Forget the pencils, toss the books - this year's university recruitment drive had only room for dirty looks.
The battle for the best turned sour between Peking University (PKU) and Tsinghua University (THU) as the two aired an enrollment feud on social media.
The rivalry began with a post on microblog Sina Weibo from the PKU enrollment office alleging "one university" was using deception to enroll top candidates from this year's "Gaokao", China's national college entrance exam.
THU admissions struck back immediately, denying the allegation and calling the charge "malicious". They went on to return the accusation, saying it was PKU that used unethical tactics. The quarrel then escalated from obscure name-calling to outright hostility, with each side directly pointing the finger.
The farce was finally settled when both sides deleted the improper exchange, eventually reconciling with each other.
Admission boards from both universities told Xinhua they fully oppose the misbehavior of certain staff and will continue to do their best to serve students and parents.
Their admission policies, which focus solely on Gaokao scores, are the major reason for the tension, said Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of 21st Century Education Research Institute.
THU and PEK generally split the top one percent of students from the Gaokao, according to a national survey on college enrollment.
In order to enroll more Gaokao winners, universities will offer abundant scholarships and free overseas exchange programs. Some even go as far as posting pictures of beautiful alumnae on their official website.
Chen Yuehong, a member of PKU's undergraduate admission committee, said they had no alternative but to contend for students with the highest scores, because public opinion has always linked a university's teaching quality and reputation with admissions.
Given the current assessment system, it is understandable that universities go all out to compete for the best students, which reflects society's craving for talent, said Zhao Yulin, an education expert with Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences.
In February, the Ministry of Education issued a circular, prohibiting cut-throat competition for high-score students by means of promising lucrative scholarships or signing advance admission agreements.
Xiong suggested universities should have an open mind when enrolling students and pay more attention to teaching and research, which can attract true talent.
Independent enrollment of universities should also be encouraged, said Xiong, adding a two-way selection mechanism could help shift the score obsessed evaluation system to a more comprehensive judgement on candidates, such as art talent, extracurricular activities and future research prospects.
