big as the gaps circulated in the outside world, and the impact of this gap on individuals is indeed limited. Especially In terms of majors and disciplines, each school has its own characteristics and advantages, we should give students more opportunities to make independent judgments and choices, and hope that candidates can choose suitable schools based on their own abilities and interests." Zhao Xiangmo said.

　　Wang Chuanyi believes that the postgraduate entrance examination is a comprehensive judgment of candidates based on their personal wishes and personal abilities. Although candidates have the "probability of success" to consider, the more important thing is to look at the advantages and characteristics of the subjects they are applying for.

　　"First of all, the state has always encouraged the characteristic development of colleges and universities, especially the 'double first-class' construction of colleges and universities to strive for first-class in different fields and directions. Therefore, although candidates will consider the school's overall schooling history and academic reputation to a certain extent, But what is more important is to look at the advantages and characteristics of the applied subjects; secondly, there are many market-oriented university rankings or subject rankings, and their index systems have major flaws, especially the 'five-only' indicators based on papers or projects. Simplified rankings cannot reflect the overall picture of universities or disciplines, especially the quality of talent training and their support and contributions to the country and localities. Therefore, using university rankings as a layered hat for colleges and universities, and as a reference for postgraduate entrance examinations, does not conform to the spirit of the country. It also lacks scientificity." Wang Chuanyi said.

　　Reduced admissions for postgraduate entrance examinations, reverse postgraduate entrance examinations, increase in the number of applicants for examinations, changes in reference books... Along with these topics on the online platform, there are always posts from various tutoring institutions, tutoring materials, and Internet celebrity guidance experts. The interests behind "traffic" Remind us to be wary of "trafficking anxiety" situations.

　　"I think that some media or postgraduate entrance examination institutions in the society have over-magnified some facts and deliberately concealed some facts in order to attract attention. There is indeed a phenomenon of 'trafficking anxiety', and the increase in the number of postgraduate entrance examinations should be viewed objectively and rationally. Wang Chuanyi said, "The increase in the number of postgraduate entrance exams may be a short-term fluctuation caused by the epidemic. Part of the increase comes from candidates who have not been able to apply for or postponed their application for postgraduate study abroad due to the epidemic, and the other part is due to factors such as the epidemic. Candidates who can be employed but have to postgraduate entrance examinations to postpone their employment. After the epidemic, the demand for postgraduate studies of these two groups may change significantly.”

　　Zhao Xiangmo said: "Postgraduate entrance examination is a very important experience in life, and how to correctly face tension and anxiety is also a compulsory course for every postgraduate entrance examination person. Postgraduate entrance examination is a protracted battle. From reviewing to finally entering the examination room, you will experience many difficulties. The postgraduate entrance examination does not determine the life of the candidates, but there is one more choice. Candidates should put down their burdens, move forward lightly, give full play to their own level, and get good results in the examination. At the same time, candidates should combine the national development strategy and social needs, in a comprehensive evaluation On the basis of your own situation, choose colleges and majors reasonably. At the same time, you should prepare review materials according to the bibliography published in the 2023 Master's Admissions Professional Catalogue of each college and university, prepare for the test in a targeted manner, and pay close attention to the various colleges and universities. Admissions and Transfer Policy.”

　　(Reporter Li Yulan of this newspaper)

　　"Guangming Daily" (14th edition on October 11, 2022)