As June comes to an end, it's time for students who sat for the gaokao, or the National College Entrance Examination, to find out their results. Some will be happy while others will not.

However, in this diversified¹ modern society, gaokao can not decide one's fate anymore. It's not the end of the world if one fails the exam, and he or she can still have a bright future through hard work and dedication². The following people have proven this through their own experiences.

Ma Yun, founder³ of Alibaba, China's leading e-commerce company

Ma Yun, a business tycoon⁴, was unexpectedly a dwarf⁵ with his exam. He failed gaokao twice due to his math scores. The first time he got 1 mark in math and the second time 19. But he did not give up and sat for the exam a third time. On this third try he got a 79 and was finally admitted to Hangzhou Normal University. Ma said everyone can succeed as long as he or she does not give up.

Ang Lee, film director, screenwriter and producer.

Despite growing up in a teacher's family, Ang Lee was not an excellent student. Lee's father, a school principal, wanted Lee to get a doctorate⁶ degree and become a scholar. But Lee failed the college entrance exam twice. He felt like it was the end of the world. But later he managed to pass the entrance exam at National Taiwan University of Arts and he felt, "the soul was freed for the first time." Lee later said, "Life can be different from the stereotyped⁷ way of studying." In the art world, he found his real self and later became a famous director.

Yu Minhong, the founder of New Oriental Education and Technology Group

As a farmer's son, Yu took the exam in 1978, but he failed due to a low score in English. After that, he did all kinds of farm work at home and later worked as a teacher at a junior school. A year later, he took the exam again but still failed due to his weak English skills. Still, he did not give up and took the exam a third time and got a high score and was admitted to Peking University. "The university just paved the way for a brilliant life but can not decide it," he once said.

Wang Xiaoya, host for China's Central Television (CCTV)

When Wang was a student she was good at literature but weak in math. She took the gaokao twice and the first time she got 20 marks in math, which has always been sour memory from her life. The second time she still failed in math but she was later admitted to Sichuan University.

Yu Hua, writer

Yu Hua took the gaokao in 1977, when China resumed the exam a year after the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). He didn't expect he would fail. After he failed, he studied medicine for a year and became a rural dentist. Later he decided⁸ to change his fate and began writing novels, some of which became famous such as To Live and Brothers.

Jiang Wenli, actress

Jiang Wenli failed the gaokao before she became an employee at a tap water factory. "However, she is a person who never bows to destiny," said her sister Jiang Wenjuan. Once she organized an art performance for the factory, one leader praised her job and suggested that she sit for the entrance exam at Beijing Film Academy. It was the first time she heard of the school and she followed the suggestion. Unexpectedly, she passed the exam and entered the academy.

Meng Fei, host with Jiangsu Television

Meng failed the gaokao in 1990. "Failing the exam was expected and at that time I never thought of taking it again," recalled Meng. He tried to look for job in Shenzhen, Guangdong province without success before he returned home in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. "It was horrible without knowledge. Failing to enter college does not mean I don't like studying and I never slacked in it," he said. Two years later he passed gaokao for adults and entered Nanjing Normal University.