The Myth of 'Mediocrity' for 985 University Students in China
In China, students who attend the prestigious ‘985 universities’ are often perceived as highly accomplished and far from mediocre. However, some argue that even 985 graduates can struggle to find success. This article examines the realities behind this perception.
In China’s highly competitive education system, attending one of the elite “985 universities” is seen as a major achievement. Named after a government initiative launched in May 1998, the 985 universities represent the top tier of Chinese higher education. Admission is extremely selective - only about 1% of the over 10 million students who take the national college entrance exam (gaokao) each year are accepted to 985 schools.
Considering these odds, it’s no surprise that 985 students are often perceived by Chinese society as the cream of the crop - intelligent, hardworking and destined for success. Parents dream of their children attending Peking University or Tsinghua. Companies aggressively recruit 985 graduates. “985” on a resume is seen as a glittering mark of prestige.
However, in recent years, a counternarrative has emerged. Some point to anecdotal examples of 985 graduates struggling in the job market, living with their parents, or taking blue-collar jobs as evidence that the reputation is overblown. “What’s the point of getting into a top school,” they argue, “if you’re still just a low-paid worker in the end?”
Stories circulate of delivery drivers with advanced degrees, feeding perceptions that education doesn’t guarantee success.
While these individual examples may be true, they risk overlooking the bigger statistical picture. Overall, data shows that 985 graduates do have significant advantages in earnings potential and career prospects compared to their peers.
A 2017 study by China’s National Institution for Finance & Development found that over 80% of 985 graduates earned over 10,000 yuan per month within 3 years, compared to just 30% of graduates from non-elite schools. 985 alumni also have an easier time securing jobs at top domestic and international companies.
None of this is to dismiss the real challenges many Chinese graduates face in a slowing economy and competitive job market. Even 985 graduates aren’t immune to unemployment or underemployment. And those who don’t make it into elite universities, which is the vast majority, often face an even tougher road.
But anecdotes of a few struggling 985 graduates don’t negate the privileges and opportunities that still come with an elite degree. Even if it’s not an automatic golden ticket, the reputation of the 985 universities is grounded in the very real accomplishments and potential of their students and alumni. Dismissing them as “mediocre” misses the bigger picture of how powerful that academic pedigree remains in China.
After all, in a country of 1.4 billion where attending any university, let alone a top one, “mediocre” is hardly the right word to describe the one-in-a-hundred achievers who beat the odds to earn a spot at the best schools in the nation. Their degrees may not be an automatic pass to success - but they’re still an enormously valuable head start.