Ma Long stood across from the school gate, flanked by his parents, nervously clutching a cold bottle of green tea and waiting to finish a test that would determine his future.

He was one of the 9.5 million students across China taking the two-day college entrance exam, called the "gaokao," which ended Friday evening.

In a country where education is unrivaled in importance, the high-stakes test is one of the few events short of next year's Summer Olympics that can bring the nation to a standstill, literally. Cities ordered drivers not to blow their car horns, construction sites were shut down, streets near test sites were closed to traffic and flight paths for commercial aircraft were altered _ lest they disturb the test-takers.

"This is the culmination of years of studies. This test will decide the rest of their lives," said Ma Jingshun, speaking on behalf of his son, Ma Long, a hulking 18-year-old whose voice had sunk to a soft mumble because of nerves.

Unlike in the U.S., where scores on standardized tests are just one factor universities weigh in selecting applicants, how Chinese students do on the "gaokao" determines everything. Chinese students list their top three schools and their major and hope their test score is high enough to win a slot.

Extracurricular activities do not count. And forget the glib prose about volunteer experience as there are no application essays to persuade admissions officers.

The Ministry of Education says only 5.7 million students _ or 60 percent of those who take the test _ will be able to enter college. Those whose scores do not make the cut must wait a year to retake the test.

"For every family, once their child gets to senior year, it's all about them. The family life revolves around them," said Ma Jingshun, dressed in shirt and tie, adding that he wanted to help "comfort" his son before heading off to work. But the father's presence appeared to be making the teen even more anxious.

The importance of education and the key role of exams have been a feature in Chinese life for 2,000 years. Passing rigorous exams based on classical texts was necessary to gain entry to the Confucian bureaucracy that ran the country in imperial times.