These days, millions of students across China are taking the annual National College Entrance Examination, better known as the Gaokao.
For many young people, it is one of the most important exams of their lives.
Seeing the news reminded me of my own Gaokao sixteen years ago.
What surprises many people is that I took the exam, but I never applied to any university.
There were many reasons for that decision, and I won't go into them here.
What mattered was that I had already decided to take a different path.
Instead of attending university, I chose to learn a practical skill and enter the workforce as early as possible.
At the time, I believed that society itself was the real university.
I felt that the lessons learned through real-world experience were often more practical than those taught in a classroom.
But reality turned out to be more complicated.
After graduating from a computer training school and beginning my job search, I quickly discovered the importance of educational credentials.
In many cases, I was rejected before anyone even had the chance to evaluate my abilities.
Without formal qualifications, getting an interview could be difficult.
My skills, experience, and projects were never even seen because my résumé had already been filtered out.
Eventually, I earned an associate degree through adult education.
Not because I suddenly believed that a diploma represented true ability.
But because I came to understand what education credentials actually represent.
Yesterday, during a Japanese language class, we learned the kanji character 「歴」.
Our teacher mentioned that Japan is a country that places significant value on educational background.
Hearing that made me realize that this is not unique to Japan.
In China, Japan, and many other countries, people often evaluate others based on their past achievements, experiences, and credentials.
And honestly, that is understandable.
Just as we are naturally attracted to people with attractive appearances, we tend to rely on visible signals when making judgments.
Character, intelligence, competence, and values take time to understand.
Most people simply do not have that kind of time.
As a result, society relies on visible indicators.
Education is one of them.
A degree does not necessarily prove that someone is talented.
But it helps organizations make decisions more efficiently.
When companies receive hundreds or even thousands of applications, they need a practical way to narrow down the candidate pool.
Educational qualifications serve as a low-cost and efficient screening tool.
That is why I now see education differently.
A degree is not ability.
But it is often a ticket to enter the arena.
It does not determine how far you will ultimately go.
However, it may determine whether you are given the opportunity to compete in the first place.
In the end, what truly determines a person's success is the ability to keep learning, solve problems, and continue growing.
Yet in many situations, educational credentials decide whether others are willing to give you the chance to demonstrate those qualities.
Perhaps that is the most realistic value of education.