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February 20, 2017

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Art colleges open up avenues for students

YANG Ziyi brought along her luggage everywhere she went, running between test rooms at Shanghai Theater Academy.

“I will need to fly to Beijing in the afternoon right after the Shanghai exam to appear for two more exams there tomorrow,” said the 17-year-old.

Yang had traveled hundreds of kilometers from her home in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to try her luck at the local theater academy — only to find an army of well-dressed young men and women who dreamt of becoming singers, dancers, actors, TV hosts or directors just like her.

She was among the thousands of hopefuls to make the trip to Shanghai with stars in their eyes and dreams of making it big in the world of make-believe.

Yang was one of the 21,872 candidates who applied for the art examinations to the prestigious Shanghai Theater Academy; the first round of the exams started on February 10. While the number of candidates was encouraging for the academy, it had openings for only 434 seats.

“I’ve been trained to become a professional ballerina but sadly I’m not gifted,” said Yang, who’s applying for the acting course.

“My adrenaline shot up the moment I went on stage (for auditioning), with the spotlight on me and people watching. I had always thought of becoming a star but honestly, I just love the feeling of being on stage,” said Yang after the test.

“I decided to learn acting. I’m aware that many candidates have years of experience but I have confidence in myself. I’d do anything to keep acting,” she added.

Art colleges hold their annual admission tests across China every year around February. Exams in Beijing started two days earlier than Shanghai.

The exams are divided into three rounds, each lasting two days. The first round was recitation and performing, singing and a “body language” test (dancing, martial arts or gymnastics). Most of the applicants usually don’t make it to the second round.

So for the 30-second presentation, candidates had to do some hard thinking.

One of the young men showed off his kung fu skills, including a backward somersault. Another cried out loudly and ran around the room.

A girl who came out after her test told Shanghai Daily: “I made fun of my height and promised during my introduction that I would grow taller!” A gimmick to impress the judges.

From 2008 to 2016, more than 9 million students sat for national college entrance exam every year. Among them about 10 percent applied for art colleges in the hope of becoming actors, artists and performers.

This year, over 38,000 students have applied for the Beijing Film Academy, while it only plans to recruit 499. Among them 8,500 went for the acting department, but the acceptance rate is 114 to 1.

The Central Academy of Drama in Beijing has received its record-breaking number of applicants — 36,000. Among the majors, drama and film acting is the most popular, with over 6,000 students applying. However, only 25 will be recruited.

As for the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, about 65,000 students have applied for its various courses. But the acceptance rate is 40 to 1.

Students travel from city to city to appear for the art exams while also preparing for the national college entrance examination in June. Usually, one of the parents accompanies them on the trips.

“They feel better with a parent by their side,” said a mother surnamed Liu, from Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, outside the examination hall.

“She is nervous enough as it is for what is a life-changing exam. I need to take some time off from work to take care of her,” she said of her daughter.

Xiao Yang, 18, from Shenyang in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, was seeking entry in acting course at Shanghai Theater Academy. His parents, figuring out earlier his lack of interest in studies, sent him to learn kung fu, acting and opera music at an early age, thus giving him a head start among the 6,157 applicants. However, the local theater academy had seats for just 25 students in acting major.

“I was not good in academics, which is why my parents planned a different route. All the courses I took are now proving a boom,” said Xiao.

The increasing number of candidates applying for art colleges also points to a shifting trend among parents and children. Not so long time ago, arts as a field of specialization was derided. It was often deemed that only those who were poor in studies would go to art colleges, and most parents, if not all, would like their children to go to a comprehensive university for a good job.

But it’s not all like this anymore.

A mother, surnamed He, said she sent her daughter to learn acting when she was 15, “even though she was good at studies.”

“She didn’t know a thing about acting at the beginning, but gradually changed her mind. Now art colleges seem a good option for both of us,” said He, who traveled with her daughter from Liaoning Province to Shanghai for the exam.

Many consider art exams an easier route to the universities. Students are still required to take the national college entrance examination in June, but the cut-off scores are lower if they have passed the art tests.

Registration for Shanghai Theater Academy had risen by 53 percent since 2012, but the number of students it admits has been limited. Candidates are facing fiercer competition now after the Ministry of Education raised the minimum score for art colleges.

“I personally don’t think that art exams are easier. Art students also have to squeeze time for professional courses. The competition is still fierce,” said Xiao.

It is costly too.

“I spent 10,000 yuan (US$1,470) each month for pronunciation training in Beijing,” said another student Zhang Xinyi from south China’s Guangdong Province. “There aren’t many training facilities where I live, which is why I went to Beijing. The whole thing is very expensive. Not to mention the traveling cost and registration fees.”

The Shanghai Theater Academy accepted only one out every 200 candidates last year, making it the hardest arts college to get in.

“Of course I’d be thrilled to get in. I know the competition is fierce,” said Zhang. “I’ll just have to wait and see what happens. If I don’t get into arts, then I’ll have to study like mad for the national entrance examination.”




 

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