From the perspective of social stratification, the motivation of college students to take the postgraduate entrance examination is not merely a personal choice but deeply embedded in the logic of class structure and the reproduction of cultural capital. This paper first analyzes the social motivations behind college students’ taking the postgraduate entrance examination from the two dimensions of class transition and class defense, and then proposes three guiding strategies: precise career education, resource allocation to the disadvantaged, and weakening utilitarianism to return to interests. The research shows that rational understanding and differentiated guidance of the motivation for taking the postgraduate entrance examination can help promote educational equity and social mobility. The full text aims to provide theoretical references and practical paths for college career education and postgraduate examination guidance.