The Ministry of Education has issued a warning about the deceptive marketing strategies employed by so-called "pre-college transition courses," which target the anxieties of incoming university students and their parents.

On July 18th, the ministry's official rumor-refuting information platform published an article deconstructing four typical tactics used by these programs. The platform stated that "this type of marketing precisely exploits the fear of the unknown felt by prospective students and parents, and its four tactics are highly formulaic."

The first tactic involves fabricating data about "failing grades" and "dropping out" to create panic. Promotional materials frequently use exaggerated statistics about the proportion of freshmen struggling to adapt or inflated dropout rates to instill fear. However, media reports indicate that neither the Ministry of Education nor major universities have ever released specific statistical data on "freshman adaptation rates" or "dropout rates." The failure rates claimed by these institutions lack official support.

The second tactic applies pressure by highlighting "peer gaps" to incite competition. Slogans like "Students with the same college entrance exam scores admitted to the same major—some adapt easily while others waste four years, all because they didn't do a pre-college program in the summer" exploit comparative psychology to create a sense of urgency that "you'll fall behind if you don't sign up."

The third tactic distorts the normal adaptation process into a "crisis." The shift in learning style from high school to university is significant, and feeling temporarily disoriented upon first arriving on campus is a normal part of the adjustment period. Institutions, however, package this common experience as a "survival crisis," implying that failing to enroll will put students at a perpetual disadvantage.

The fourth tactic uses "guaranteed graduate school admission" as bait to extend the monetization cycle. Some institutions bundle and sell graduate school planning services alongside their courses. According to reports, fees for such packages range from 98,000 to 400,000 yuan. This model exploits the academic advancement anxieties of students and parents, framing university as merely another competitive race for further education.

The National Education Rumor Refuting Platform recommends that prospective students and parents adjust their mindset, distinguishing between "learning about university life" and "pre-studying course material." It advises not to view engaging in "non-academic activities" as a waste of time, to prepare mentally for the role transition, and for parents to "let go," offering trust as the best form of support.