Starting from the 21st, outstanding students recommended by the principals of 39 middle schools under their real names to Peking University gradually came to light. Although Peking University did not explicitly require academic performance, most of the principals "added icing on the cake" by allocating the recommendation quotas to top-performing students.
The outstanding students recommended by the principals will complete the application form filling no later than this Wednesday. From the design of Peking University's 2010 recommendation and independent enrollment application form, it can be seen that the principals had "foresight," because the application form clearly shows a "preference" for academic performance. All students applying for independent enrollment need to fill in their grade rankings and total number of students in the grade for five semesters from the first semester of high school until the first semester of the third year of high school. Moreover, if the high school has comprehensive evaluation rankings for candidates including final scores, social activities, award-winning situations, etc., they are also required to be filled in.
In addition to academic performance, Peking University also requires students applying for independent enrollment to fill in their provincial-level competition results, scientific inventions, research papers, literary creations, etc., since high school, as well as their participation in social work such as student leaders, heads of social groups, etc. The applicants also need to briefly, accurately, and truthfully fill in the reasons for choosing to apply to Peking University.
Some experts believe that over-pursuing academic excellence actually deviates from the original intention of independent enrollment and the "Principal Recommendation System." Students with excellent grades do not need special attention; they can get into Peking University based on their grades. However, students who have extraordinary performances in a certain subject but whose overall grades may not be ideal should be more favored by independent enrollment or the recommendation system. But the principals also have their own concerns. Although the recommendation emphasizes student quality, these are "soft indicators" that are hard to grasp. If they recommend unconventional talents, it might be difficult to gain public approval. Moreover, if these students' grades are not ideal and they still cannot be admitted even with score reductions, the school's recommendation quota would be wasted.
The Peking University admissions office stated that this year is the first time implementing the "Principal Recommendation System." The implementation methods, recommendation selection procedures, and assessment methods still need continuous improvement. Every outstanding student recommended by the middle school principal will go through expert reviews or interviews at Peking University. Middle school principals do not need to worry that unconventional talents they recommend might fail the review or interview. For students with extraordinary performance in a certain subject, as long as relevant discipline experts at Peking University consider them "capable of development," Peking University will make every effort to create conditions for them to study there.
However, Peking University also has its own training plan and graduation bottom line. If a candidate's overall grades are really unsatisfactory or they cannot adapt to university learning life, and after being admitted, they consistently cannot keep up with the study progress and eventually cannot graduate, it will not be conducive to their healthy growth.