Chinese Student High Test Scores Low Ability

High Test Scores, Low Ability
Updated December 4, 2010, 12:53 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/02/what-is-a-college-degree-worth-in-china/high-test-scores-low-
ability
Yong Zhao is the University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at Michigan State University. The
author of "Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization," he often blogs about
education issues.
There's a frustrating paradox in Chinese education. On the one hand, millions of college graduates cannot find a job --
at least a desirable job that pays substantially more than what a migrant worker makes. On the other hand, businesses
that want to pay a lot more can't seem to find qualified employees.
A McKinsey study found that fewer than 10 percent of Chinese graduates are considered suitable to work at
multinational companies based in China.
Multinational companies in China are having a difficult time finding qualified candidates for their positions. According
to a recent survey of U.S.-owned enterprises conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, 37
percent of the companies that responded said that finding talent was their biggest operational problem. A separate study
by McKinsey Quarterly found that 44 percent of the executives in Chinese companies reported that insufficient talent
was the biggest barrier to their global ambitions.
The explanation: a test-oriented educational environment.
China invented the keju system, which used tests to select government officials. It was a great invention because it
enabled talents from across the society to join the ruling class regardless of their family backgrounds. Hence, a great
meritocracy could be created. But it evolved into a nightmare for China as the system gradually changed into one that
tested memorization of Confucian classics.
Associated Press Teachers sorting college entrance exams in

Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in June 2009.
Keju is dead now but its spirit is very alive in China today, in the form of gaokao, or the College Entrance Exam. It's
the only exam that matters since it determines whether students can attend college and what kind of colleges they can
attend. Because of its life-determining nature, gaokao has become the “baton” that conducts the whole education
orchestra. Students, parents, teachers, school leaders and even local government officials all work together to get good
scores. From a very young age, children are relieved of any other burden or deprived of opportunity to do anything else
so they can focus on getting good scores.
The result is that Chinese college graduates often have high scores but low ability. Those who are good at taking tests
go to college, which also emphasizes book knowledge. But when they graduate, they find out that employers actually
want much more than test scores. That is why another study by McKinsey found that fewer than 10 percent of Chinese
college graduates would be suitable for work in foreign companies.
Chinese educators are well aware of the problems with the gaokao system and have been trying to move away from the
excessive focus on testing. But seeking other valid indicators of strong academic records will take time, especially in a
country of 1.3 billion people.
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of 3 Next
1.
Jack D
Shanghai
December 3rd, 2010 4:21 am
Unfortunately I have to concur with this assessment. Having hired and fired more than a few"straight out of university"
employees, my experience has been mostly negative. They come in with high marks and high wage demands but can't
complete even the simplest real world tasks. They might be able to solve math problems quickly but real world
problems leave them frozen.
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2.
D. P. Behonek
California
Our own politicians and the U.S. education establishment might benefit from reading "High Test Scores, Low Ability."
This is what happens when you teach children how to pass tests instead of how to think.
3.
N
N.Y
I think every country has this problem. Practical approach to fundamental concepts lacks in most of the colleges except
for few top tier universities. As a result, students who got the deserving chance to study in top institutions shine in
innovation and others had to run around various corporates for jobs & better salary rather than self-employment or
starting a own company/business.
4.
Starvosk
NYC
I would agree. When I studied abroad, I had tutors in China that were startlingly good at what they did, offering tips on
how to memorize vocabulary or study for tests. When we went out for drinks though, it was really startling how
insulated they were from how the actual world works.
Many middle-class Chinese kids from the city have never worked, or held a job until after they finish college. They
don't date, socialize, or fraternize during their school years, so when they start working they go on binges or stumble
over things we dealt with when we were kids.
At the Chinese engineering firm I interned at, the engineers acted more like children than serious professionals.
Video Games, dating drama, and binge drinking have severe effects on their work habits and work ethic.These things
affect Western workers too of course, but honestly, most of us learned how to deal with rejection, getting dumped,
getting wasted, or playing too many video games in our teenage years. Chinese kids have had no such luxury, and that
behavior comes out when they start working.
5.
The Ryan
Beijing
I couldn't agree more with Jack. It is an unfortunate reality that has shown up time after time. And what's worse is that
even experienced hires and domestic managers often disappoint as well. I don't walk in with a bias to bring in an
assignee or expat, but that is often where I end up after I have wasted my time interviewing others who come in with
high hopes and high demands.Something is not right with their system.
6.
Ken
Chicago
This certainly represents a warning message to the increasing numbers of politicians and education systems who seem
to lean ever heavier on standardized testing to measure teaching performance. It's like using a thermometer to gauge
whether or not your soup is any good to eat.
7.
luboman411
Washington, DC
I wouldn't say that top colleges in the US are any better at teaching real world skills than Chinese universities. They
emphasize theory far more than they emphasize practical skills. I should know, since I went to top-tier undergrad and
grad programs in America. What is evident, though, ,is that the top colleges in the US attract the cream of the crop of a
system that teaches creative-problem solving in conjunction with book-smarts. The top end of middle schools and high
schools (especially the public magnet schools) teach children from the very beginning to question, interact, and
cultivate strong problem-solving skills. These children then end up going to top universities and major in philosophy,
economics or other very esoteric subjects, and come out establishing companies or becoming highly productive
professional workers. But it's the groundwork in middle and high school that alllows for this, and not the universities
themselves that do the bulk of the work in forming the creative class in the US.
8.
Josh
Pittsburgh
This analysis is so wrong that I do not know where I should to start to rebut. First of all, the problem of China higher
education is not Gaokao. The entrance exam is vigorous and fair to everybody. It is a much better system that the US
SAT exams. The US college admission system is plagued with so many corruptions: subjective, often with personal
prejudice assessment by a reader, all sorts of political and financial agenda, favoritism, racial and ethnic preference.
Based on my teaching experience in a major US research university, an average chinese high school graduate can easily
outperform an American counterpart in math and science in average.
Now here is the problem: Most of the post-doc fellows from China in my lab appear very weak and inappropriate
trained, even from some of the most elite Chinese Universities, at least in the beginning. I sometimes wonder whether
Chinese are running some diploma mills. The problems of Chinese college or graduate school graduates are not
because of GaoKao, but with its college education curriculum and training for the students. These problems lie with the
quality of its college professors and administrators, not of high school. They should reform the University education
system with more vigorous screening of qualified faculties and programs, but should keep its college admission system.
You grossly misdiagnose the disease.

9.
CT Teacher
Greenwich, CT
Two conclusions can be reached. One, that China has a strong need for laborers, and recognizes that need with pay that
is equitable with that of college graduates. Two, that college in China is not preparing young people for the working
world. In the US, postindustrial malaise has devalued the worth of manual labor, and universities are struggling with
the recent emphasis in K-12 schools on tests and data rather than thought and innovation. Another reason to dump the
Race to the Top mentality.
10.
Ken Spud
Wuhan
My hope is that my comments will be taken in the broad context of all of these contributors. Several years ago while
seeking to assist an 'economic development zone' in Guangzhou to promote itself abroad, I was asked if I could help
them to translate a document on education reform. I was happy to accept. However, as I pointed out to them at the time,
the first sentence of the draft proposal stated "we absolutely must reform our education, but (a very big 'but'), we must
stick to the standards already inherent in the established education system." Is that possible? The straight answer is No!
Let me point out from first hand experience some fatal weakneses in the Chinese system. I think that it will help in
understanding why "no vacancies" are widespread in the job market.
The typical college professor in this rapidly expanded university environment is a recent graduate with a bachelors
degree in “something" They have absolutely no training as a teacher in higher education.
On the research level, graft is so rampant that most of the graduate students who have communicated their concerns to
me are swamped in a morass of lack of support or direction for their research: are swept into a vortex of graft as
unwilling participants by demands from their “committee members” to get expense vouchers for them so that they (the
committee member, i.e. those people who will be reviewing their disertation or thesis) can get compensated by the
same university for doing nothing; and who are manipulated by those 'committee members' to commit gross acts of
plagerism or, more repugnant, who constantly change the topic for the graduate paper "to suit" the demands of a private
company who is paying the university for original work on another matter.
University campus growth has exceeded the growth of the Chinese economy as a whole, from 1,000,000 students 10
years ago to over 10,000,000 today - 2010. Can you imagine the quality of a college/university system which has
expanded as rapidly (over 1,000 persent !) in less than ten years. Many reputable (formerly - also called 'top tier' by
some of these contributors) universities have allowed their ‘good’ names to be used by private educators giving the
impression that a new institution of, say 5,000 to 15,000 students is an integral part of that ‘good’ institution.
Professor Qiang Zha, in his commentary says “This widening gap inevitably (has) led to deterioration of the quality of
higher education in many colleges, especially the newly created ones but also the private ones, which suffer from a
severe shortage of qualified and experienced teaching staff.
An interesting sidebar is that the students who prevail in Local and National Television competitions in English are
most often NOT english majors. This is due in large part to the fact that those who do win have been exposed to a much
broader range of materials and thinking than those who are English majors.
Professor Yong Zhao states that, “Students, parents, teachers, school leaders and even local government officials all
work together to get good scores. (Does this sound a little like "No Child Left Behind"?) From a very young age,
children are relieved of any other burden or deprived of opportunity to do anything else (just) so they can focus on
getting good scores.” Recent developments are forcing the authorities to make changes because Hong Kong, Singapor
and Taiwan universities are now recruiting students from China directly. This is forcing the ‘best universities’ in China
to compete and it is this competition which has open up a very wide door now taking place, for direct recruitment by
‘the best” universities. This is enabling those univesities to look for students with ability beyond “testing ability”,
which correspondingly enables student to partially escape from the rigors of testing for testing’s sake. A student who
did not do so well in “Markist Ideology” or “Chinese literature”, or even “English” has a chance to be recognized for
her/his math capability. In addition, as some media have reported of successes by students who have been admitted
directly into Harvard, they might even be considered because of their demonstrated leadership in civic affairs or
creative thinking.
I do not mince words here, because I am constantly in the trenches trying to help great students from China to escape
this system. It must be reformed if China is to move into the wider world of academics on the international stage. If
they do not, they will be condemned eternally to play second fiddle. As their own nationally recognized scientists have
said on national TV, we will not see a native Chinese win a nobel prize until we do, and that, they say, might be 30 to
50 years.

11.
Tazza Lenghe
New York
Gaokao, Mandarin for "No child left behind".
12.
Pierce Randall
Atlanta, GA
I think tests of general aptitude can be a better predictor of employment success than a college degree. What gives tests
a bad name are tests of learned skills, which allow cramming. Organizations that use aptitude tests, like the armed
forces in the United States, tend not to have too much trouble identifying those who can be taught to perform a skill.
And let's face it--most of the corporate jobs in the United States do not require skills that are explicitly taught in school
(other than language skills, which can be measured by aptitude), and can be taught quickly to bright individuals.
I hate to be elitist, but I share a college degree with people who can't even write a complete sentence, or master
rudimentary Excel. How am I supposed to indicate to an employer that I can do these things if they'll crumple up GRE
and SAT scores indicating math and language competence, and colleges will continue to discount them in their
application process?
13.
Steve W.
262 Old Kelsey Point Road, Westbrook, CT 06498
I appreciate Dr. Zhao's "frustrating paradox in Chinese education" all too well. And the newly minted wealthy Chinese
parents who fret about their children's future know it all too well. That is why I and other western educators, are being
actively courted to bring "Western education methods" to Chinese high schools in a growing trend to prepare tens of
thousands of Chinese high school students for US university seats.
Here in Wuhan, a city of 8 million residents in Hubei Province, a program operated by Central China Normal
University allows parents of top "public school" students to pay a premium for an all-English US university preparatory
program modeled after a private US secondary school, beginning in senior grade one and running the full course of the
students' high school career. These students and their parents have chosen, while in middle school, to "opt out" of
gaokao, the Chinese national university admissions test that has been the underpinning of the Chinese education
system's reputation for rigorous academic performance.
As programs like these proliferate in response to the pressures exerted by China's nouveau riche and concern that their
children escape the trap of "high scores" and "low ability," a perfect storm seems to be in the making back in the US.
While change comes hard and slow in the Chinese university system, anxious Chinese parents are marshaling their
resources to prepare students for what looks like a tsunami of applications in the coming years for ever more precious
seats in good US universities. Today's US students, whose parents' jobs may have been lost to globalization, may very
well face the prospects of losing their seats in a top US university to students whose parents gained from those lost
American jobs.
14.
Shanghai Jill
Asheville, NC
When I was living in China, I was hiring an assistant and the resumes poured in touting their English proficiency, yet
when it came to the interviews, very few could communicate with me. They'd passed the tests without learning to speak
on a rudimentary level. Also, once I'd hired people, they weren't that curious about learning the business and if
something else came along, they'd just leave. The odds that an assistant will stay a year are very slim. Which is not to
say that all Chinese college grads are lazy. I hired and met a lot of very bright and curious young people -- but only
after a good bit of digging.
The teach to test system has also had a very big effect on innovation. If all you think about is learning it the way you
are told, you don't think outside the box and that is where innovation comes from. I think it explains why China is great
at copying but not so great at invention (at least in the last century.)
15.
Hari Seldon
New York, NY
Compare this with our "No Child Gets Ahead System".
16.
UC Graduate
Los Angeles
December 3rd, 2010 1:47 pm
This is a very insightful essay. In the very near future, there is no doubt that the Chinese economy will move up the
commodity chain and expand the service sector of the economy. When it does, it will soak up a huge number of college
graduates who have communication, administrative, and social skills. As experiences in advanced economy shows,
college graduates are necessary not only because of their technical skill but because of their communication, cultural,
and inter-personal skills. It's a good bet that jobs that requires written communication, independent organizational
skills, and the ability to negotiate complex organizations will be staffed by college graduates not because people love
them but because the college degree is the most reliable and expedient indicator that a person is likely to have these
skills. If you doubt this, try and hire an American without a college degree and have them write a business letter. In this
context, the value of the college degree for the Chinese is not going to be self-evident right now or even in five years.
As in other countries--both developed and developing--the value of the college degree will accrue over decades as both
the economy of China changes and as the inherent value of education manifests itself at the level of individuals and
society. While the new college graduate in Xian might have a tough time finding a job right now, will this person have
a more secure economic life when s/he is 40? Absolutely--and s/he will be much more likely to be engaged socially, be
a better parent, and perhaps even demand political change. One of the greatest changes from 1960 to 2010 has been the
rising ascendency of college graduates in shaping the world (the decline of the power of industrial unions and farmers
and the rise of the managerial and professional class should be seen in that light). China will be no exception--with the
growing numbers of college graduates, in time, they will capture the nation's agenda and impose their will.
17.
Counter Measures
Old Borough Park, NY
At a time when the American employment rate hovers around ten percent, everything seems to be Made in China, even
some well made, high quality stuff, and our own American students seem poorly motivated to achieve a well rounded
education, only The New York Times would think this is important! Perhaps, we should reasess President Nixon's great
achievement, of opening up the doors to China! Who knew?!
18.
Jim Verdonik
Raleigh, NC
Instead of compensating teachers bonuses based on test scores, maybe we should base teacher compensation on the
jobs their students get.
As long as we don't use this as an excuse not to hold teachers accountable for results, I'm ok with being creative about
what results we're measuring for teacher compensation purposes.
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19.
Robert J Micciulla
Colorado
Grades are illogical in the nature of how governments define knowledge. If they were to find a way to test whether or
not someone understood the concepts of what is being taught then a truly educated person might be seen. However the
ability to memorize facts and relay information is the key to success in a flawed educational system. The start is with
truly educated educators but they are taught in the flawed system.
20.
Kwalters
Manitou Springs, CO
This essay shows how numbers and statistics can often be misleading or, at least, misrepresented. Without knowledge
on why numbers (such as the small income increase between college grads and non-college grads) it is impossible to
understand what it really means. For example, it claims that college grads only receive an income of 300 yuan, or 40
dollars, per month. What they fail to mention is that this is an increase of 20%, which seems like a lot more.
This situation also seems to mimic what is occurring in the U.S. (although it is to a lesser extent in the U.S. With the
domination of the ACT and SAT as college application tests, merit and other factors are often left behind. Other than
the ACT and SAT, a list of extracurricular activities, and often only one (or on occasion none) essay to show what the
applicant is like. Personal interviews have recently become almost non-existent, which leaves college acceptance up to
scores, like in China.
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Previous of 3 Next
21.
REA
Port Saint Lucie FL
Jack D you said it all...
22.
OccationalRoamer
Falmouth, ME
I very strongly agree with comment number 8.
My work experience with people from multiple nationalities has made me realize that this problem is not China
specific. Very few graduates from allover the world, with the exception of maybe very few top scientifically ranked
American Universities, would be able to tell you the practical application of Calculus or what is the purpose of
something like Gaussian elimination technique or which chemical reaction formula was the cause of that color change.
My biggest problem before coming to the USA had been to translate the real world problems into solutions; rarely
made the connection. I agree with those who emphasize the lack of qualification of the Professors as the main culprit
visa-vi opposed to the type of test like GaoKao.

23.
jason
new york
This is exactly the reverse of the US problem. One of the many factors often cited in the US's growing rich-poor divide
is the growing gulf between the education levels (and lifetime incomes) of college and post-grad degree holders and
high school diploma holders and drop-outs. Here in China you have TOO MANY graduates chasing too-few jobs.
24.
Jay
Philadelphia
We have a similar problem in the US. The only difference that on top of a dumb test, it is required in most instances to
come from a wealthy family, preferably one that can donate to the school in question, and a legacy of family members
having attended such schools. Our college graduates are just as incompetent as the Chinese, but more entitled and with
daddies with deeper pockets.
25.
blinded1
USA
Rarely students come out school can solve real problems in life and at work. It occurs ont only in China, but in US as
well. The difference between Chinese college graduates and American graduates are the proportion of students who
went to universities for what they are interested in. Even the goal is to land a good job or land a job easily, most
Chinese students go to school are for the (good) name of the university, or simply the name of university graduate,
rather than what they can learnd from that particular school or program.
26.
busuan
NY
"That is why another study by McKinsey found that fewer than 10 percent of Chinese college graduates would be
suitable for work in foreign companies."
Hmm, you are sure the foreign companies knew what they were looking for? With the major screw-up we are having
on this planet, I would advise caution. Asking the douches, who put the world economy on the brink of collapse, about
what and how they are planning for their companies? That's hilarious, tragically flavored.
27.
Savior Obama
Connecticut
My experience in hiring in the biological sciences is similar to the authors perspective.
Good recall of detail.
Little imagination.
28.
Ed
usa
What about the rampant cheating among Chinese students, which does not seem to carry the same stigma it does in the
US, for example? Chinese graduate students in classes with me tended heavily to try to copy and compare work,
whether or not it was appropriate, and seem to have been conditioned to avoid working as individuals.
29.
Vadim99
Detroit
Listen, we all know that the educational system(s) in the US are deeply troubled. The article, however, was not about
the US, it is about college graduates in China, if you have nothing to offer on that topic, why not refrain from irrelvant
asides about the US, Canada, etc.
30.
Jibreel Riley
Columbus, Ohio
... ask a HBC student
31.
Robin
columbia, MO
Last I read that many a talented Chinese student had had their records stolen and sold to Communist party members, so
that the party members children could attend college, so it doesn't surprise me that the value of the education attained
doesn't mean much economically, and from my experiences working with Chinese many don't see any problems taking
someone's achievements and giving them to someone else, they seem to interpret it as their privilege to do so.
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Not that the US system is particularly clean and uncorrupted. Its just that it is more difficult to directly take someones
records and sell them (since there isn't one test and one set of records that determine everything), which I am sure many
a high school counselor would love to do for a little pocket change, they just can't do it as effectively.
32.
Danielle
Chicago
I think this is also a reflection of the one-child policy. The oldest kids in this generation are working-age now, but they
have been so babied by their parents that they expect everything - jobs, money, degrees - to be handed to them. They
never learned how to perform a real job because they simply never had to. Of course, I'm only speaking of the slim
population of middle and upper class families that can afford this, but they are the ones who can generally bribe their
way into college, anyway.
33.
Gary Leung
Hong Kong
I agree with Ken Spud. However, the emphasis on getting good scores for ONE exam is not unique in China. It is also
in Hong Kong and maybe other East Asian countries.
Gary
34.
Dan
Taipei
Chinese culture emphasizes obedience to one's elders much more than Western culture does.
In practice this means that even at the university level, students are encouraged to dutifully revere their teachers.
Offering criticism or synthesizing new ideas simply isn't valued. You could easily be in your thirties or forties before
ever having to generate something new. That situation promotes stability and conservatism, but not the sort of
creativity international firms are looking for.
As long as received wisdom takes precedence over innovation, the Chinese school system will suffer.
35.
Leslie
Portland, Or.
My experience in finding work as a graduate was negative in the U.S. I believe fundamental education, or a certificate
in a specific career with at least a yr. of internship is a sure step in getting work. I only wish I did just that. Employers
want people with hands on experience. The more experience the better chance of getting the job with higher income,
it's that simple. Most college grads, like myself, need at least 1-2 yrs of probate to start paying their loans. Why? You
guessed it lack of experience.
36.
e
Shanghai
it's definitely no from here.
37.
Cornelius J. Katt
Pittsburgh, PA
This should make every American think about what our picture of "standards-based" education will do to our
competitiveness in the next generation.
38.
steve
hawaii
While I agree that the famed Chinese examination system has its flaws, and that education often mismatches job
demands, isn't it also true that businesses aren't set up to accommodate younger, less experienced workers? In many
Western professions, internships, mentor programs, even "take-your-child-to-work" and "take-your-parent-to-school"
days serve as important pathways to success for young adults trying to break in. I'm Chinese-American and have been
to China a few times, and from what I can tell Chinese businesses are very streamlined and totally focused on
immediate profitability. This is not unexpected at this stage. But I would hope that eventually the "entry-level" concept
will take hold and so college students can get some exposure to the work world, earn a decent if not outstanding wage,
and keep them turning to peddling junk to make a living and wasting their time. Of course you often don't get
immediate returns from an entry-level worker, but in the long run everyone will be better off.
39.
Al
hollywood beach,ca
Funny. American business says they can't hire Americans because they're not smart enough and have a poor work ethic.
They extol the Chinese and Indian educations systems. They hire Chinese and Indian H1Bs.
Now in China these same companies say thay can't hire good enough Chinese. They're not smart enough and have a
poor attitude.
They extol the American education system. But they don't hire US citizens.
Anyone see the flaws yet?

40.
an observer
New York, N.Y.
I echo post #8.
Chinese GaoKao is fair, providing opportunities for kids to move up in the society, irrespective of their family
pedigree. Like Chinese invention of imperial examination, GaoKao provides the mechanism for the country to draw in
its top national talent. Chinese universities are to blame for various problems of Chinese graduates.
Ben
Hong Kong
Many people who comment here seem to agree "Chinese college graduates often have high scores but low ability", but
I think it is not the case, at least not to the extent as the author stated. First the author only cited statistics from "foreign"
or "international" companies. It is unfair to generalize from these statistics to say something like "businesses that want
to pay a lot more can't seem to find qualified employees". Secondly some people said that Chinese students boost high
GRE scores but cannot say or write a complete sentence. I think it is unfair too, because they are just entering an
English speaking environment. When learning a foreign language, it is easier to learn reading because you can make it
on your own, but writing and speaking needs environment and iteration between people, which is not so easy to get.
What's more, English is not a fair criteria to judge student's quality. Japanese students usually have much worse English
skills, but they are mostly well competent.
And the author's analysis is not well founded either. You cannot blame all to the Gaokao system. I think more
important reason is Chinese students have much fewer opportunities to join international programs like exchange
between colleges and NGO programs. It is the fault of a closed political system and a lack of global vision and
competent of educators. The second reason the quality of professors in chinese univ. are low comparing to USA.
42.
J
Beijing
I had the opportunity to see the magnitude of this paradox first hand while working in a large Chinese internet
company. On the one hand, my co-workers constantly complained of the lack of opportunities, while on the other hand,
our company was hiring and promoting people at a breakneck pace. It took me a long time to reconcile these two pieces
of information. After all, I myself had been hired to do editing and translation work, and within 6 months I had 6 full-
time staff and 6 freelancers working under me. One woman I knew, a PhD graduate, had been hired to lead a 3 person
engineering team, and 4 months later was managing a team of 30. How could anyone talk of lack of opportunity in a
company like that?
It all came together for me when once I wanted to hire a perfectly competent individual, and my boss balked at paying
her a salary commensurate with our other workers doing the same job because she wasn't from one of the top-tier
Chinese universities. There was no question in my mind that her skills, initiative and communication ability were
adequate, if not more than required, for the job, but I had to fight tooth and nail to get her fair compensation. My boss
recommended a salary 33% lower than our other employees.
Once I started thinking about it, all of our super-star employees were those with degrees from the best Chinese
universities, or had studied overseas. These were the people given the chance to lead. And they were really smart,
competent people. However, I also sensed a reluctance to admit that someone from a lesser university might
nonetheless also be fit for those positions. Those Gaokaos can be hard to shake off!
However, the sentence of the Gaokao is not absolute. Some talented, but less well-educated people do rise to the top.
Why? Because, in the end, many people never recover from the decades of passive rote education. The ones that could
still show initiative, and critical thinking skills had a natural advantage in the workplace that they could leverage.
My advice to Chinese grads worried about opportunities? Get into the most innovative industries where creativity and
talent are in demand. Take any job you can, then take risks, take initiative, and ask for fair compensation and
opportunities to take on more responsibility. Many of my Chinese friends complained that being so "bold" would get
them fired. Fine, get fired from the companies that promote degrees, not ability. Eventually you will find a company
that needs you for your independence and problem-solving abilities.
43.
J
Beijing
My observations from hiring both Chinese and Western graduates. With Chinese grads you get a much better guarantee
of someone who will actually work hard at their task for 8 hours a day, but, you will need to supervise them and give
them a great deal of guidance. With Western grads, about 75% of them are completely useless because they are so
undisciplined and lacking in basic knowledge. The remaining 25%, however, and pure gold. They attack problems
creatively, are eager to show you their best, and rapidly take to new tasks and challenges.
I hope this can point out some of the flaws in the Western education system that challenges the best, but leaves the
average students coddled, and over-confident in their abilities. The flaws in the Chinese system are well described in
the pieces above and in many of the readers' comments.
44.
Andrew
New York
As a Chinese-American who has been deeply invested in both the American and Chinese educational school system, I
can tell you that many of you are misunderstanding Gaokao. It is not a teacher evaluation system, but an entrance
exam. It simply cannot be compared to No Child Left Behind or any other teacher evaluation initiative. It is akin to the
SAT - does the teacher have any stake in how well his/her students do on this exam? Not really. Sure, some analogies
can be made, but it's not an apples-to-apples comparison.
The implications of Gaokao on Chinese education is striking. Your success is determined on one metric - your test
score. This may be fine in a Confucian-values based society, but not here in the states. How can a test score tell you if
you are sociable, a good team player, have leadership skills, or other traits highly valued by employers? That's why
many students raised in Asia find themselves out of their element when trying to find jobs (and success) here.
45.
an observer
New York, N.Y.
December 4th, 2010 12:13 am
Yong Zhao has a problem to make a logical connection between GaoKao and some Chinese college graduates' low
ability. There are 4 years of college time. It makes big difference between good training and poor training during the 4
years.
46.
Harimau
Chennai, India
Re Comment #24,
Jay, please be a bit more respectful of ex-president George W. Bush!

47.
Further 2 Fly
Shanghai, PRC
There are two key ingredients in US (and most western) higher ed that are in very short supply here in China: First,
permission to ask tough questions. Second, permission to fail.
At this time, and probably for a long time, the Chinese state can tolerate neither. Did you ever notice that, besides being
intellectually the best in the world, western universities are also centers of social reform and even rebellion. That's no
coincidence. Asking good questions means thinking critically with the freedom to follow questions wherever they lead.
Permission to fail implies learning from failure (indeed, one learns much more from thoughtful analysis of failure than
from success) and being encouraged to try again.
Young people native to China and many other developing Asian countries are usually raised with fear of these two
paradigms. Instead, they get propagandized, conformed and goakoaed until the life is burned out of them.
Trusting its people with the freedom that true scholarship requires doesn't seem to be an imminent Chinese state policy.
Until the government gets out of academic interference and comes to value genuine scholarship, indigenous universities
will remain mostly mediocre, and a shot at university education in the west will be available for only the few, the
wealthy and the lucky.
48.
Lynn
Wonju, South Korea
December 5th, 2010 6:06 pm
This is also true in South Korea, the most Confucian of Asian societies. With English instruction, it is a stupid system
that stresses memorization and a useless emphasis on learning grammar rules that renders students tongue-tied so afraid
they are of making a grammar mistake. But they are good at passing tests. And many of the teachers aren't any better,
having 'learned' English without ever the benefit of a native speaker. Many Korean teachers are well-meaning but
largely useless.

Chinese Student High Test Scores Low Ability

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High Test Scores, Low Ability

Updated December 4, 2010, 12:53 AM

The explanation: a test-oriented educational environment.

Associated Press Teachers sorting college entrance exams in

You grossly misdiagnose the disease.

Recommend Recommended Recommended by 30 Readers Report as inappropriate Reported

I very strongly agree with comment number 8.

Recommend Recommended Recommended by 4 Readers Report as inappropriate Reported

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Anyone see the flaws yet?

Jay, please be a bit more respectful of ex-president George W. Bush!

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