Tang Shangjun, a 36-year-old Chinese resident, became famous for his persistence in his pursuit of admission to the prestigious Tsinghua University. His story, which has been going on for 16 years, has attracted media attention.

This unusual story began in 2009, when 20-year-old Tang first passed the Gaokao, a difficult national exam for admission to universities. Having scored 372 points out of a possible 750, he failed to reach the bar required for admission to Tsinghua.

Unwilling to give up his dream, Shangjun devoted the following years to intense preparation. By 2016, his score had improved significantly – 625 points, which opened the doors of many universities in his home province of Guanxi. However, this was still not enough to enter Tsinghua.

Tan’s success peaked in 2019 when he scored an impressive 649 points. This result allowed me to enter Tsinghua, but not to the desired majors – physics or chemistry.

The following years brought a decline in results. In 2023, Tang expanded his horizons by attempting to enter Central China Normal University, but failed by only 14 points.

Now, at 36, Shangjun is beginning to realize that even if he gets accepted, his chances of successfully finding a job after graduation may be limited due to his age.

In recent years, Tan has made a living doing odd jobs to support himself and his elderly parents. Now he is inclined to focus on finding a stable job, rethinking his life priorities.

Experts note that being too persistent in achieving a goal beyond your capabilities can lead to disappointment. They emphasize that there are other paths to a successful life.