KEY POINTS:
More high school students are choosing to sit the elite scholarship exams this year - a step likely to increase pressure for pupils at an already stressful time.
But the move also carries the chance of a payout, with cash rewards going to the top 3 per cent of Year 13s.
Figures released before the national exam season starts this Saturday showed the number of students sitting the NCEA was almost unchanged from last year, but numbers opting in for the more difficult scholarship exams were up about 10 per cent to almost 9000.
Both are run by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
Secondary Principals' Association president Peter Gall did not know why the numbers had risen so much but suggested the prize money was a lure.
"Whether it's a sign of the financial times or not, I'm not sure," he said.
But preparing for the top-level test added to the stress of exams.
NZQA's Bali Haque did not believe the numbers rise indicated NCEA was not challenging enough.
He said preliminary research showed students were better motivated to achieve since merit and excellence endorsements were introduced to NCEA certificates last year.
The number of scholarship subjects increased to 28 this year, with the inclusion of Te Reo Rangatira for the first time - to be sat by 26 students nationally. Mr Haque said NZQA would now publish papers online by the end of the next business day after each exam.
TESTING TIMES
* 139,622 students will sit NCEA exams and 8996 will sit scholarship exams between this Saturday and December 3.
* Level 1 English is the largest exam, with 46,755 students entered.
* Scholarship Latin is the smallest, with 19 students entered.
* Students can expect NCEA results by mid-January and Scholarship results by mid-February.
* For the first time, parents, teachers and others will be able to see question papers online the day after the exam.
