National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao)
The National College Entrance Examination, commonly known as Gaokao, is a significant annual examination in China that plays a crucial role in determining students' eligibility for university admissions. Often considered one of the most challenging exams globally, Gaokao tests students on three mandatory subjects: Chinese, English, and mathematics, with an optional fourth subject based on the student's educational interests. In 2017, approximately 9.4 million students participated, yet only 3.7 million were expected to gain entry into top-tier universities, illustrating the competitive nature of the examination.
The Gaokao is not only a measure of academic capability but also a source of immense pressure for students and their families. It is seen as a vital opportunity for social mobility, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In recent years, parents have invested heavily in preparatory courses, further intensifying the stakes associated with the exam. Furthermore, the Gaokao's implications extend beyond education; it can shape an individual’s future career trajectory and financial prospects.
Originally introduced in 1952 and later reinstated in 1977 after a hiatus during the Cultural Revolution, the Gaokao reflects China's educational policies and the values espoused by its government. The examination's significant cultural weight has led to criticism regarding mental health issues among students, including increased rates of depression and anxiety, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to education and evaluation.
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National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao)
The National College Entrance Examination or, as it is known in China, gaokao (“high test”), is an annual examination taken by Chinese students that determines their eligibility for admission to Chinese universities. It is regarded as one of the hardest achievement exams in the world. In 2017, 9.4 million high school-level students took the gaokao test, but by 2024, a record-breaking 13.5 million students sat for the test, increasing the exam's already tough competition. On average, between 75 and 85 percent of all students each year receive a gaokao score that allows them to gain acceptance into college.
Hundreds of thousands of Chinese students also apply to American colleges using their gaokao scores to demonstrate their academic potential. Several American universities accept the gaokao as part of their entrance criteria, including the University of New Hampshire, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and Colorado State University. Some universities, such as the University of Delaware, accept gaokao scores as proof of English proficiency only, and others offer scholarships or direct admission for top scores.
The test has been criticized in China for the intense pressure it places on test-takers. For many disadvantaged students, it represents virtually their only chance for upward mobility. Often, the results of this single test can largely determine whether a person is destined to work in a blue- or white-collar job for the rest of their life. In addition, Chinese parents spend over $120 billion annually for prep courses designed to improve gaokao test scores. Such an immense financial bonus to the Chinese economy means that there is little incentive for the Chinese government to alter its testing methodologies. The use of the test also plays into the communist mindset that hard work, drive, and natural intelligence are the primary determinants for future success regardless of a family’s status or income.
Background
The gaokao was created in 1952 as a means for measuring the potential academic aptitude of primary school students. It coincided with the newly communist nation’s initial Five-Year Plan, which sought to emulate the Soviet model of economics. After several years of tinkering with the format of the exam, it was instituted as a key policy of the country’s newly drafted educational system. However, the start of the Cultural Revolution in 1966 led to the abrupt cancellation of the gaokao as Chinese leader Mao Zedong pushed the nation’s young people to join his revolution against threats to the communist system. As a result, academic scholars became disenfranchised under Mao’s new ideology as education was deemed to be less important than participation in the great struggle.
During a three-year period, the future of the gaokao remained in limbo as the country felt the anti-education reverberations of the Cultural Revolution. Educated people were often sent to remote farms to work so that they could better understand the struggles of the working class. Students who graduated from high school during the three-year period without the gaokao were called laosanjie, meaning “old three classes.” As the Cultural Revolution led to social chaos and near-economic collapse, universities were finally reopened; however, opportunities for admittance were determined by loyalty to Mao’s agenda and through recommendations from student work units. Students given the chance to attend college were selected based on the suitability of their educational track in advancing the ideologies of the communist state.
After Mao’s death in 1976, the new Chinese leadership decided to reinstate the gaokao. For many former students who had been blocked from pursuing higher education, the return of the gaokao represented a new window of opportunity. In 1977, a record 5.7 million people—many of whom were in their twenties and thirties—took the gaokao, though only 5 percent were granted admittance to college. Among the students taking the gaokao in 1977 were future Chinese premier Li Keqiang and famed realist painter Luo Zhongli. Many of the students who took the 1977 gaokao examination had been forced to study in secret during the Cultural Revolution for fear of being accused of betraying Mao’s communist agenda. Beginning in 1978, the gaokao became standardized, with all tested students receiving the same version of the exam.
The intense pressures behind the need to gain a top gaokao score led many parents and students to seek ways to boost their chances on the test. In addition to the growth in tutoring and prep courses, some students were driven to cheat. In response, the Chinese government made cheating on the gaokao a criminal offense starting in 2016. In the five years after the law was passed, the Chinese court saw 4,000 cases involving cheating schemes, and over 11,000 people received punishments, including jail time for some. In 2024, many provinces implemented special measures like iris scanners and artificial intelligence-powered facial recognition cameras to deter cheating.
Overview
The test occurs over a two-day period at the end of the school year in June. In total, it takes about nine hours to complete. Students are tested in three compulsory subjects: Chinese, English, and mathematics. In addition, each student is given the opportunity to take one additional comprehensive test in a subject of their choice depending on their future educational track. Options include history, biology, chemistry, physics, politics, and geography. Though the test is standardized, some ethnic minorities have a third day of testing in which they take another test in their native language two days after the completion of the standardized national test. Students are allowed to take the test more than once.
Taking the gaokao is optional, but it is considered a student’s best chance to climb the economic ladder. To gain admittance to a top university—called a Yi Ben—students must score within the top third of their class. Once scores are received by students several weeks later, the Chinese government uses score averages to publish a set of standardized scores necessary for admittance into any of China’s various educational tracks, which may include bachelor’s programs, one-year preparatory programs, three-year preparatory programs, or vocational schools.
Students who took three days of exams are given the option of choosing between two different results once they receive their scores. The first, the min kao min score, includes one hundred percent of the results from their Chinese language and native language scores while disregarding their English score. The second, the min kao han score, uses fifty percent of both the Chinese language and native language scores and one hundred percent of their English score.
For many Chinese parents, the gaokao is more than an opportunity for educational and social advancement. It represents the fulfillment or refutation of their expectations for their child. Some gaokao-led educational tracks do not necessarily lead to positions with high incomes; however, many well-paying jobs, such as delivery jobs, do not require the gaokao for entry-level positions. Despite this, many parents often force their children to prepare for the gaokao, as it is often regarded as a measurement of their success as a parent while presenting the opportunity to bask in their child’s reflected achievement. As a result, higher rates of depression and suicide have been linked to the gaokao test, particularly among teens who perform badly on the test.
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