CollegeExtranceExam.doc

It is higher education that fails talented students

The term zhuangyuan, the No.1 students in the gaokao (national college entrance exam), is usually associated with bookworms（书呆子）who know nothing but a few test techniques.

That stereotype（老套模式） is dated today. Bright, optimistic（乐观的）, active and agile（灵巧的） but most importantly well-rounded are the impression the No.1 students in liberal arts and science in cities and provinces nationwide this year left on most people.

In interviews to the local media, their behavior and style of conversation revealed （显示）a positive and proactive attitude. When such students surface, people become optimistic about China's future.

Regardless of（不管） the short upbeat moment, the question of where they would like to be in five to six years hangs in the air. Some Chinese high-tech research center? Or a bright spark in Chinese academia? Few people, I suspect, will nod their head. Judging from（根据） recent history, this group may go to top universities such as Harvard and Oxford. Or, they may have become a member of the "ant family," the millions of graduates who struggle （拼搏奋斗）to keep a low-paid job in China's big cities.

Numerous studies have shown that primary and secondary education in China is by far the best in the world. The average high school students in China are academically（学术上的） more advanced and the education quality is higher than that in the West.

But why is the outcome lagging behind? The problem lies in China's higher education. To be more specific, the slack system and the poor education quality failed the excellent students in the country.

A much discussed topic today is scarce talent in China. But it is not because of lack of intelligence. From the IT magnates to top fashion designers, Chinese left their footprint in every field of work in the world.

Most of them have one thing in common: They received quality education at both primary and higher levels.

During the interview, both students expressed gratitude to their high school teachers. How many in Chinese society would say that university professors had the same level of influence on（对。。。有影响） them?
A common scene in the ivory towers （象牙塔）today is that professors are busy with their guanxi network, initiating new research programs to make money, or too involved running from one media conference to another.

Inevitably（不可避免的）, the atmosphere of neglect （疏忽）makes students lazy.

The irony is that when students who never attend classes can be given an A by copying and teachers just want an easy life, nobody would be motivated（激发） to work hard.

In an age when everybody is talking about brain drain and lack of talent in China, maybe we should take a step back and look at the young and ready high school graduates, and think about how we can make the potential（潜在的，潜力）talent flower in China.