In a recent announcement by the admissions office of Donghua University in Shanghai, 43 incoming freshmen have relinquished their admission qualifications. This news has sparked attention online and trended on Baidu’s hot searches on October 27.
According to the announcement posted on the university’s official website on October 17, the reporting date for the new undergraduate students of the 2025 academic year was September 11, 2025. However, 43 students failed to report on time, leading to the forfeiture of their admission qualifications.
The 43 students mentioned in the announcement were from various departments within the university, including the College of Textiles, the College of Fashion and Art Design, the College of Mechanical Engineering, and the College of Information Science and Technology.
Donghua University, located in Shanghai, is directly under the Ministry of Education of the Chinese Communist Party, and is a national key university designated under the “211 Project” and the national “Double First-Class” construction initiative.
Following the release of the announcement, there was a significant buzz online. Many netizens commented that those who did not report may have opted to pursue vocational education. Some shared personal anecdotes about graduates struggling to find jobs after majoring in fields like fashion design at the university, influencing their perceptions of career choices for their children.
Responses from netizens included sentiments like, “Those 43 young people are still sensible,” “University education is not as valuable anymore,” and “Even with a degree, it’s still manual labor.” A netizen from Liaoning remarked, “Our postgraduate students here are delivering takeout, why bother studying more?”
A staff member from the admissions office of Donghua University informed Jiemu News that after the start of the semester, counselors had individually contacted students who failed to report on time. Some of these students wished to retake the entrance exam, while others from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan wanted to stay locally for their studies. Additionally, over ten students were pursuing a second degree and decided to forfeit their admission due to securing satisfactory employment.
Netizens expressed concerns such as, “Where is the confidence from a few years ago?” and “Tuition fees are now so high that some cannot afford it.” They also speculated that in the future, universities will compete fiercely to attract students, similar to how people rush to grab eggs during a shortage.
Previously, Huang Wenhuan, an education researcher at Tsinghua University, stated that the allure of prestigious universities like those under the “985” and “211” projects is diminishing among current students. More individuals are focusing on real job prospects and coping with life pressures.
“He pointed out that students are not lacking in effort but are carefully weighing the disparity between academic qualifications and practical realities. The prevailing economic downturn in China and the downsizing of enterprises are profoundly influencing the educational and career choices of young people.
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