ABSTRACT
From the early years the doctoral cycle, learning to write is intimately linked to the larger community of French culture, to general cultural literacy, and to academic discourse. In addition, the "community" of the lycée is openly exam based, an admitted "gatekeeper," a means to an end. Traditionally, the French system is built on an ideology that strives to avoid selectivity at all costs, at least until the university. At the start of a child's education, he or she must have equal access to the same tools and experiences, and one standard must be used to judge his or her work. Clearly, the exam in the French system, much like the Chinese university entrance exam and, to a lesser degree, the A-level exams in England, acts as the openly acknowledged gatekeeper for each new academic level, each new academic "community.".
