Monitor, I quite agree with you on what the core problem with GAC is. The GAC assessments are compromised by the local subscribers and the power of parents' money and mainlanders have quickly learnt that. This is just one of the reasons why this company's reputation has taken a nosedive. My experiences with the GACs is that the real core of the problem is in the western higher educational institutions' application process, the student visa application process and the GAC-ACT headquarters' inability to enforce a uniformed standard contractual agreement in between the subscribers (the GAC centers) and their clients (students and/or their parents). In the messy GAC Chongqing center, where my 9 students refused to follow me (first time in my 5 GAC years), I noticed they had little obligation towards the GAC academic program. The Center Manager's meeting with parents after first couple of weeks of the GAC course suggested, it was all only about what western uni the kids wanted to go, and then when this manager refused to call a parents meeting that I requested about 5-6 weeks into the courses I realized the GAC courses were only a "wrapping paper" for the rotten potato package. Sadly enough either this wrapping paper or the rotten potatoes are pieces of an imported product that locals only assemble into packages on mainland. Too bad that the imported pieces that come are so much adjusted, re-created, and the necessary timeframe to assemble the main product is cut to the needs of locals.

Avoiding applications for teaching posts at this company's centers will surely get some to think and "re-adjust" their practices, but I am afraid it won't stop some scambags to profit out of foreign students applications to western unis. According to the US administration and its ministry of education the foreign students to the country are only to increase as it's to keep them above water. Yes, they need money across the ocean as much as the local centers on mainland. This is a vicious cycle where the filthy money of some rich locals here are virtually burnt in the process. Just think about it! Would an ordinary local citizen have 60,000 Yuan for a 9 months course and then another 400 000 - 500 000 Yuan to send his/her kid abroad? It's hard to imagine what kinds of generations are gona come out of this, but I'll sure teach my 2 year old son to be as honest as he can.

Believe it or not, I'd still want to work in a GAC center and that because some talented and skillful local youngsters are deprived of their opportunities on mainland. Then, the local testing also does not prove the students abilities and some are greatly misjudged by the local system. It's safe to say that most if not all GACs on mainland are dishonest, but if I can make a difference in a youngster's life... if a GAC center enforces the GAC courses over the ACT college entry exams first...if a GAC center allows me to interview the prospective students first and then it considers my pro opinion of the student...if i get some adequate support/respect from the office...i am still for rather than to completely avoid it and that for the reasons above.

Cheers and beers

Just to reiterate what the core problem with GAC is here in mainland China - the students who end up studying GAC do so primarily because of their parents' ability to pay the high tuition fees rather than because of being intelligent and diligent enough to pass this stringent pre-university set of modules that includes continuous assessment! Sadly, many course takers turn out to be unfit academically, or are not diligent enough, to study GAC well. Academic fraud is practised routinely by many GAC/ACT centers in China to pass students who should be failed. The Chinese providers' first priority is to make money, so those centers will let as many students as possible participate, even those who have failed the GAC pre-test, in order to maximise profits, and expect their foreign teacher facilitators to falsify grades and perform other dirty deeds so that all students pass. It is indeed a filthy scam motivated by financial greed. Foreign teachers who wish to preserve their integrity should avoid applying for teaching posts at GAC/ACT centers on mainland.