The Hoover Institution Program on the US, China, and the World invites you to a roundtable on The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China on Tuesday, November 11 , 2025 from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PT in the Shultz Auditorium, George P. Shultz Building.

Each year, over ten million Chinese students stake their futures on the gaokao, the high-pressure national college entrance exam that determines university admission. Unlike in the United States, where many factors are considered, the gaokao is the sole measure for students and has become a national obsession for families eager for upward mobility.

In their new book, The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China, Ruixue Jia and Hongbin Li draw on research and personal experience to examine how this system drives social and economic life, supports government priorities, and shapes attitudes toward opportunity and meritocracy—often deepening social inequalities.

Join the authors for a discussion, moderated by Glenn Tiffert, as they explore how the gaokao shapes education, opportunity, and society in contemporary China.