Comments on: Notes on taking the GRE in China http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/ Dispatches from somewhere far away Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:49:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Pete Braden http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-630 Pete Braden Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:44:59 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-630 Good post. And I'm very glad to see good writing about Dalian and Northeast China, an area I am shamefully ignorant of. I'll be taking the LSAT in Beijing in December. Not looking forward to this stuff. Like so many things here, competitive testing has a long and glorious history-- can we think of any other languages with a well-established proverb that describes ranking low on the results board （名落孙山) ？ In a society without the fundamental idea of meritocracy, where promotions so often hinge on connections, it's hard to convince people of the importance of taking tests honestly. But that is just not going to be tolerated in the West. I hope those kids don't have to learn the hard way. Actually, I sort of hope they do. Good post. And I’m very glad to see good writing about Dalian and Northeast China, an area I am shamefully ignorant of.

I’ll be taking the LSAT in Beijing in December. Not looking forward to this stuff. Like so many things here, competitive testing has a long and glorious history– can we think of any other languages with a well-established proverb that describes ranking low on the results board （名落孙山) ？

In a society without the fundamental idea of meritocracy, where promotions so often hinge on connections, it’s hard to convince people of the importance of taking tests honestly. But that is just not going to be tolerated in the West. I hope those kids don’t have to learn the hard way. Actually, I sort of hope they do.

]]> By: dezza http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-620 dezza Mon, 29 Oct 2007 05:39:37 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-620 Rick, to be fair, I think a lot of westerners also have the 'i studied at this famous university' attitude..but they only get that attitude after they have arrived there..not before:) Rick, to be fair, I think a lot of westerners also have the ‘i studied at this famous university’ attitude..but they only get that attitude after they have arrived there..not before:)

]]> By: Paul http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-619 Paul Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:02:26 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-619 Years ago when I had taken the GRE, I noted test takers cramming vocab up to the last moment. Years ago when I had taken the GRE, I noted test takers cramming vocab up to the last moment.

]]> By: Rick http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-618 Rick Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:01:37 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-618 I get a kick out of the "I-want-to-study-at-a-famous-university" attitude. It's odd to me that most chinese people hold <i>where they study</i> as a greater priority than <i>what they study</i>. I get a kick out of the “I-want-to-study-at-a-famous-university” attitude. It’s odd to me that most chinese people hold where they study as a greater priority than what they study.

]]> By: dezza http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-617 dezza Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:38:46 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-617 Interesting story but nothing surprising to me at least. I do a part time course at Hong Kong University and they accept a lot of mainland students. On the notice boards throughout the university, the administration puts up notices of who have been caught cheating with a summary of events and of the ones I've seen (at least 5) all of them were mainland students. They will just have to learn the hard way, I guess.... Interesting story but nothing surprising to me at least. I do a part time course at Hong Kong University and they accept a lot of mainland students. On the notice boards throughout the university, the administration puts up notices of who have been caught cheating with a summary of events and of the ones I’ve seen (at least 5) all of them were mainland students.

They will just have to learn the hard way, I guess….

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-616 Jonathan Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:37:12 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/10/28/notes-on-taking-the-gre-in-china/#comment-616 I hear you... I think test-taking in East Asia is much more about ends than about means. Taking the HSK, my Korean and Japanese classmates' attitude is pretty much no-holds-barred. The sole objective is to score high, and you do what you gotta do to make Mom and Dad proud. I ain't saying it's wrong, but it's definitely different. And kinda wrong. I hear you… I think test-taking in East Asia is much more about ends than about means. Taking the HSK, my Korean and Japanese classmates’ attitude is pretty much no-holds-barred. The sole objective is to score high, and you do what you gotta do to make Mom and Dad proud.

I ain’t saying it’s wrong, but it’s definitely different. And kinda wrong.

]]>