Though his grades were good enough to enter top-rated NTU, not coming from a wealthy family he chose instead to study earth sciences at National Cheng Kung University, which offered him a four-year full scholarship.
家境並不富裕的他，最後憑著科展過關斬將，以能上台大的成績，選填了開出 4 年學雜費全免誘因的成大地科系。