金榜题名之后

Book Overview: "金榜题名之后" by 郑雅君

Title and Author: The book is titled "金榜题名之后：大学生出路分化之谜" (After Scoring High: The Enigma of University Graduates' Career Paths) and was written by 郑雅君 (Zheng Yajun).

Publication Details: Published by 上海三联书店 (Shanghai Three Gorges Bookstore) on January 30, 2023, with an ISBN of 9787542677815.

Plot Summary: The book delves into the experiences of university students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have managed to gain admission to prestigious universities. It explores the hidden cultural challenges these students face, which are not immediately apparent from their academic achievements. The author, Zheng Yajun, conducted in-depth interviews with 62 graduates from two prominent universities in Beijing and Shanghai to understand how students navigate the complex landscape of higher education in China.

The book highlights that obtaining admission to a top university is not a guarantee of future success. Instead, it is just the beginning of a new, often more challenging competition. Students from affluent backgrounds often possess a set of cultural skills and practices that help them navigate the university environment more effectively, leading to better career outcomes. In contrast, students from lower-income backgrounds, despite their academic achievements, may struggle to convert their university degrees into higher professional positions due to these cultural and practical differences.

Key Themes:

1. Cultural Capital: The book emphasizes the role of cultural capital in determining students' career paths. It argues that students from affluent backgrounds have an advantage due to the cultural skills and practices they inherit from their families, which are not easily taught in classrooms.

2. Hidden Selection Process: The author reveals that university education has become a selective process, where students must master specific skills to succeed. This selection process is often invisible and tied to the cultural background of the students.

3. Two Modes of Practice: The book identifies two typical modes of practice among university students: the "目标掌控模式" (Target Control Mode) and the "直觉依赖模式" (Intuition-Dependent Mode). The Target Control Mode involves a more structured and goal-oriented approach, which is often associated with students from more affluent backgrounds. In contrast, the Intuition-Dependent Mode is more spontaneous and less structured, often used by students from lower-income backgrounds.

4. Value Beliefs and Career Choices: The book explores how value beliefs influence students' career choices. It suggests that internalizing mainstream value beliefs and expanding one's cultural toolkit can help students navigate their career paths more effectively.

Critical Reception: The book has received positive reviews from scholars and readers alike. Here are some excerpts:

• Gerard A. Postiglione (Hong Kong University Education Institute Honorary Professor): "Zheng Yajun has taken a significant step forward by shifting the focus from university entrance to the students' experiences during university life and their exploration of career paths. This book is an important contribution to Chinese education sociology".

• 周怡 (Fudan University Sociology Department Professor): "The book provides a valuable perspective on the classification of educated individuals from a cultural sociology viewpoint. Regardless of whether one agrees with its conclusions, it will provide more useful thinking for both education and sociology".

• 陈建建 (Huazhong Normal University History Department Master's Student): "Reading this book made me understand that the cultural obstacles faced by students in university life are a regular social phenomenon. It is not something to be ashamed of, and I sincerely recommend it to more people".

Overall, "金榜题名之后" offers a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by university students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in navigating the complex landscape of higher education in China. The book provides valuable insights into the cultural and practical skills required for success in this context, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and equitable university community.