China's College Entrance Exam Sees Record Participation Amidst Bleak Job Prospects.

A record-breaking 12.91 million high school students in China took the two-day "gaokao" college entrance exam, which is the only way to get into the country's top universities. However, the spike in candidates has raised concerns among students already facing an uncertain economy and dwindling opportunities, with some arguing the high competition will gradually decrease the value of a college degree. China's youth are the most educated in decades, but they also face a growing mismatch between their expectations and opportunities, with urban unemployment surging after three years of pandemic restrictions hit small businesses hard.