<p>No wonder China's public education system vastly eclipses that of the United States.</p>
<p>"No wonder China's public education system vastly eclipses that of the United States." </p>
<p>How ridiculous.</p>
<p>Yeah, China's gaokao is crazy tough and crazy stressful. There's been numerous cases each year of suicides and breakdowns and all kinds of things. But the problem lies in that this is the only fair way China can conduct college admissions. There's way too many people in China, and if college admissions becomes like the U.S, there would be too many cheaters. In China, whether or not someone has gone to college can make a huge difference in their future. </p>
<p>But I don't know if even the gaokao would be easier that college admissions here? It just seems like here, there are so many arbitrary factors that play into college admissions. You never know if it's your stats, essay, or whatever that made the difference. At least if I take the gaokao, it's strictly based on scores. I just have to stay at home and study...hahah but that might be putting it into a too simple perspective.</p>
<p>what a joy it is to know that i don't have to go through such a stressful ordeal ! my parents have told me how tough it is, and how it can pretty much screw up your life if you do poorly. i personally think its a flawed system. i mean, come on, 2 days of nonstop testing? i wouldn't be surprised if even the best students found it to be too much to take. one test shouldn't have to determine your life.</p>
<p>I agree. I feel so lucky to be in the states right now.</p>
<p>i actually think id do better in the chinese system. they take the gaokou and then their done.
they dont have to take satIIs, aps. gpa dosent count, volunteering dosent count, they dont have to essays either
and in china if your score in in range your pretty much guarunteed admissions to at least one college on your list.
our american application process is a lot more stressfull and theres too much subjective crap.</p>
<p>that's because we stresss individuality here... every case should be treated "differently"... that seems to be the motto here. So therefore, it'd make sense that we use the more subjective model</p>
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up. My mom told me the same thing happens in Korea (and I'm assuming Japan) too.
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</p>
<p>one of the worst things about Asian culture</p>
<p>
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that's because we stresss individuality here... every case should be treated "differently"... that seems to be the motto here.
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<p>And, yet, "diversity" doesn't apply to everybody.</p>
<p>I'm with sarahhhh. I'd probably do better taking one test that I've progressively studied for than try to psychoanalyze what college admins might consider being a 'worthy' extracurricular activity, etc. Then again, CC has certainly skewed my view...</p>
<p>
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In Tianjin, China's third-biggest metropolis,
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hey that's where i was from!</p>
<p>to be honest, I think the gaokao is a better system for me. I mean all you need is to study for a few minutes (hours(days(weeks(months))). Everything all depends on just this one test. You don't have to constently work hard to achieve something. work for a bit and get a good score. Alot easier to do than consistantly getting straight As with infinite ECs</p>
<p>I admire you. I really do.</p>
<p>" With stakes so high, the Chinese government guards each year's questions as if they were plans for nuclear weapons. Exam authors are confined to secret compounds while the test is being written, while the printing is carried out by inmates at maximum-security prison... The penalties are severe: a student convicted of peeking at a neighbor's paper is never allowed to take the gaokao again, and his name is entered in a public database for prospective employers' perusal. "</p>
<p>interesting... </p>
<p>the emphasis on education is admirable yet a bit alarming</p>
<p>USERNAME has a point...</p>
<p>but then for me...i'm a BIG time procrastinator...so that wouldn't be so good...</p>
<p>i'm actually glad that i don't live in china anymore...my cousin's in the same yr in HS as i...and the thing is, i feel the pressure FOR HER even tho i'm on the other side of the planet. lol</p>
<p>
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hey that's where i was from!</p>
<p>to be honest, I think the gaokao is a better system for me. I mean all you need is to study for a few minutes (hours(days(weeks(months))). Everything all depends on just this one test. You don't have to constently work hard to achieve something. work for a bit and get a good score. Alot easier to do than consistantly getting straight As with infinite ECs
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</p>
<p>actually that's the case w/ the most of the Asian countries....a huge test is all that matters.....other hardly matters at all.</p>
<p>"The gaokao is about the most pressure-packed examination in the world," says Ari Wolfe, an English teacher in Guangzhou who tutored students for last weekend's exam, "given the numbers, the repercussions, and the stress involved."</p>
<p>---------Ari Wolfe was my English teacher last year, I'm in that school mentioned above in Guangzhou. What a surprise to see his name here, as well as the article, on CC...</p>
<p>Well Gaokao is indeed very stressive, but when you are in the middle of it and don't know there is a educational system as flexible as the in U.S., you wouldn't feel that bad...it's kind of a..tradition that we know we had to go through since we were a child because our parents already took Gaokao and with far more greater stress. Now I'm accepted by Cornell so I'm free from the pressure of Gaokao.. for which I'm really happy. But actually many of my classmates(about 50 in my grade) are preparing Gaokao and applying for U.S colleges at the same time and many who are accepted are still preparing for Gaokao~ I'd also say, hard and fearful it might seen to foreigners and to many of us as well, Gaokao is really something that here everyone feels they should experience once in their lives. Like baptism or so...people think they grew more mature out of this "hardest exam in the world"</p>