The National Higher Education Entrance Examination(mostly, the abbreviation was written as NCEE, National College Entrance Examination), or commonly known as Gaokao, is an academic examination held annually in China. This examination is a prerequisite for entrance into almost all higher education institutions at the undergraduate level. It is usually taken by students in their last year of high school, although there has been no age restriction since 2001.
In 2006, a record high of 9.5 million people applied for tertiary education entry in China. Of these, 8.8 million (93%) are scheduled to take the national entrance exam and 27,600 (0.28%) have been exempted from standardized exams (保送) due to exceptional or special talent. The rest (0.7 million) will take other standardized entrance exams, such as those designed for adult education students.
The overall mark received by the student is generally a weighted sum of their subject marks. The maximum possible mark varies wildly from year to year and also varies from province to province.
Students from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macau Special Administrative Region remain in their respective educational system before the handover so students in these two places do not participate in the Gaokao as the universities there retain their own admission procedure for local students. In return, mainland China's universities have a separate procedure for the admission of those students.
Read more about National Higher Education Entrance Examination: History, Procedure
Famous quotes containing the words national, higher, education, entrance and/or examination:
“There is no calamity which a great nation can invite which equals that which follows a supine submission to wrong and injustice and the consequent loss of national self-respect and honor, beneath which are shielded and defended a people’s safety and greatness.”
—Grover Cleveland (1837–1908)
“The word which gives the key to the national vice is waste. And people who are wasteful are not wise, neither can they remain young and vigorous. In order to transmute energy to higher and more subtle levels one must first conserve it.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“From infancy, almost, the average girl is told that marriage is her ultimate goal; therefore her training and education must be directed toward that end. Like the mute beast fattened for slaughter, she is prepared for that.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)
“The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“If we justify war, it is because all peoples always justify the traits of which they find themselves possessed, not because war will bear an objective examination of its merits.”
—Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)