Money advice? Thanks, but no thanks

Zhong Fangrong, who sat for this year's college entrance examination, or gaokao, scored 676 out of 750 and ranked fourth in Hunan province, making her eligible for admission to any university of her choice.

However, when she applied for a major in archeology at Peking University, many people on social networking sites reacted saying the subject has little economic prospects and that Zhong better apply for a "money-related" major such as finance or economics so that she can make more money for her family.

While it is good of people to want Zhong to make more money, so she can care for her family, they should appreciate that she is entitled to making her own career choices and no one else can make decisions for her in this regard.

Making money is not the be-all and end-all of life. People can have different motivations. Archeology is an essential study that feeds an important profession, making a valuable contribution for the progress of mankind. Maybe the work entails a lot of struggle and toil, but then which job doesn't?

Maybe archeologists do not make a lot of money, but that doesn't mean choosing another subject is a guarantee that one will find a well-paying job upon graduation.

One's future, including what one is likely to earn, is decided more by how good one is at one's job rather than by what subject one majors in. For example, majoring in finance is no guarantee one will end up becoming a millionaire, just as studying computer science is no guarantee one will become the next Bill Gates.

There are no "hot" or "happening" subjects to begin with. Everybody has to ultimately work hard for a promising future. Here's wishing Zhong a fruitful time at the university and a rewarding career.