Key-Point Schools and Entry into Tertiary Education in China

The tracking process at the secondary level has important consequences for students’ educational advancement. In China, a number of schools are designated as key-point schools with better teachers and facilities. After the unprecedented expansion of higher education since 1999, the spotlight of educational transition has shifted to some extent from College Entrance Exam, to gaining access to key-point senior high schools, because graduates from these schools are the most important sources of college recruitment. Employing data from a multi-stage national probability sample collected in 2008, this study shows that attending key-point senior high schools has a significantly positive effect on one’s likelihood of entry into tertiary education, even after taking account of the selection into these schools. Urban-rural divide is a barrier for students of rural hukou origin to attend senior high schools, and subsequently gaining entry into tertiary education. These findings have important implications for school reform policies in China.