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Eighty-year-old university hopeful

By Li Qian (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-06-08 15:26

Among the floods of high school graduates sitting this year's National College Entrance Exams is an octogenarian.

Eighty-year-old Wang Xia arrives for the college entrance exams in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, June 7, 2009. [CFP]

After eight failed attempts in Gaokao, 80-year-old Wang Xia sat the examination again this year on June 7 in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, the local Nanjing Morning Post reported.

Wang's life-long dream is to be accepted into medical school and become a doctor. When he was younger he did not have the opportunity to go to university due to financial strains.

In 2002 Nanjing Medical University allowed Wang to attend classes being moved by his will to study medicine and he practically completed the whole course over the years.

But since he never passed the entry exam he could not have been officially accepted into the university or graduate and without the academic qualifications he can never be a doctor.

Although his family no longer supports his life-long ambition, the pensioner is determined to live his dream.

"I will keep taking the exams even though they don't want me to. It is my spiritual support," he said.

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