Just walked out of the CSCA and I feel like I got hit by a bus. I’m almost certain I’m looking at a sub-50 score. I just couldn’t get into the flow of the questions and honestly, the 2026 format felt way more intense than the mocks I did.
The problem is, I’m 20 (took a gap year) and my actual high school grades are solid—mostly A’s and A*’s. I was really aiming for Zhengzhou (ZZU) or a similar mid-tier school with at least partial funding, but now I’m stressing that this one score is going to cancel out years of hard work.
Has anyone else here gotten into a decent uni with a trash CSCA score but high GPA? Or are the scholarships for the 2026 intake strictly tied to this exam now?
I’m debating if I should even bother sending my apps. I don’t think it would be viable for me to retake in June. Would love some honest perspectives from anyone who’s been through the application portal recently.
Thanks.