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It has been my impression from people who lived in China that guanxi (connections) is far more important than the Gaokao and the main difference between the have and the have-nots is whether you and or your parents have a permit to live in a city.

When I bring the point of the standard exam as a great equalizer they immediately laughed and told me that the US is a egalitarian paradise compared to what goes on there.

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My ex-boss is Chinese and this is what she had to say: The best universities in China are public universities. Performing competitively in the single standardized exam is the only ticket into the most competitive university programs.

Everyone's results are posted publicly. The government works very hard to prevent cheating, or loss of trust in the exam or its results.

It's the same for most of Europe. The best universities are public. High scores on the placement exams puts you in the best universities. Private unis are seen as second tier, when the student has money but not the academics to get into a great school.

Growing up in a communist country, the further removed from the standardized college entrance exam you are, the more connections matter. Standardized college entrance exam will get you into a good university, but connections decide your first job after graduation. It only gets worse from there.

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