Ambitious student up to the task

Colin Chan Chui, 17, is hoping to study medicine at the University of Auckland next year.

The Onehunga High School head boy, who is sitting NCEA level three subjects this year, achieved an overall endorsement with excellence in level two last year.

“Level two was quite challenging, but in the end I got the results I wanted,” he said.

Colin also believed the exams had been more difficult than in past years based on the previous exam papers he studied.

Of the six level two subjects he sat — English, maths, physics, chemistry, biology and outdoor education — the chemistry external had been the hardest, he said.

“I did heaps of practice questions from past papers and last year I thought chemistry was my strongest subject, but when I went to the exam, I was answering questions which I’d never seen in the past papers.”

This year, Colin was trying to juggle his studies with extracurricular activities and leadership roles.

“I’m trying to take on extra internals so I can endorse level three before I get to the externals [exams],” he said.

Tougher university entrance standards had not been a concern, Colin said.

“This year I’m taking geography, maths, biology, chemistry, physics.”

Of the three internal assessments he had sat this year, two were achieved with excellence, he said.

The result for the third internal assessment was still pending.

“I’m just confident that I’ll still do well this year, well enough to get university entrance.” — Teuila Fuatai