With a Perfect Chinese Score, Should She Choose NCKU Chinese or Yuan Ze Electrical Engineering? Insiders Recommend the Path with Broader Prospects and Higher Salaries

For high school students choosing their university path, the decision between attending a prestigious university versus prioritizing a specific major is a common dilemma faced by many students and parents. A female student who achieved a perfect 15-level score in the Chinese subject of Taiwan’s university entrance exam now finds herself torn between 'NCKU Chinese' and 'Yuan Ze Electrical Engineering' after her subject-based test results fell short of expectations. She is even considering entering NCKU first and later attempting to transfer into Industrial Management or Electrical and Computer Engineering programs. This topic has gone viral on the social media platform Threads, sparking intense discussion, with many experienced individuals and tech-focused pages offering practical advice.

Should she choose NCKU Chinese or Yuan Ze Electrical Engineering? Experts highlight three key considerations. First, given the vast professional differences between the two fields, students should not select a major merely to 'avoid wasting high scores.' Since this student’s physics and chemistry scores are not outstanding, pursuing an engineering major without strong interest would be extremely challenging. Second, planning to transfer after enrollment is nearly as difficult as reapplying through the entrance exam. If a transfer is genuinely intended, enrolling in a related field initially offers better credit transfer advantages. Third, while some believe 'it doesn’t matter what you study,' long-term career outcomes ultimately depend on individual choices, requiring careful consideration.

Some engineers offer a different perspective: a perfect Chinese score reflects strong abilities in identifying key points, logical thinking, and effective expression—skills highly valuable in the tech industry for understanding others and being understood clearly. Thus, choosing Chinese literature does not necessarily mean wasting one’s talents.

Regarding the idea of transferring after admission, NCKU alumni warn that internal transfers are based on post-enrollment GPA rankings and subject to frequent policy changes, making the process highly risky. Students from humanities departments aiming to transfer into engineering or computer science programs often have to drop required courses in their original major and take cross-departmental classes. If the transfer fails, they may face a 'no way back' situation. Therefore, alumni recommend directly choosing Yuan Ze Electrical Engineering to avoid excessive risks.

Netizens supporting engineering majors generally agree that the job market offers stronger demand and better salary conditions for STEM graduates. However, they emphasize the importance of assessing one’s aptitude in math and science. One commenter noted, 'Interest matters, but if you lack interest in both, compare salaries.' Others added, 'After finishing electrical engineering, you can pursue a master’s in humanities, but the reverse is much harder.' Another warned, 'Studying electrical engineering without physics proficiency is painful; lacking math skills makes electrical engineering and computer science extremely tough—many subjects rely heavily on mathematics, so be mentally prepared.'

Yet another group believes that if family circumstances allow support for personal interests, one shouldn’t ignore their humanities talents and passions just to follow mainstream trends. One netizen said, 'If your family can support your interests, it doesn’t matter much what you study.' Another shared, 'I graduated from NCKU Chinese and once considered switching to engineering, but realized I lacked the talent. Now I do work I love—it’s tiring but fulfilling.' Others suggest, 'Entering NCKU and taking additional English, IT, or business management courses can also open up good career paths.'