> Yes this is true. Being a party member is just passing a test and paying the membership fee.

Not really. I have a friend who nearly joined in college. They had several rounds of applications: the first few went to kids with connections (or whose connections put them in a good position, e.g. appointed to be some kind of student government thing). Once those groups were exhausted, other kids got a chance. My friend was a very good student, but got a no-so-subtle message from the school official running the process that they wouldn't be considered without a bribe.