Masha, it's not easy to see which center's better and I say bettter as I don't believe there are any really good ones on mainland. I sure have not been to many of these centers out of that link but as I have said and as the Harbin and a few other posters' as well as my experiences prove the blue centers, that're to the headquarters "good" centers, and the black that're to the headquarters "troubled" centers seem to be so off. Our experiences prove some of the black centers on that link are actually much better than the blue ones. For example, the Nanning GAC,where I have worked for four years,is (was when I was there) so much better if I compare it to the GAC Chongqing that isn't black on that link and you are allowed to click on their farce blue link. In Nanning, I gave a couple months foundation courses to this short 9 months GAC program and the students contractual agreements with the center in Nanning had students to do one and a half year if they underperformed in classes. Also, I gave entry exams to students in Nanning and my three foreign fella coworkers and I had a say on which students to accept to a GAC course and which students should continue on with a foundation to the GAC courses. In Chongqing, there were no foundation courses as they scrumbled for students in the middle of September..they did little in June, July and August. I had no entry tests with them and any tests given were administered by local staff, even the actual ACT college entry exams that the center "practiced" with walk-ins and prospective students. Cheatings in Chongqing were visible as I ended up with 4 out of 9 students in a GAC class that were only beginners or low elementary students in English language. Then, they had little knowledge in any area of the GAC subjects as well. One student had no interest in anything and thought he'd get abroad for his parents money..he wasn't shy saying at alll.

Yes, Masha is right that in many mainnland locations you can only give presentations in the high schools with foreign programs. Local Chinese teachers, sales reps do the job and present the GAC programs to high school studnets and prospective GAC applicants and the GAC subscribers at many occasions force their local employees to lie about the GACs. I really wish I had that chance to give some presentations to high school kids when making their choices where to go or what to do after graduation at their high schools, but I don't think any local GAC subscriber would've allowed its actual Foreign Facilitator (teacher) to do that as there were lies to be presented. Also, many GAC students seem to only be a first or second year high school kids and so dropouts rather than graduates.This is a prep program for western unis, although many local subscribers want the youngsters and their parents to believe it's a prep for the ACT college entry exams as well as for the TOEFL or IELTS which it is not. GAC was made by the subsidiary of the parent company called ACT that manages the American college entry exams. The subsidiary called ACT Education Solution Limited is in Australia and I believe in them much more than in the actual parent company of the ACT in the US. The Australians have made the GACs for wester unis around the world although the Americans have just selfishly tried to promote their own unis in the US and from my very own experience in Chongqing compromised the whole product. The ACT overseas Chinese (local) teacher that I've worked with for 6 months in Choingqing blantantly promoted only the US unis and went around shopping which suggested he was on commision as a middle man and a recruiter too. Students need someone to "polish' their poorly written western uni applications too, don't they? They need someone to present their not so truthfully accomplished applications to be well presented abroad, don't they? I came in direct conflict of interest with the young local man that's actually graduated in the US (traveled in between continents frequently). My GAC students were also his ACT students at the same time!

On PGA, I have heard of them, but I am a bit puzzled how they are allowed to use the GAC product. They aren't ACTs and they're parent company must be someone else. Right? Or, is it that this GAC is a different academic product than the one I've used. It sounds that the PGA is doing this the right way as the GAC should be used alongside local high school courses and for at least two years. The ACT-GAC in Indonesia is using it in similar way as the PGA on mainland. Imagine the same parent company with so many differences in one country and around the world. How can they establish a positive reputation this way? In education, nobody should bend to local markets!

Again, i like the academic goal of this program and even with so many issues it helps some youngsters. I have had many students out of the Nanning GAC center and they are at western unis now. Most of these kids were so nice to me as well as so appreciative. I had tears in my eyes when I was leaving for Chongqing from Nanning. My Nanning students invited me for a lunch and I could not hold it. Yes, I cried I had to leave them. It was the end of my contract and another center was calling me. Many of these and previous students have been in touch with me which proves they are greatful for what I have done there. I only wish I could say the same about the unfortunately mismanaged GAC Chongqing.

Cheers and beers to all in the prep courses for abroad studies