Comparison
Chinese gaokao vs. English gaokao.
The English gaokao on this site doesn't exist. It's a plausible imagining of what a gaokao-style national college entrance exam might look like in an English-speaking country — same weights, same day-of-exam ritual, same career-defining pressure. Here's how the pieces map to the real thing.
| Field | Real (China) | This site (English) |
|---|
| Date | June 7-8 every year (some regions +9-10) | Early June, two days (some regions +1) Fixed, does not shift for weekends. |
| Duration | 2 days · 4-6 sessions | 2 days · 4-6 sessions |
| Language paper | 语文 (Chinese) | English (Language & Literature) 150 pts in both. Reading, essay, grammar. |
| Mathematics | 数学 (Math) | Mathematics 150 pts. Algebra, calculus, geometry, probability. |
| Foreign language | 英语 (English) | French 150 pts. The one 'other' language every candidate takes. |
| Sciences | 物理 · 化学 · 生物 | Physics · Chemistry · Biology Elective set, ~100 pts each. |
| Total score | ~750 | ~750 |
| Ranked application | 平行志愿 (parallel volunteer) | Ranked list (reach / target / safety) Same mechanic under different names. |
| Tier system | 一本 / 二本 / 专科 (being merged into 本科批) | First tier / second tier / vocational |
| Cutoff score | 分数线 (批次线 for batch, 投档线 for school) | Batch line / school line |
| Retake | 复读 — extra year, no cap | Resit — extra year, no cap |
| Answer sheet | 答题卡, 2B pencils, black ink pens | Answer sheet, 2B pencils, black ink pens |
| Calculator | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Number of candidates | ~13-14 million per year | Millions (fictional) |
| Elite designation | 985 / 211 / 双一流 / C9 | Research-intensive group (fictional analogue) |
Want the real thing? Go to the Chinese gaokao practice.