The vocabulary of the exam.

The English gaokao — the fictional English-language analogue of China's national college entrance exam, held annually in early June.

One of the three subjects taken by all candidates: English (language and literature), Mathematics, and French. Each core paper is worth 150 points.

See also · elective subject

One of the four science-track subjects a candidate additionally chooses from: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, plus one further chosen paper. Weighted at about 100 points each.

A university whose historical cutoff is slightly above your score. Two or three per ranked application list is standard.

See also · target school · safety school

A university where you are safely at or above the historical cutoff. Most of a ranked list should sit here.

A university whose historical cutoff is clearly below your score. Two or three per list, as insurance.

The score threshold at which a specific university and course admitted students in a given year. Historical cutoffs are the main signal for building your list.

The regional score threshold determining which tier of universities you may apply to at all. Below the batch cutoff, that whole tier is closed to you.

The dominant preference-submission format: a ranked list of universities and courses. The system slots you into the highest-ranked school that will admit you at your score.

A follow-up application window for universities and courses that did not fill in the main round. Lower cutoffs; a real second chance.

The official document, issued in advance, that admits a candidate to the exam room. Required at every session together with the national ID.

The optically scanned sheet on which final answers must be entered. Anything outside the printed boxes is invisible to the grader.

A full-length practice paper taken under exam conditions. Schools run multiple across the final year — mock 1, mock 2, mock 3.

A student's ongoing record of missed questions, organised (ideally) by class of mistake rather than by individual question.

The dominant essay format on the English paper — a clear thesis, three supporting arguments with examples, and a closing that elevates the point.

The critical-analysis section of the English paper — a passage with a mix of comprehension, vocabulary-in-context, and rhetorical-analysis questions.

Taking an additional year to sit the exam again. Widespread; resit classes are commonly available at most schools.

The provincially-set date on which scores are released — typically about a month after the exam.

A short written statement submitted with your application. Not weighted at the top of the ranked-list system, but read at the margins by admissions officers for competitive courses.

A year taken between the exam and starting university. Not stigmatised; most universities defer admission by one year on request.

The exam-room monitor. Two per room, one at the front and one at the back, both licensed to remove candidates for any breach.

The pre-printed layout of the exam room. Your seat number is on your admission ticket. Do not attempt to swap seats.

The last major mock exam of the year, typically in April. Usually the best predictor of your actual score.

A written schedule for the remaining weeks of preparation. Written once at the start of the term, revisited every three weeks.

A previously used exam paper released after the fact. The single most valuable practice resource — sit them under exam conditions.

The score your teachers estimate you'll achieve, based on mock exams and coursework. Not the final decision but used for provisional admissions.

The grading protocol for subjective sections: two independent examiners score the same script, and a third resolves disagreements beyond a threshold.

The formal process for disputing a procedural irregularity in the exam room. Filed within 48 hours of the affected session.

A university admission offer that depends on you achieving a specific score. The most common form of pre-results offer.

A university admission offer with no score requirement attached. Rare; usually made only when the university has decided you're a must-admit.

In ranked applications, a lower-cutoff university included as backup. If you miss your top choice's cutoff, you fall through to this one.