What does this research mean for the field?

China's education system, centered on the Gaokao, functions as a centralized hierarchical tournament that profoundly influences the country's institutions and social life. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This review aims to examine how the Gaokao shapes China's education system and its broader societal effects.

May 31, 2026Journal of Economic Literature0 citations

Jia, Ruixue and Hongbin Li. The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China

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OMOfer Malamud

Key Points

This review aims to examine how the Gaokao shapes China's education system and its broader societal effects.
Analyzed the structure of China's education system as a centralized tournament.
Focused on the implications of the education system for social institutions.
Reviewed key themes and findings from 'The Highest Exam.'
Highlighted how the Gaokao influences educational access and competition.
Described the role of the education system in shaping institutional behavior in China.
Discussed the social implications of a hierarchical education system.

Abstract

Ofer Melamud of Northwestern University reviews “The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China” by Ruixue Jia and Hongbin Li. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Describes the structure of China's education system as a centralized hierarchical tournament, focusing on how this system influences China's institutions and social life.”

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Jia, Ruixue and Hongbin Li. The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China

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