A recent poll by Peking University and *classified website Ganji.com has shown that the average starting salary of a college graduate in 2014 is only 2,443 yuan. Those graduates going to work in Beijing this year *fare a little better, with an average starting salary of 3,019 yuan. While most people expect new graduates to start with a modest salary, especially with tough competition in the job market these days, this figure still came as an unpleasant surprise to a lot of students and educators. To many *aspiring young men and women, while it is great news to have a job, the average salary would hardly cover rent and food in a big city, not to mention maintain a decent standard of living. Such income prospects leave young people with little hope for the future.