Editor's note: This year's national college entrance exam, also known as gaokao, has come to an end. Our readers share their stories and experiences of the exam, considered life-changing for many students and their families. You can also share your views of the exam with us.

sube (Sri Lanka)

Twelve years ago I took our national gaokao, which is known as GCE A/L. It is very similar to the gaokao. A make or break event for most of our poor or middle class school kids. The preparation was the toughest. I had to sacrifice lot of things. I gave up television. Got up every day at 4 am and studied until 6 - 6:30 am. Then left for school to the tuitoring class where additional support was given to me. Weekends? There was no such thing at that time.

I saw many of my friends giving up interest while the work load pilled up everyday. I did not give up. I knew this was the only way to break the cycle of poverty that trapped my family. I was correct, my effort was not wasted. I passed the exam with a good score and I was selected to go to the top technical university in Sri Lanka to study engineering. I won a scholarship and the whole engineering education for four years was free. Without this, I would never have been able to enter that university or pursuit an engineering career.(More)

Chinese students take part in the first examination of the national college entrance exam, also known as gaokao, at a school in Guiyang city, southwest China's Guizhou province, on June 7, 2014. [Photo/IC]