A gaokao examinee received a score high enough to grant him an RMB2 million scholarship and a place at Beijing’s Peking University, China’s best university, three times in a row and rejected them twice. 

The student, known only as Quan, first took the gaokao (the Chinese College Entrance Examination) in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province in 2020 and was accepted into Peking University. 

However, Quan had his heart set on enrolling in the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, but his provincial ranking (based on the gaokao score) was too low.

Quan snubbed the offer from Peking University and chose to retake his senior year, and ultimately sit the gaokao again, in order to get into his dream school.

In 2021, he scored high enough to study at the Peking University Health Science Centre, but his overall rank did not improve, so once again he was unable to enroll in Tsinghua University.

Unsatisfied with the options available for him in 2021, ever the perfectionist, Quan took the exam for a third time this year and ranked number one in his school, Huazhou Qingniao Experimental School, with a score of 694 out of 750. 

For the third time, Quan is eligible for the RMB2 million scholarship and a place at Peking University, but not Tsinghua University. 

Quan is yet to accept or reject the offer from Peking University, which is said to be considering his place at the school.

We think we speak for all of us when we say, “Just take the offer, Quan!”

In China, gaokao examinees receive scholarships from their high schools based on the score they receive and the universities in which they get enrolled. 

According to Huazhou Qingniao Experimental School, millions of RMB are rewarded to students who get into Tsinghua University and Peking University, the top two universities in Chinese mainland 

Quan’s story soon went viral on social media and his scholarship raised heated discussion among students. 

2023 QS World University Rankings lifted Peking University and Tsinghua University to number 12 and 14, respectively, an unprecedented rank for both schools.

The two universities require an outstanding gaokao score in order to be admitted. 

In 2021 in Guangdong, students needed to score a minimum of 683 and rank at least 178 in the province to get into Peking University. 

For Tsinghua University, students required a score of 676 or above and a minimum rank of at least 178. 

However, scores also differ depending on the major students want to study, hence why Quan’s score allowed him to go to Peking, but not Tsinghua. 

Will we see Quan taking the gaokao again next year? We certainly hope not. 

[Image via Wikimedia]