A 35-year-old man in China who graduated from the prestigious Tsinghua University a decade ago, sat the gruelling university entrance exam again this year, hoping to realise his long-held dream of studying medicine.
The exam, known as gaokao on the mainland, is widely regarded as the most important test in the country for making or breaking a young person’s future.
However, there is no age limit for the applying to take the test, as long as the person has documents to prove he has completed a secondary education.
Li Long, a native of Heilongjiang province in the northeastern part of the country, was admitted to the School of Science at Tsinghua University in 2008, reported Jiupai News.
Even though his scores were high enough to be enrolled, he decided not to pursue medicine as a career then because his parents were so poor they needed him to earn money straight away.
The studying would have taken about 10 years, during which time it would be virtually impossible to have an income.
Instead, Li began working at the university as a private tutor for young students, and after graduation in 2012, he became a full-time teacher at after-class academic tutoring institutions.
He said that, before the summer of 2021 when the authorities cracked down on the private tutoring sector in an attempt to ease the pressure on students, the industry was booming and lucrative.
His high income enabled him to buy three flats in Beijing and Harbin.
But Li said he never stopped wishing he could study medicine, especially after some of his students were successfully admitted to medical universities.
“How envious I am of them,” he said.
At the beginning of this year, Li started to take practical steps towards realising his dream by preparing for gaokao.
“Many people think, at the age of 35, it’s impossible to make any big changes. But I know I can start a new life at this age,” said Li.
The full mark for gaokao is 750. Li achieved a score of 695 last time he took the test in 2008. He said he was confident he could make at least 650 this year.
After Li’s story was reported by the media and viewed 120 million times on Weibo alone, there was speculation that his announcement was merely a bid for internet fame.
“Time tells everything. No one will use all these years of study medicine just for the online traffic,” he said.
Some online observers also accused him of wasting public resources that should be reserved for young people or those who had never sat the exam.
Li had already considered those points and said that they played on his conscience.
“A big problem bothering me is that since there are limited admission quotas, I will snatch chances from young students,” he said.
“I have been trying to think of a better solution to realise my dream that does not affect others.”
Li said he is aware he might not find a good job when he graduates from medical school in his mid-40s.
“Even if my decision is wrong, it will not pose much of a loss for me. But just carrying on making money for the next 10 years will not make me happy,” he said.
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