"Trying to get into a topnotch university is a good thing. But most students don't test into the department they're after for one thing, and they have no idea what their inclinations and career objectives are for another. That's what's troubling," says Chin Shu-jen, a professor of psychological counseling at National Taiwan Normal University.

Wasted years? Two examples will suffice. A graduate named Kuo who majored in applied mathematics at Fu Jen Catholic University says he spent "four years at college--studying what, I don't know." He worked for just two months after completing his military service and then quit his job and decided to start all over again: He's applying to study for an MBA in business administration in the United States. And a student named Huang who majored in mechanical engineering at Chien Hsing Junior College of Technology cries "five years of my life--wasted!" He's been grinding away at cram schools for two years hoping to test into a university and major in law or political science. Could he just end up wasting another four years? He's too busy to think about that for now.

Be it at home or at school, "our educational system rarely teaches children the concepts of self-awareness, self-discipline or even responsibility," says Chin, laying his finger on the crux of the problem. Both parents and teachers demand that children "define a direction for themselves" as though they were adults and go on to follow a narrow path prescribed for them in advance. Their lives are centered on schools, and school is centered on subjects tested in the entrance exams. There are almost no electives or extracurricular activities. It's not the same as in many Western countries, where children are given a lot of latitude to explore themselves and try things out before deciding what they want to major in and do with their lives.

Don't just drift: Considered from a certain standpoint, Professor Chin believes, it may not be a bad thing for young people to step out of the rat race once in a while. Perhaps they can use the opportunity to adjust their bearings for the road ahead and then pursue their goals with greater vigor and determination. As a necessary prerequisite, however, children must be trained early on in the concept of career planning and be given a more ample environment to follow their inclinations.

"This year a whole slew of career guidance courses will be starting up in schools and colleges around the country," Professor Chin says. The courses will range from basic career knowledge for elementary school students, to career exploration for high school students, to career preparation for college students, all the way to career decision making for university graduates. Once it's in place, this basic training program will not only help young people learn more about themselves and about the career options available but will also enable them to revise their goals in a changing environment and determine what road they wish to take.