Students hold breath as check results

Zoe Spence at work at Rebel Sport before getting her NCEA results yesterday. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Zoe Spence was one of hundreds of Rotorua teens holding their breath yesterday as they logged on to a computer.

NCEA results were released in the morning, going online on the New Zealand Qualifications Authority website.

For 18-year-old Zoe, who started working at Rebel Sport a week after her last exam, there wasn't enough time to stress, although she admitted to being "a bit worried" yesterday.

When the Rotorua Daily Post spoke to the former John Paul College student before she checked her results she was fairly confident with her results in social studies, French and English and had her fingers crossed for business studies.

"I'm a bit apprehensive. It's new ground and different to the other subjects I've done before."

She already knew her drama results having received an earlier text from her teacher to tell her she'd got excellence. Hardly a surprise for the hardworking drama student. Zoe has been picked to spend three weeks in England with the Globe Theatre in July.

Her hard work paid off. Zoe later found out she had passed all six subjects and her Level 3 NCEA had been endorsed with excellence. Feeling "very happy" she planned to celebrate and relax with friends last night "happy it was all over".

She advised this year's students to try and not rely on external exams.

"It's better to do the work throughout the year than do the work at the end."

Zoe will study law and arts at Victoria University this year.

While the majority of students celebrated others will be disappointed as planned career paths take a turn.

Careers New Zealand principal advisor Pat Cody said some students would receive results that may be disappointing or unexpected.

"Results can be particularly daunting for school leavers who can feel their future hinges on their marks. The reality is that there are always options and it's important for leavers to have a Plan B, or even a Plan C," Mr Cody said.

"There's often more than one path to a desired career so it's helpful for students to research alternative routes to achieve their goals. Sometimes a similar or related course can be cross-credited further down the track, and school leavers can also gain work experience to find out more about working in their chosen field."