Gao Kao: Chinese SAT

Today I asked students in a “Listening and Speaking” course what their future career holds for them. Most of them said they would become translators and interpretors, which matches their degree title. Others said, “I don’t know…,” which many American students would probably say too. But there was a small percentage of translation majors who said, “I’d like to study biology” or “I want to be an economist.” Their preference for a different major, and future, was clear as day for them; but, unfortunately, their Gao Kao score wasn’t high enough to choose that major. Think about it: their score was high enough to enter this university, but not high enough to choose a field of study they preferred.

My first reaction was as knee-jerked as, perhaps, yours just was. How could you be smart enough to enter a university, but not good enough to join certain fields of study? Gao Kao, the Chinese SAT or A-Levels, was the single thing standing in their way. So, I probed a little more about their alternatives, since there must be a loophole somewhere…

What if you drop out this year? Couldn’t you just choose a lower-ranked university next year and begin studying the courses you prefer? They said… “it’s not that simple.” If you want to change universities in China you need a well-connected father or uncle who will get it done. Otherwise, you will have to take the Gao Kao again, and who knows the changes that will have happened to the test… Perhaps the exam will be more difficult the next year… Read More…