Liang Shi, a 56-year-old millionaire from China, has made his 27th attempt at the challenging gaokao, the country's most demanding college entrance exam.?
The gaokao, known for its rigorous nature, has become a significant milestone for students aspiring to gain admission to renowned universities in China.
Liang expressed that he has made significant sacrifices to pursue this exam over the past few years. Despite enduring media mockery, being labeled the "gaokao holdout," and facing allegations of it being a mere publicity stunt.
"But despite months of living like ¡®an ascetic monk,¡¯ this year Liang was 34 points short of the provincial baseline for getting into any university,"?he told the news agency AFP.
"Before I got the result, I had a feeling that I wouldn¡¯t be able to get a high enough score to enter an elite university," he said. "But I didn¡¯t expect not to make it into the ordinary ones."
Just before 10 p.m. on Friday, the nervous businessman diligently entered his exam identification details and anxiously awaited the outcome.?"It¡¯s all done for again this year," he said after the results.?
Despite repeated disappointments, Liang remained resolute and committed to continue trying.
However, after decades of persistence, he is uncertain if his relentless efforts will yield positive results.
"If I truly can¡¯t see much hope for improvement, there is no point doing it again. I did work very hard every day," he was quoted as saying by AFP. "It¡¯s hard to say whether I will keep on preparing for the gaokao next year," he said.
He revealed that a life without gaokao preparation is almost unthinkable to him. "(If I were to) stop taking the gaokao, every cup of tea I drank for the rest of my life would taste of regret," he added.
For more trending stories, follow us on?Telegram.?