<p>One thing to keep in mind is that up until the late '90’s when the central government pulled once generous educational subsidies, college was effectively free for all students*. However, this was balanced out by the fact there were far fewer colleges and the difficulty in gaining an admitted place was far greater. </p>
<p>Being slightly above average academically for purposes of college admission just a decade and half ago would have meant Caoying’s education would have most likely stopped at the end of academic high school at the very latest. </p>
<p>The fact she came from a rural area with academically mediocre schools/support would made made that outcome a greater likelihood. Especially considering many leaders within the central government were in no mood to repeat the affirmative action college admission programs targeting students from rural peasant and worker backgrounds implemented during the Cultural Revolution as it resulted in the effective shutdown of universities/research institutes for a decade due to the admission of many highly politicized students who were un/undereducated and politicized students running riot at the encouragement of the radical Maoists. </p>
<p>Likewise, it wouldn’t surprise me if many Chinese academics or senior CCP leaders…especially those at elite institutions with memories of the Cultural Revolution were not favorably disposed to educate those whom they associated with their past tormenters**…rightly or wrongly. </p>
<ul>
<li>All Chinese university students who went to college from the end of the Cultural Revolution up until the late '90s said it was free so long as they academically qualified for admission through the gaokao. However, once the subsidies were pulled, financial pressures became an issue for those in the working/poor. This was somewhat counterbalanced by a great increase in the number of higher education institutes…especially private colleges with dubious reputations because of the commonplace perception I kept hearing from Mainlanders that private == profit motive and profit motive == diploma mill.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>** Anyone in favor of providing “affirmative action” admissions targeting those from rural peasant/worker backgrounds, relaxation/elimination of academic standards in college admissions by deemphasizing/eliminating the gaokao, etc. Incidentally, Deng Xiaoping and his family was one of the many CCP leaders & their respective families who were harshly persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. His son ended up permanently paralyzed because he jumped/was pushed from his higher floor dormroom by Red Guards out to “struggle him”.</p>