Lesson 1: How the Gaokao Works
The Gaokao is China's national university entrance examination, taken at the end of senior secondary school. It is a demanding, wide-ranging exam, and preparation rewards steady, planned work far more than last-minute cramming.
This lesson explains the general structure of the exam. Because provinces organise the exam in different ways and details change between sessions, treat everything here as a general map and always confirm the current session's arrangements with your school and the provincial education examination authority.
The three core subjects
Every candidate takes Chinese, Mathematics and a foreign language (usually English). These three subjects form the core of the exam and carry the largest share of preparation time for most students.
Chinese tests reading of modern and classical texts, writing, and language use. Mathematics tests functions, geometry, probability and statistics, and problem solving. The foreign-language paper tests reading, language use and writing.
The elective subjects
Beyond the core, candidates also take elective subjects. Two broad models are used across provinces: one in which students choose three subjects from the sciences and humanities (often described as 3+3), and one in which students choose one subject from Physics or History plus two further subjects (often described as 3+1+2).
Your province uses one of these models. The choice matters: it decides which subjects you must study deeply, so confirm your province's model early and build your timetable around it.
How to use this course
Lessons 2–3 cover Chinese, lessons 4–6 cover Mathematics, lessons 7–8 cover English, and lessons 9–11 cover Physics, Chemistry and Biology strategies. Lesson 12 turns all of this into a timed study plan, and the mock test lets you practise under time pressure.
Worked example — planning your week: if you have 30 study hours a week and five subjects, a balanced split might be 6 hours each. In practice, give your weakest subject one extra hour taken from your strongest, and protect one hour a day for reviewing mistakes. Small, regular review beats re-reading notes.
Common pitfalls
Do not build your plan on rumours about cut-off scores or quotas: these vary every year and are not knowable in advance. Focus on what you control — accuracy, speed and coverage.
Do not ignore a subject because it feels comfortable. Comfortable subjects still lose marks through careless errors, and every mark counts.
Further study
- Your province's education examination authority — current session arrangements and syllabus documents.
- Your school's Gaokao guidance materials and past school mock papers.
📝 Quiz
1. Which three subjects form the core of the Gaokao for every candidate?
Show answer
a) The core is Chinese, Mathematics and a foreign language (usually English).
2. Why should you confirm your province's elective model early?
Show answer
a) The model decides your elective subjects, so it shapes your whole timetable.
3. A student has 30 study hours a week and five subjects. What balanced split does the lesson suggest as a starting point?
Show answer
a) 30 ÷ 5 = 6 hours per subject, adjusted afterwards for strengths and weaknesses.