Is it a good idea to study in China?
Of course, you are not expecting an effortless yes-or-no answer. And, apparently, this question should be answered based on individuality. Everyone has her/his own answer.
Therefore, I will offer a relatively thorough comparison on education system and school life between in China and in Western countries since I got both experiences. And I will put more details on China side since you are asking about China. Thus, you will get a rough view and decide, based on your individuality, whether you think this worth it.
- Natiomal Exam System
Quick overview: Like British Cambridge A level system, China’s counterpart is termed Gao’Kao (高考, National College Entrance Examination). Whereas, they are utterly unlike. Though, both China and Cambridge system require six years for elementary education (like primary school, either state-own or private) and six years for medium education (China is 3 years junior high plus 3 years senior high whilst Cambridge system turns out to be 4+2 in some regions) before university.
Yet, they possess profound difference. The most vitally, functions and purposes of the two are disparate. A level result act like sort of a reference-oriented statistic to be documented in your application letter for university ie. not being the only indicator for college-selection. Whilst, Chinese GaoKao is almost, if not entirely, the only index for most candidates sitting for national exam. It is like, each university has a certain threshold ie. a score benchmark. You get 612/750, you can get into this university; if you failed to reach, too bad. Some universities allow you to be enrolled if you are just short of 1 or 2 marks and you are willing to pay a bill of money- err, I mean, "willing to vouchsafe the college certain monetary assistance", but that is not something you would look forward to.
So if you come to China, this means two things:
- You are going to flourish or devastate your future in 2 days.
Yes, unlike lasting-for-several-months-and-don't-know-why-so-long A Level exam, China GaoKao last for a mere two days’ time. And, this two days will roll your wheel of fortrol drastically. I have seen candidates who performed well thoroughout the semesters yet when taking GaoKao became overstressed on the spot and only got into a mediocre college. Alas.
But some definitely prefer such mechanism. They like examination or they do not like too much indicators, your activities, your medals, your… enough. I just want an impartial examination as my testimony of capabilities.
In China, we call this ‘一考定终生’, being a rather contentious topic in contemporary China.
- But you always have the chance to overturn the table
I mean, yea, howsoever you performed in your six high school time do not really count, pragmatically. You performed well in GaoKao, success.
By the by, even if you realise you have wasted 5 years idling, you will have chance to overturn the table in the last year.
2. Syllabus and Content of learning
I must admit, you presumably find A level subject are more developed-at least methinks so. Cambridge embrace H1, H2, H3 classification of disciplines categorised by difficulties and we will have more subject choices, like Economy. In contrast, China High schools got only several subjects, around ten, varying from region to region. So, Chinese students learn generally similar contents. But, they do differentiate Arts and Science branch. Art student need not to learn the optional section of physics for example, instead they learn about history and social study content, and vice versa.
And, as for syllabus, how do I put this…
- Math and Science
Cambridge system do contain more advanced content, but if you stop at H1 or even H2, your content is less profound than your Chinese counterpart. It is safe to say, Western syllabus are more flexible, giving less-talented less content and give talented in-depth content (assuming they are sensible to gauge their flairs) while that of China is more rigid, more ‘everyone is the average’.
- Art and literature
Of course, if you were in China, you would learn China history, China politics, China social study. This is obvious.
As for literature and art, in practice there is barely literature lesson though literature content are stipulated in syllabus theoretically. This might be sweeping but I will say almost, if not all, content are highly examination-driven-guess what examination it is.
To be fair, Cambridge A level are not-much-better-than-that. You will need to drill drill and drill on your exam essays. After all, exams are exams.
3. study environment, pressure, and peers (yes, I like Oxford Comma)
- over-competitiveness
Sadly, in China, generally, your academic performance is the indicator of how good you as a student are. And, I do not know insomuch as I am not a sociologist, are Asian students all like this?
Like, you might probably encounter following situation: Your peers are willing to answer your math questions; your peers are not willing to lend you her/his notes; your peers are calculating how to triumph over you; your peers seek to make hinderance for your studying and waste your studying time; your peers (and probably her/his parents) are seeing you as utter enemy etc.
No exaggeration. Seriously.
- radical ramification
Like what I said, Chinese school are mostly academi-latry and score-crat. Oh, GaoKao does not test sports, sorry.
You will find your peers either studying frenetically herculeanly, or, errr, playing playing. You would not easily find a student who did bad at math is actually a skilled photographer, or a math-blind student can speak Japanese fluently.
- Intense or not? I do not know.
Everything is studying, if you get into a good high school (good as in general Chinese term).
You will not have much chances doing projects, launching campaigns, doing activities, or things alike.
Homework would be much much more than … let us put ut this way: (based on my observation,) average students go to bed at 11. Not to mention good and top students. Not all for homeworks and reviewing notes, a considerable number of them have Olympiad Competitions-I would cover this another time.
And, school ends at circa 5.00–6.00 PM generally in China. If you are doing senior high, you would probably need to go to school in the evening and on the weekends.
4. Role of teacher, and manner of class
- teachers
I must say, Chinese teachers are more dedicated than teachers in Western education system. You would frequently see teacher marking your papers or homework till very late in school (partially because there are indeed a lot homework…).
Okok stop joking. What is more important is, the definition of a responsible teacher is different in two systems. In China, if you get into a good high school, your teachers will basically do everything you request if it it for your grades. You can consult them any time, you can ask for practice ask for extra lessons, ask your English teacher to mark your English dairies and ask your Math teachers math questions any time if they are there and you can ring or text them if they are not there. You can go into office to find any teacher to consult anytime beyond teachers’ meeting. But, in Singapore, I feel their definition of a responsible teacher is not like that. Tutors generally do not like us to call/text them when school time is over, some do not reveal their numbers. They generally do not let students know their plans, and stay in a distance from students, while diligently going on their teaching. You cannot get into office nor you can ask question anytime. You need apply beforehand. They seem to believe teacher is like workers who work here, who are not obligated to devote (but you can if you want) and they are not totally dedicated to students because they have own lives, they can refuse your questions because they want a break. My principal told us do not treat tutors as friends.
By the way, situation in colleges are utterly different, but that is another story.
5. Tuition, and extra practice beyond school materials
Tuitions are prevailing in China lest you have not realise. And, tuition industries are terribly developed in China generally, especially in some metropolis.
Generally, a good students do way more than what school and teachers require.
- They will probably take some tuition lessons, especially when peers are all doing so.
- The resources,websites, platforms and apps for reviewing, practicing GaoKao questions, and consolidating GaoKao knowledges online are rampant. If you consider going to China for studying, this is really an advantage. You can access to all past paper effortlessly, for example.
Finally I completed my answer… Hope that gives you a basic info about studying China therefore you will have yourself’s evaluation. Do note that that is based on my personal experience and some might be inaccurate.Anyway, good time learning!
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