26-6-2023 (BEIJING) After failing to achieve a high enough score on the “gaokao” college entrance exam for the 27th time, Liang Shi, a 56-year-old self-made millionaire, is beginning to wonder if he will ever make it to his dream university, Sichuan University.
Despite his success in other areas of life, Liang has yet to achieve his goal of becoming “an intellectual” and attending a top-tier university. He has spent the past four decades taking the gruelling exam, enduring media mockery as the “gaokao holdout” and online accusations that it is all a publicity stunt.
This year, Liang fell 34 points short of the provincial baseline for getting into any university, leaving him disappointed and questioning whether he should continue his pursuit.
“If I truly can’t see much hope for improvement, there is no point doing it again,” he said. “It’s hard to say whether I will keep on preparing for the gaokao next year.”
Despite his doubts, Liang finds it difficult to imagine a life without gaokao preparation. “It’s a hard decision to make. I am not willing to give up either,” he said.
Liang’s determination and persistence serve as an inspiration to many, demonstrating the value of hard work and the importance of pursuing one’s dreams.
