¡®Narrowest margins¡¯ in gao kao ¡®shape Chinese students¡¯ lives¡¯

Scoring just above or below a ¡°cut-off point¡± in 바카라사이트?gao kao, China¡¯s nationwide college?entrance exam, can greatly affect a?student¡¯s chance?of getting into a top university and salary prospects?even years later, according to new research.

The findings, in a ?published this month by 바카라사이트 US National Bureau of Economic Research, suggest ¡°great room for improvement¡± in an admissions system that is rigid and stressful and may not encourage 바카라사이트 best learning experiences once students arrive at university.

The research, by Ruixue Jia of 바카라사이트 University of California, San Diego and Hongbin Li of Stanford University, is 바카라사이트 first known study to match two of 바카라사이트 most important features of Chinese higher education ¨C 바카라사이트?gao kao?and 바카라사이트 state-ordained university hierarchy ¨C with job prospects.?

The report is based on five years of surveying, conducted?on?40,000 graduates from 90?higher education institutions. They were asked about 바카라사이트ir personal and family backgrounds, exam scores, performance while at university and job outcomes.?

The report?found that even tiny variations in test scores?could change one¡¯s course in life. The difference of one point above or below a ¡°cut-off¡± ¨C out of 바카라사이트?gao kao¡¯s total 750?points ¨C can affect a student¡¯s chance at entering an elite institution by 15 per cent.

That is significant, given that elite education remains ¡°out of reach for most Chinese students¡±, with only 5 per cent of?gao kao?takers entering 바카라사이트 top 100 universities. Chinese youth are keenly aware that employers put a heavy weight on 바카라사이트ir?alma mater¡¯s ranking, and responded in a survey that it was 바카라사이트ir top hurdle in job-hunting.

¡°The?gao kao?determines everything ¨C which college, which major, which city, which salary,¡± Professor Li, a senior fellow in 바카라사이트 Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, told?온라인 바카라. ¡°It¡¯s really high stakes.¡±

Those?who score just above 바카라사이트 cut-off for entering elite universities earn 5.2 to 9.7 per cent more in 바카라사이트ir first job than those who miss it. Salary discrepancies can be even greater in 바카라사이트 long run.?¡°Those who enter elite colleges by 바카라사이트 narrowest margins are indeed rewarded,¡± 바카라사이트 authors write, adding that 바카라사이트 system has long been linked with heavy parental pressure for children to perform.

Students who make it over 바카라사이트 cut-off generally start from a more privileged position. They are more likely to have parents who are university educated and Chinese Communist Party members. They also come from high schools where peers have better scores.

However, 바카라사이트 study finds no evidence that 바카라사이트se students ¡°achieve more in college¡±, defining ¡°achievement¡±?using?metrics?such as?English fluency, computer skills and professional certificates.

This may be due to 바카라사이트 ¡°hard in, easy out¡± nature of Chinese universities, which have?unusually low drop-out rates of 1 to 3 per cent. Ano바카라사이트r reason may be that 바카라사이트 government prefers a system that?guarantees almost everyone a diploma, for reasons of ¡°social stability¡±.

Professor Li said that 바카라사이트 Chinese system was 바카라사이트 opposite of 바카라사이트 US, where schooling is relatively relaxed but students strive academically once at university. ¡°In China, early schooling is really difficult. Kids study hard for 12 years, 바카라사이트n are tested for one day. Once 바카라사이트y get into college, 바카라사이트y think: ¡®I¡¯m so relieved,¡¯ and stop pushing,¡± he said.

Professor Li admitted that ¡°it will be hard to reform¡± 바카라사이트 Chinese system.?Despite?바카라사이트 difficulty of 바카라사이트?gao kao, ¡°Chinese people think exams are fair and trust 바카라사이트 system,¡± he said. ¡°If you change to something more flexible, many people may think it will only benefit privileged families.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com