Top mainland Chinese student quits HKU in hope of admission to Peking University
Liu Dingning accepted an offer from the School of Chinese at HKU after she became the top scorer among Liaoning's liberal arts majors in the National College Entrance Exam
A top mainland student who was admitted into the University of Hong Kong this fall with a full scholarship has quit her studies and returned to her hometown in Liaoning, gearing up to take the college exam again to obtain a spot at Peking University - HKU’s chief mainland rival.
A spokesperson at HKU confirmed on Friday that Liu had taken a leave of absence from the university.
However, Liu had always wanted to study at PKU, according to Chinese media reports. She said she was surprised by her outstanding performance in the exam and apparently she had found HKU’s offer too good to turn down.
Yet months later, she dropped out of the coveted program, surprising her peers on the mainland.
“Is this real? I really admire her courage,” said one student on a Baidu forum.
Another online user named "Wei Xinyuan" says he also studies at HKU and knows Liu.
"She is already under a lot of pressure, so let's just wish her success," Wei wrote.
The news has been confirmed by Liu’s mother and Li Yucheng, the principal of Benxi High School in Liaoning, where Liu graduated this year. In a phone conversation with Chinese media, Li said Liu made the decision because she prefers a program that focuses on “purer Chinese studies".
Soon after she accepted the offer from HKU, Liu said on a Chinese TV talkshow programme this summer that she had always preferred the Chinese literature programme at Peking University, but made the decision to go to Hong Kong as her family members encouraged her to "go out and see the world while you are young."
The Students’ Union council at HKU has announced that it will hold an annual debate on the topic “The maximum intake of non-local applicants to HKU should be reduced.”
Neither Liu nor the Benxi High School could be reached for a comment on Friday.
A spokesperson at HKU told the Post in an email on Friday:
"Ms Liu Dingning has expressed her wish to take leave of absence from her study at the Faculty of Arts. We will also offer any assistance, on matters of academics and others, where needed. We have been liaising with Peking University with a view to working out possible arrangement for her to pursue the studies that she is most interested in. Ms Liu is currently granted leave from her studies in the University and she can return to her studies when she desires to do so."
Responding to a question about Liu's scholarship, the spokesperson said, "For any student who had been taking leave of absence will enjoy her scholarship funding when she resumes her study at the University."
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