The present study examines the extent to which key competence and learning competence in particular are promoted in the high school English classes attended by Chinese students. Eight hundred and thirty five college freshmen at a comprehensive four-year university in Jilin Province were surveyed on their experiences in high school English classes. In part 1 of the survey, we found that high school English instruction in China tends to be exam-focused rather than emphasizing the development of key competences. In part 2 of the survey, we found that three aspects of learning competence – attitudes toward learning English, meta-cognitive awareness concerning one’s own English learning, and knowledge about English language instruction – are not consistently instilled in high school English classes. Virtually no differences between ethnic majority and minority students were observed in survey. We believe that because English instruction in Chinese high schools is exam-oriented so that instructors do not have enough time to enhance learning competences. Our conclusion is that reform of instructional methods needs to include greater attention to the aspects of learning competence.