The 2011 General Scholastic Ability Test, a major college admission exam, started yesterday, with the participation of more than 146,000 students nationwide, the highest in three years. And this time the topic of essay question was on the relationships between schools and their students, which many test-takers found easy to write about.

Thursday dawned cold and rainy, and many students arrived at their General Scholastic Ability Test sites with products to keep them warm.

Examinees sat for the literature portion of the exam in the morning, which included a multiple-choice section. A number of students later said that the questions were easier than the ones in practice exams, and that they were surprised by the topic of the essay composition.

In total, 146,000 students sat for the exam this year, which was the most in three years.

The number of university and medical school openings also went up by more than 9,000 and nearly 500, respectively, and students are eager to take advantage of the opportunity.