Princeton stopover to Nasa dream

Gyeong-Sik Choi

Gyeong-Sik Choi has big dreams - he wants to work for Nasa. And he has taken one giant leap in the right direction after winning a scholarship to one of the top universities in the world.

The 18-year-old, last year's Dux at the country's largest school, Rangitoto College, will study engineering at the 260-year-old Ivy League institution Princeton University in New Jersey.

The university has offered to pay up to $200,000 over four years as part of its financial aid for promising students without a wealthy family to back them.

"I nearly cried when I heard, but I was too happy," said Gyeong-Sik, who migrated here from South Korea with his family five years ago.

The 18-year-old leaves for the US at the end of August and although a job at Nasa is "a childhood dream" he is keeping his options open.

"I want to go into the science field somewhere, but first I'm just going to concentrate on graduating and seeing what opportunities come up."

Princeton admits a freshman class of only about 1100 students each year from around the world.

Since 2001 it has run its financial aid programme to ensure promising undergraduates are admitted without regard to family financial circumstances.

David Hodge, Rangitoto principal, said Gyeong-Sik's achievement was also a strong positive in the on-going debate about New Zealand's secondary school exam system.

"Success with such a prestigious university on the basis of Gyeong-Sik's National Certificate of Educational Achievement results shows the system has international credibility."

As well as being named Rangitoto College Dux last year, Gyeong-Sik was awarded prizes for physics, chemistry, calculus and accounting. He also sang in the choir and played first flute in the Rangitoto College band.