Accounting student Andrew Gray likes pricing things out, and he may find a cost analysis of his time at university adds up well after factoring in funds received from a scholarship award.
Mr Gray (18), of Dunedin, who is enrolled in commerce and law courses at the University of Otago, last week learned he had received a top subject scholarship award after getting the highest marks in economics of any pupil sitting last year's NCEA scholarship exams.
Mr Gray, a former John McGlashan College pupil, is one of 27 top subject scholars nationwide entitled to $2000 over the next three years of tertiary study if they maintain a B grade average.
He was unaware of his success until he claimed scholarship funds last week and was ‘‘really surprised'' to hear he had received the top grade.
Mr Gray thought he could have gained more than 42 marks (out of 48) in the three-hour extension exam, but was ‘‘caught out'' by a question relating to ‘‘government value versus market failure''.
Mr Gray said his course was set by the condition of a PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting award.
‘‘I am just really interested in commerce-related subjects. I got into economics at school after reading a friend's copy of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and my volleyball coach, who was also an economics teacher, and got me interested in the subject,'' he said.
He last year received an Aspire scholarship, offered by international accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The scholarship would be worth about $6500 over four years.