China's Gao Kao is the mother of all exams. Take a look at the 2 most important days of a Chinese high schooler's life.

Students leave after their first exam during the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as "gaokao", in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on June 7, 2023.
Students leave after their first exam during the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as "gaokao", in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on June 7, 2023.STR/AFP via Getty Images
  • China's Gao Kao kicked off on Wednesday, and is expected to last in most cities until Thursday.

  • The exams are so important that the police often show up in force to maintain order and escort students.

  • China's 2023 Gao Kao cohort is its biggest yet, with 12.9 million test-takers.

China's massive Gao Kao tests began Wednesday, with millions of high schoolers participating in the nation's college entrance exams.

For any Chinese student hoping to get into college, this is make-or-break. Imagine the SAT, ACT, and all of your AP tests rolled into two days. That's Gao Kao, or "higher education exam."

The marks from all of a student's exams are combined into a single score that defines what colleges they can get into. If they don't hit a college's standard, there's almost no chance of attending that school.

The pressure can be immense, and the entire country knows it. Families put their lives on hold for two days to make sure every condition is just right for their kid. Cities expect residents to keep it down so the students can concentrate. In some towns, police appear in droves to escort test-takers.

Here's what went down this year during the annual Gao Kao — the biggest two days of every Chinese high schooler's life.

Students are tested on Chinese, mathematics, one foreign language of their choosing, and additional subjects in the sciences or arts, depending on which stream they pick.

High school seniors study in Anhui province study before the Gao Kao
Chen Bin/VCG via Getty Images

On the day of the exam, some authorities arrange for traffic police — like the ones here in Qingdao — to escort students who come by the busload.

Traffic police escort students to exam sites in Qingdao.
Traffic police escort students to exam sites in Qingdao.Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Yes, literal busloads.

Volunteers cheer for gaokao candidates in Yantai, Shandong province, China, June 7, 2023. The 2023 National college entrance examination, or gaokao, officially kicked off on Tuesday, with 12.91 million students expected to go to the exam halls across the country, a record high.
CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

The 2023 Gao Kao cohort is China's biggest yet, with 12.9 million participants.

Students leave after their first exam during the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as "gaokao", in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on June 7, 2023.
STR/AFP via Getty Images

Anxious parents often swarm test venues, like this crowd waiting for their kids to finish the Gao Kao in Nanjing.

Parents wait for their children to leave the exam room at a college entrance examination site in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

This father in Neijiang, Sichuan, is writing his child's name on a well-wishing and blessing board for the Gao Kao.

An examinee's father writes his child's name on the wish wall outside an exam venue of the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 7, 2023 in Neijiang, Sichuan Province of China. 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) officially kicks off on June 7. (Photo by
Tang Mingrun/VCG via Getty Images

Of course, teachers are often present to encourage their students, like this man in Huzhou.

Examinees high five with their teacher outside an exam venue of the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 7, 2023 in Huzhou.
Tan Yunfeng/VCG via Getty Images

The tests are so important that police are often sent to maintain order at exam venues, such as this spot in Hebei.

Traffic policemen maintain order outside an exam venue in Hebei.
Traffic policemen maintain order outside an exam venue in Hebei.Chen Xiaodong/VCG via Getty Images

Armed police were stationed outside this exam site in Qingdao.

Armed police stand by in front of a college entrance exam site in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, June 7, 2023. The 2023 National college entrance examination, or gaokao, officially kicked off on Tuesday, with 12.91 million students expected to go to the exam halls across the country, a record high.
CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

One student with an ankle injury was even carried to his exam hall by a SWAT officer in Taizhou.

SWAT officer sends an examinee with ankle injury to an exam venue of the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 7, 2023 in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province of China
TaizhouWang Huabin/VCG via Getty Images

Younger students are often asked to cheer on their seniors, like at this ceremony in Xuzhou, where test-takers received paper sunflowers from their schoolmates a day before this year's annual exams.

Senior 2 students give paper sunflowers to senior 3 students to cheer them up ahead of the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) at Suining Senior High School of Jiangsu on June 5, 2023 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province of China.
Hong Xing/VCG via Getty Images

People sometimes volunteer to cheer on students with signs and high-fives, like these adults in Beijing.

Students enter a school on the first day of China's national college entrance examination, known as the gaokao, in Beijing on June 7, 2023.
WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images

Some cities like Bozhou even organize "volunteer fleets" of cars and police officers to help students with transport.

Traffic policemen and car owners attend the launching ceremony of a 'volunteer fleet' serving for students taking the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 5, 2023 in Bozhou, Anhui Province of China.
VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Their job is to make sure students, especially those with accessibility needs, arrive on time.

Traffic policemen and car owners attend the launching ceremony of a 'volunteer fleet' serving for students taking the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 5, 2023 in Bozhou, Anhui Province of China.
VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Security can be pretty tight. Some students had to go through metal detector checks even in smaller cities like Lianyungang.

2 Students are checked with metal detectors as they enter the venue for the annual national college entrance examination, or "gaokao", in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China June 7, 2018.
Stringer/Reuters

One school in Tianjin has had security cameras installed since 2017 to prevent any cheating from taking place.

A police officer monitors examination venues as students sit for China's national college entrance exam known as "gaokao", in Tianjin, China June 7, 2017.
Stringer/Reuters

The exam papers have to be kept secure too. Staff members at this exam center in Beijing are moving the documents in suitcases under the watch of local guards.

Staff members of the Haidian Educational Enrollment and Examination Center transfer a suitcase containing the test papers of Beijing 2023 college entrance exam on June 7, 2023 in Beijing, China. 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) officially kicks off on June 7.
Fu Tian/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

And clocks have to be calibrated, down to the last second. Staff at an exam center in Qingdao gathered to do just that.

taff members calibrate clocks ahead of China's annual National College Entrance Exam, also known as "Gaokao", at a high school in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, June 5, 2017.
Tang Zhen/Reuters

The concept of Gao Kao resembles the imperial exams from ancient China, through which anyone could become an official based on their results. This man in Wuhan is dressed up as China's number one scholar — the "zhuangyuan" — giving blessings to students.

A volunteer dressed to resemble the number one scholar in ancient China, sends blessings to examinees during the national college entrance exams on June 7, 2023 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. China's annual college entrance exam, better known as the Gaokao, kicked off on Wednesday morning with a record 12.91 million candidates signing up for perhaps the world's most gruelling test.
Getty Images

Students spend almost every waking hour studying in the 100 days before the Gao Kao.

Senior three students study in the corridor outside a classroom to prepare for gaokao, China's national college entrance examination, on February 27, 2023 in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province of China.
Tan Yunfeng/VCG via Getty Images

100 days before the Gao Kao, schools often hold pep rallies and countdowns in hopes of helping students maintain momentum in their preparations.

Senior three students attend a flag-raising ceremony during a pep rally to mark the 100-day countdown to gaokao, China's national college entrance examination, on February 27, 2023 in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, Liuzhou City.
VCG/VCG via Getty Images

These students in Henan are taking an oath to do their best for the Gao Kao during a pep rally in 2018.

Students stand on chairs as they cheer at an oath-taking rally for the annual national entrance examinations, or "gaokao" in June, at a high school in Zhumadian, Henan province, China February 27, 2019. Picture taken February 27, 2019.
REUTERS

And this high school in Dongguan held a performance for seniors in the lead-up to the Gao Kao.

Students perform, to cheer for those who will participate in the annual national college entrance exam, or "gaokao", at a high school in Dongguan, Guangdong.
Stringer/Reuters

The Gao Kao's pressures can have a grim effect on society. State research has pointed to worrying rates of teen suicide being tied to stress from China's exam-based education system.

Senior three students throw balloons in the air to relieve stress ahead of the 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) on June 6, 2023 in Changsha, Hunan Province of China. The 2023 National College Entrance Exam (aka Gaokao) will start from June 7.
Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

Source: China Daily.

Schools often try to help their students cope with fun activities or gifts, like these lucky dumplings being handed out by teachers in Changsha.

Teachers give out Zongzi, or glutinous rice dumplings, to senior three students to hope for good luck in the upcoming 2023 National College Entrance Exam.
Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

Or they might do yoga, like in this school in Anyue, Sichuan.

Senior students practice yoga to relieve their stress before the National College Entrance Examination (aka Gaokao) at a middle school on June 1, 2023 in Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province of China.
Yang Kangzhong/VCG via Getty Images

A rite of passage for most Chinese people, the Gao Kao symbolizes the end of a teen's life in high school. It's the culmination of three years of intense studying, and often the crowning achievement of their schooling lives.

Examinees rush out of an exam site after the final subject of the 2020 National College Entrance Examination (aka Gaokao) on July 8, 2020 in Changsha, Hunan Province of China.
Yang Huafeng/China News Service via Getty Images

If they don't get the score they want, a Chinese student can technically take the Gao Kao again, since the exams aren't age-limited. But they'll have to wait another year, and do it all again come next June.

A traffic police officer high fives students as they arrive for the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as "gaokao", in Yantai, in China's eastern Shandong province on June 7, 2023.
STR/AFP via Getty Images

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