[Vox pop] What the Chinese really think about gaokao
Gaokao, China’s national college entrance exam, is a life-defining moment for millions. More than just a test, it’s a turning point — and for many, the only way out. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lu Lingming speak with young Chinese as they reflect on the pressures, fairness and weight of this high-stakes system.
Every June, tension runs high across China — not just for students, but also teachers, parents, taxi drivers and police officers. Social media is filled with nostalgic skits and interviews outside exam halls. Gaokao, the national college entrance exam, is a national moment.
The intensity is hard to overstate. Many students start their day before 6am and study well past midnight, clocking up to 15 hours a day. The pressure — whether self-imposed or from family — is immense. For some parents, the stress is even greater, seeing the exam as a make-or-break moment for their child’s future.
In many schools, teachers of exam subjects take over PE, arts and other non-core lessons to squeeze in more revision. The entire system bends around gaokao.
While many interviewed say they could have scored higher, most are content with where life has taken them. Still, if there were one thing they could change, it would be the uneven distribution of educational resources across regions. Differences in regional quotas mean students in certain provinces face much higher cut-off scores than their peers elsewhere. Others also questioned the lack of a unified exam paper across different provinces. “If resources are already unequal, why make the exam papers different too?” one asked.
Despite its flaws, most agree gaokao offers one of the fairest shots. It’s not perfect, but for those without privilege, it’s still the most level — and sometimes only — way up.
