Teaching self-reliance

When Shen Boyang from Zhengzhou, Henan province, entered Xi'an Jiaotong University's youth program at age 15, he was acutely aware that many of his classmates, had they taken the conventional route, were strong contenders for Tsinghua and Peking universities.

This awareness of the tough competition he faced generated pressure to succeed. The impromptu learn-and-test sessions were especially challenging.

"A teacher would lecture for an hour on completely unfamiliar, advanced material. Then they'd leave, and candidates were immediately examined on it," he said.

The preparatory years were a whirlwind of accelerated and broad learning. The first preparatory year condensed three years of high school core knowledge into one. The second preparatory year served as a bridge to university.

Shen also fondly recalled non-academic activities such as performing classic plays and studying music theory, which offered a "broader and deeper" foundation than standard high school.

Still, he had set himself a tough academic goal. To be accepted into his preferred Qian Xuesen class in electrical engineering — a flagship program — he needed a top ranking.

Unfortunately, illness before a crucial exam saw his ranking plummet into the 80s or 90s among 120 students. "I had to fight my way back up," he said.

The experience taught him that in an environment free from the gaokao, self-motivation was paramount.

This personal drive was further tested during his demanding years in the Qian Xuesen class, where he once studied for 40 credits in a single semester, facing 10 final examinations in two weeks.

As a doctoral candidate, he now sees the value of that broad, early exposure to intense pressure.

"Having the space to explore and make mistakes during preparatory and undergraduate years gives me more confidence to attempt new directions in research," he said.

Shen is now considering opportunities in Beijing, Xi'an, or his hometown Zhengzhou, and views his deep, research-oriented study as a strong foundation for the job market.