While her classmates are toiling away in preparation for the cutthroat college entrance exam, Chen Ruqian is sitting idly at home. Bored.

The 18-year-old from the famous Shanghai Foreign Language School was offered a full scholarship from Amherst College in the US last December, thanks to her outstanding academic performance and participation in community work.

"The entrance exam is so horrible and I feel so lucky I escaped that," Chen said.