Liao Daiqi graduated from college in July and will start graduate school in the fall, having found success in England after struggling in China.

The 22-year-old native of Guangdong province took the gaokao, China's national college exam, in 2011 but didn't get the score she wanted.

"The score only got me access to South China Business College of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, which is in the third or fourth tier," she said.