From Good to Elite Through Discipline

From Good to Elite Through Discipline | Generated by AI

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Question: What is the difference between scoring around 70 on average versus 90+ in exams like China’s self-study higher education exams (self-taught examination), and how do high achievers reach those levels compared to Gaokao high scorers or competitive programming ratings?

Answer:

Your observation is accurate: the gap between an average of around 70 (solid pass level in self-study exams, where 60 is the passing threshold) and 90+ is significant, but it is rarely due to “magic” or innate genius. High scores in academic exams—whether self-study higher education exams (自考), Gaokao, or even competitive settings like Codeforces—are typically the result of consistent application of effective principles: deliberate practice, targeting weaknesses, doing far more exercises, building deep familiarity with knowledge points, and maintaining disciplined habits.

In Self-Study Higher Education Exams (自考)

Passing (60+) is achievable with basic understanding and some targeted review (e.g., brushing past papers, memorizing key points for short-answer questions).
Your scores (mostly 60-80 range, with some higher like 88 in Java) reflect good foundational knowledge plus your 10 years of software engineering experience, which helps in practical, programming-related courses.
Achieving a consistent 90+ average (often needed for a degree certificate in some cases or strong applications abroad) requires much more:
- Extremely thorough mastery of the textbook and question patterns.
- Heavy emphasis on past exam papers (真题): many high scorers brush 10–20+ years of papers, memorizing common short-answer/essay structures and spotting recurring themes.
- Precision in answers: clear structure (point 1, point 2…), neat handwriting, and filling every question (even partially correct answers get partial credit).
- More time invested per subject: slower, patient analysis of weak areas, repeated practice until concepts become automatic.
- Discipline: steady daily study, no cramming reliance.

From experiences shared online, 90+ scorers often treat it like a system—focus on volume of correct practice, error analysis, and volume of review rather than raw talent.

Comparison to Gaokao High Scorers (e.g., 650+ out of 750)

The gap between 500–550 (decent) and 650+ (top-tier, often for elite universities) shows similar patterns:

High scorers (650+) tolerate slow, careful problem-solving, identify weak points early, do massive amounts of exercises (刷题), and become extremely familiar with every knowledge point.
They use deliberate practice: analyze mistakes deeply, redo wrong questions, build speed and accuracy through repetition.
Many describe it as effort + method + persistence rather than genius. Top performers often have strong habits (consistent review, notes, textbook mastery) and endure long hours without shortcuts.

Parallel to Codeforces Ratings (e.g., 1400 vs 2100)

A 1400-rated coder solves basic-to-intermediate problems reliably.
A 2100-rated (expert/master) solves much harder problems quickly and accurately, spots patterns others miss, and handles edge cases effortlessly.
The gap comes from thousands more hours of targeted practice, upsolving contests, studying advanced algorithms, and learning from failures—not magic talent.

Key Takeaway

There is no magic or genius required for high achievement in these areas. High performers follow core principles more rigorously and consistently:

Detail-oriented work.
Targeting weaknesses systematically.
Doing far more deliberate exercises than others.
Building deep familiarity through repetition.
Patience to figure things out slowly and correctly at first, then efficiently.

Your software engineering background already gives you a strong edge in practical courses—many self-study students lack that real-world context. With more focused exercises (especially past papers for the remaining written and practical exams), deeper weakness-fixing, and consistent routines, closing the gap to higher averages (80+ or even 90+) is realistic and comes down to applying those principles more intensely. Many people reach high levels simply by doing what others know they should do—but actually execute relentlessly.

References:

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