Two Economist podcast episodes examine China’s gaokao, the country’s national higher-education entrance exam, and what preparing for it involves. The first episode focuses on the experience of students as they prepare, describing the pace and pressure of studying for a test that largely shapes access to universities. It highlights how families and schools treat the exam as a central benchmark for academic and future prospects.
The second episode shifts to the broader question of whether academic excellence remains the most reliable path to a good life in China. It discusses how the value of exam performance intersects with changing social and economic realities, where employment prospects, competition, and alternative routes to opportunity can influence outcomes beyond exam scores alone. Together, the episodes present the gaokao as both a high-stakes academic process and a lens through which students and families evaluate their prospects. The reporting emphasizes lived preparation and the ongoing debate about how strongly exam results translate into long-term success.
