College Entry Still Biased in China (in favor of academic achievement) – WTF?

2009-12-03

OK, I understand that college admissions is a complex art and that you can't just look at grades and test scores. On the other hand, aren't those still good predictors of performance?

This seems a bit much:

A new way of selecting students for higher education being piloted by the nation's top university has been slammed by some critics as still being "biased" in favor of academic achievement, instead of offering a way for students with other outstanding abilities.

The accusation came after Peking University on Monday night supported all 90 nominees put forward under the pilot program from 39 high schools nationwide. Most of the students recommended by their respective headmasters had excellent academic performance as a leading attribute.

Many headmasters said their recommendations had "top grades" and listed awards won by the students, suggesting academic achievement was still the most important factor in selecting students.

"It is a pity that a new system … still falls prey to the social norm that academic performance is the top criterion for measuring students' ability," said Yu Hai, a professor from Fudan University.

Under the new system, students recommended by headmasters from a few selected schools do not have to score as high on the national university entrance examination to qualify for Peking University. (China Daily)

Maybe I've just been here way too long, but doesn't this just invite serious abuse? If some rich kid does really badly in class or gets a crappy gaokao score, his daddy can pay off the head of his high school to get a recommendation.

I really don't like where things are going with the China university system these days. I get the feeling like all the administrators are taking trips to the U.S. and studying the "education business" (emphasis on the "business" end of things).

I have no problem with giving ethnic minority kids an extra ten points or whatever on the gaokao or giving disadvantaged students certain preferences. But to set up preference programs that will clearly be used by the wealthy to rig the system for their kids – that's bullshit. What ever happened to meritocracy and social mobility?

This just reminds me too much of the Ivy League, and it's very disheartening.

Tags: China News