Whether Chinese High School Graduates Have an Equal Opportunity to Enter a Same University? – Based on the Analysis of the Provincial Quotas Policy (PQP)

Abstract : This essay examines the impact of China’s Provincial Quotas Policy (PQP) on the equality of opportunity for high school students to enter the same university. It begins by introducing key definitions such as the National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gaokao), the “985” and “211” Projects, batches of university admissions, and PQP. Subsequently, it presents the debates surrounding PQP. Opponents argue that it leads to an uneven distribution of enrollment quotas, regional inequities, and issues like “Gaokao migration.” Supporters contend that it has mitigated the widening gap in access opportunities and reduced the gender gap. Through an analysis of the Gaokao Enrollment Rate (GER) and case studies of the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), it is found that the allocation of university enrollment slots in each province does not proportionally align with the number of applicants or the population. Using SPSS to analyze the factors influencing the formation of PQP, it is determined that factors such as GDP, population, the number of high school graduates, and the number of local high schools play significant roles. The significance of the data is discussed in relation to Gaokao and social mobility, as well as the connection between Gaokao and the Hukou policy. Finally, the complements to PQP, including special admission schemes and awarded points for minority candidates, are introduced. The conclusion is that while there are efforts to address the inequality, if the issue of geographic stratification remains unresolved, educational inequality in China may persist.