Liang Shi, 56, has led a successful life in many ways. He worked in many different industries, ended up starting his own business, got married and had a child.
But there is one goal he still hasn’t achieved, though not for lack of trying: getting a good enough score on China’s entrance exams to get into a top university.
Liang took the grueling two-day exam known as the “gaokao”, in early June, alongside nearly 13 million students across the country. It was the 27th time he has taken the gaokao, always dissatisfied with his score since he first took the exam 40 years ago.
Students’ exam results are their only criteria for college admission – and most applicants only have one chance, with testing happening once a year.
Liang has been the outlier, making national headlines for his persistence.
But so far it hasn’t paid off; after completing the gaokao, he filmed a video on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, saying he wasn’t “very satisfied” with his performance.
“It might be a little difficult if I want to go to a good university this year,” he said in the video.
The results, released on Friday, confirmed their fears. He scored 428 points out of 750 – down from his results the year before, and not enough to get into most colleges, let alone an elite one like Sichuan University, which he has had his eye on for decades.
“I’m so disappointed right now, so disappointed. I think the score cannot be that bad,” he said in a live broadcast on social media organized by local media Sichuan TV, which showed him opening his result in real time.
“Although I thought this test was a failure, I didn’t think I would fall short of last year’s score.”
The gaokao covers four subjects: Chinese, mathematics, English and science (physics, chemistry and biology) or liberal arts (politics, history and geography). In the live broadcast, Liang said that he felt “disappointed in all subjects”, but especially in Chinese and liberal arts subjects.
A lifetime of trying
Liang, a native of Sichuan, took his first gaokao as a young student in 1983, but failed to meet the minimum score for college admissions, according to the state-run China Daily. He tried for the next two years, with similar results.
In the following decade, he attended a technical school, but dropped out soon after. He did other odd jobs, worked in a lumber company and got married. But through it all, he continued studying and occasionally taking the gaokao — earning high enough grades in 1992 to get into a university in Nanjing, according to the China Daily.
But, dissatisfied, he declined the offer and kept trying.
After passing the gaokao eligibility requirements, he stopped taking the test for several years, working as a salesman before opening a successful factory, reported China Daily. Then, in 2001, the government lifted the age limit for testing, allowing it to resume – sporadically at first, then with stubborn consistency.
He now does the gaokao every year since 2010.
He worked hard last year, leaving home at 8 am to study at a friend’s teahouse and not returning home until late at night, according to China Daily. He even accepted that Sichuan University might be out of reach, deciding to attend whatever “major university” would accept him.
But he looked defeated on Friday as he reviewed his results. He didn’t know if he would take the race again in 2024. “If I can’t reach my target next year, I might as well drop out,” he said.
“I believe I’m fine in all respects, but the results repeatedly prove that I’m not,” he said. “If I can actually find the problem and change it, and my score goes up, I might still not give up.”
Under pressure
The gaokao is notoriously difficult, with pressure on students who spend months studying for the exam.
For generations of Chinese people – and this is still true for thousands living in rural China today – a university education was their only ticket to success and upward mobility.
Before this year’s test, many students visited temples to light incense and pray for good results. And on the big day, authorities imposed restrictions near the test centers to minimize noise and any disruption to test takers, such as banning nearby cars from honking their horns. Other businesses, such as restaurants, temporarily suspended operations during the exam.
Photos from the day showed support staff, transit workers and residents wishing students good luck as they made their way to the testing centers, giving them thumbs-up and high-fives. During the exam, anxious families gathered outside the test centers, some holding bouquets of flowers and banners with encouraging slogans.
But things could get even tougher for students in the coming years as the applicant pool expands – meaning greater competition for coveted places at selected universities.
This year’s 12.91 million applicants increased from last year’s number by 980,000 – sparking concern from some students who already face an uncertain economy and dwindling opportunities.
While young Chinese are the most educated in decades – many now pursuing masters and doctoral degrees in hopes of gaining a head start – they are entering a tough job market, hit by the pandemic and government regulatory crackdowns in several key sectors.
China’s youth unemployment rate is at record levels recently peaking at 20.8%, with experts warning it could remain high for a few more years.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
