Chinese millionaire fails university entrance exam for 27th time

After failing to score high enough in the "gaokao" (China's notoriously tough college entrance exam) for the 27th consecutive time, 56-year-old Liang Shi began to wonder whether he would ever get into his dream university.

Mr. Liang, a self-made millionaire, has taken the grueling college entrance exam dozens of times over the past four decades, hoping to gain a place at Sichuan University and become an “intellectual.” Despite his relatively successful life, he still dreams of attending a prestigious university in China.

Mr. Luong Thach, who took the gaokao 27 times

During his preparation for the exam, Mr. Liang spent 12 hours a day studying, abstaining from drinking and playing mahjong, and enduring suspicion and ridicule from the media for taking the exam too many times. Yet, in this year’s exam, he still fell 34 points short of the standard score to enter any university.

"Before I got the results, I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to get a high enough score to get into an elite university, but I didn't expect to not even get into a regular university," he told AFP.

In the past, failing the exam had not deterred Mr. Luong from his dream. Each time he failed, he vowed to try again the following year. But this time, for the first time in decades, he wondered if his efforts would ever amount to anything.

"If I really don't see much hope for improvement, then there's no point in retaking the exam. I've really studied very hard every day. It's hard to say whether I'll continue preparing for next year's gaokao," Mr. Liang admitted.

However, a life without studying for the gaokao is almost unthinkable for the Chinese millionaire. "It was a difficult decision. I didn't want to give up either. [If] I stopped taking the gaokao, every cup of tea I drank for the rest of my life would taste of regret," he confided.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/trieu-phu-trung-quoc-truot-dai-hoc-lan-thu-27-185230626082403108.htm