Today is one of threes "Black Days" in China. This is the first of three days of national college entrance examinations. This is a really really really big deal in China. The entire education system leads to these three days and the pressure on these kids is intense. All high school graduates will take the exam to determine their future. The exams start on Thursday and end on Saturday. The highest scoring students will be given places at the Universities. If the student passes the exam with a high enough score to be placed in a University the education is basically free. My friend Jane will graduate this month from Tongji University in Shanghai and said that she paid Y500 for her room per year plus her food. Y500 is equal to 65 US dollars. If the student does not pass the exam they have two options. Option A...they can take another year of high school...grade 13....and retake the exam the following year. By the way....grade 13 is not free and the parents are required to pay for this year of school. Option B...they choose a vocation. I am not sure about the specifics of the vocational training...free or not free?

During the cultural revolution these exams were abolished. For 11 years starting in 1966 the tests were cancelled and no one went to university. I found two different reasons for this....one said that universities were "fertile breeding grounds for capitalism" and the other said universities were "nurturing elitism". You can take your pick of reasons but I find this very interesting.....no higher education for 11 years. That is your history lesson for today.... :) There will be a test so I hope you were taking notes.....