China gaokao wins: sister skips 2 grades to study with brother, rejects ‘prodigy’ label
Two teenage siblings from eastern China excelled in this year’s gaokao, leading to their acceptance into the country’s top universities and igniting intense discussions surrounding their exceptional talents and family education. Xu Haotian, 17, and his sister Xu Haolin, 15, achieved scores of 688 and 699 out of a maximum of 750, respectively, in this year’s national university entrance exam.…
In eastern China, teenage siblings Xu Haotian, 17, and Xu Haolin, 15, scored exceptionally high on this year's gaokao, leading to their admission into prestigious universities and sparking discussions about their exceptional abilities and family's role in their success. Haolin, who completed primary school in only four years, secured a score of 699, placing her within the top 100 in Anhui province.
Her brother Haotian achieved 688, granting him entry into the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Science and Technology. Haolin, however, has been granted admission to the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University. Haotian expressed amazement at his sister's achievement, noting that she is two years younger than their classmates.
He proudly stated that she excelled in their first mid-term exam while attending secondary school with him.
Their father shared numerous posts celebrating their accomplishments, garnering a multitude of well-wishes. Some online observers labeled Haolin as a "prodigy," but the 15-year-old demurred, stating, "I don't believe my talent and intelligence should be classified as such." The siblings attributed their success to efficient learning rather than merely completing a high volume of exercises.
Haotian highlighted the importance of maintaining a calm mindset during exams, while Haolin emphasized taking breaks when feeling overwhelmed to alleviate anxiety. To manage stress, Haotian finds solace in solving a Rubik's Cube in 9 seconds, while Haolin enjoys music and dance, having passed the highest amateur piano certification and plays the violin.
This year, 12.9 million students registered for the gaokao, with acceptance rates to top universities varying by province. In Anhui, around 50% of candidates were accepted, with seven percent attaining scores exceeding 600. An online observer pondered, "What kind of family produces such outstanding siblings?" Another commented, "She is too humble. Hard work alone isn't sufficient to gain admission to Peking University."
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
