As a student who has attended both Hong Kong and American universities, apart from the classic culture shock of adjusting to temperatures in Fahrenheit and the obsession with guns, I was also amazed by how freely freshmen in the United States use their first year to discover their interests and choose their subjects. I certainly think that Hong Kong universities should offer more opportunities for our first-year students to discover their interests as well, and to choose a major they are interested in. My concern does not come from nowhere. In March, figures released by the University Grants Committee showed that university dropout rates had hit a 16-year high. I believe one reason is students finding the subjects they have chosen cannot meet their expectations, a phenomenon caused by a lack of exposure to the real world when it comes to secondary school education. Statistics show that secondary students are taking up fewer elective subjects at the Diploma of Secondary Education examinations. In 2012, when the DSE was launched, about 27 per cent of the cohort took more than two elective subjects; by 2020, this percentage had dropped to less than 17 per cent. In short, the “3+3+4 programme” – referring to three years of junior secondary, three years of senior secondary, then four years of university – has left secondary school students taking up fewer subjects. The DSE, being a mix of both the UK and US education systems, has led students to a confusing situation. In the UK, most students take nine or 10 GCSE subjects, while in the US, students are exposed to the academic field by the liberal arts education at universities. However, Hong Kong’s 3+3+4 programme has neither the vast subject choices that the UK system provides nor the flexibility in choosing a major at universities that the US system does. In a nutshell, Hong Kong students have to choose their academic pathway with limited knowledge of the real world. Hong Kong universities can consider giving students more flexibility in choosing their major as a small fix for the shortcomings of “3+3+4”. Universities could allow first-year students to attend the introductory courses of various subjects and declare their major later, especially if they perform well in certain courses. That way, students would have more opportunities to explore their academic interests without the risk of having to drop out of university. Luckily for me, I chose a subject I liked. However, I know many unfortunate students who were confused when planning their future and are now fed up with their choice of major. They end up studying dreadfully just for a certificate. I write this letter with the hope of boosting public discussion on possible improvements to our higher education system. Daniel Kan, Sha Tin