Gaokao A Personal Journey Behind Chinas Examination Culture

I finally understood that my parents were heroically upholding the values of the society they grew up in. For me, this book is not just an investigation into the Chinese education system: it is personal.

"Gaokao" (pronounced “gow cow”) otherwise known as the National College Entrance Examination, is the modern Chinese version of an examination system that has flourished since the days of Imperial China, when the only way to social advancement in the civil service system depended on the results of rigorous national examinations.

Today, the meaning of “gaokao” has extended to describe the feverish excitement and trepidation engulfing Asian and non-Asian students and parents alike as they prepare for a potentially life-changing examination. Readers in the United States will see the resemblance to our own gaokaos, whether it be AP, SAT, GRE, Med School, Law School, etc., where success in the test is seen as the key to success in life.

Growing up in both Chinese and American cultures, Yanna Gong brings a unique perspective to her experience of educational values in both countries. Instances from her own life show how the often-relentless drive toward academic excellence is an unquestioned imperative for many Asian and Asian-American kids, as well as entire families, whose collective devotion (and neurosis) is fast becoming a global phenomenon. What, however, is the cost, both physically and psychologically? Is there a darker side to producing super students? Anyone who has admired or been appalled by the Tiger Mom or Wolf Dad will find Gaokao a must-read book.

Yanna Gong is a high school senior in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. This is her first book.

From the preface:

I finally understood that my parents were heroically upholding the values of the society they grew up in. For me, this book is not just an investigation into the Chinese education system: it is personal.

Gaokao (pronounced "gow cow") is the term used since the days of Imperial China when the only way to advance in society was to undertake rigorous examinations to be promoted into the civil service system. Today, the word is still very much in use to describe the fervor surrounding many Chinese, Asian, and even non-Asian parents and students as they prepare for exam taking in China and in the other countries, including the United States. Growing up in both Chinese and American cultures, Yanna Gong reveals the details of her own life to show how the often relentless drive toward academic excellence is the norm for many Asian and Asian American kids, as well as entire families, whose collective neurosis has become a global phenomenon. But at what cost, both mentally and physically? This highly personal accounr is a must-read for educator, parents, and kids.

Yanna Gong is a high school senior in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. This is her first book.