Have you ever wondered if it is possible for you to gain admission into your First Choice Institution this year? It is very possible. University Admission is one of the most discussed topics among Secondary School Leavers. I’m here to discuss it with you today.
You may have heard from different persons that Gaining Admission into the University Once and for All is Impossible. Well, it could be due to the fact that they didn’t get this Ultimate Guide to University Admission. Now that you have the University Guide, don’t joke with it.
In this article, I will share everything you need to know about Nigerian Universities Admission Process and how you can be admitted this year by all means. You might have come across frequently asked questions (FAQ) like:
- How is the University Admission Cut off mark gotten?.
- How come I scored above the cut-off m1ark, yet I wasn’t admitted?
- I wrote very well but it didn’t reflect on my result, how come?.
- How can I score very high in JAMB?
- Is post UTME very important?
You might have also come across common beliefs that:
- It is very difficult to gain admission without bribing.
- Jamb is not sincere, they cheat people.
- The University admission is all about luck, not hard work.
What's in this guide?
The Three Criteria For Admission in Nigeria
- Merit
- Catchment
- Educationally less developed states.
These and much more stuff regarding admission shall be discussed. Be it Federal, State or Private Universities, Merit is one of the major criteria for offering admission. Merit means you gained the admission because you deserved it.
Other yardsticks for admission are catchment and educationally less developed States. Catchment is the admission advantage you get when the University is in your State or Neighbouring State. States and People who generally don’t like to go to school are also given admission slots also.
Your Course And Institution Matters
- Some course are tougher to get than others
- Tough courses require higher Jamb and post UTME scores
- Competitive courses have higher departmental courses
- Be ready to prepare extremely well if you are going for hot cake courses like Medicine and Surgery, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Accounting, Business Admin, etc.
- If you hate calculations, don’t go for engineering, Physics or Mathematics.
- If you are unserious, please avoid serious courses so that you don’t look for admission all your life.
- Know yourself and Always tell yourself the truth when it comes to choosing a course and school.
Recommended: Guide to picking a first choice school
General vs Departmental Cut Off Mark
Universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics usually have two cut off marks which are:
- General cut off
- Department cut off
A. General Cut Off Mark
This is the mark below which one cannot gain admission to study any course. It is 50% for the University of Benin and many other Federal schools. If the general cut off mark for a school is 50, you can not gain admission to study any course in that school even if you 49.
Jamb and schools do have general cut off marks. For example, if Jamb General Cut off mark is 150 for Universities and you score below 149 or less, you will not be able to gain admission into any University. Schools also set their minimum Jamb cut off marks. For top schools in Nigeria, it is 200.
B. Departmental Cut off Mark
This cut off mark is released by departments every year and it is based on the performance of students. It determines if you will be admitted to study your desired course.
Some candidates who score less than the general cut off but above the departmental cut off marks are usually admitted to study courses related to their desired course.
The departmental cut off varies for MERIT, Catchment and Educationally less developed States, with that of merit always higher. School catchment area is the geographical area from which students are eligible to attend a local school.
You now understand how the University admission cut off mark is gotten and why some candidates are not offered admission even when they score above the general cut off mark.
Now let’s answer the remaining frequently asked question.
High Score In Jamb And Post UTME Matters
- High Jamb Score
- High Post UTME Score
How to Score High in Jamb
The need for high JAMB score in your quest for University admission cannot be overemphasised. The question now is, how can I score very high in Jamb? The answers are:
1. Early Preparations:
Don’t wait for the exams to be close before you start preparations. Early preparation gives you an edge; don’t think that there is still time.
Live your life with sense of urgency. Have the mentality, ” I am behind schedule”. Begin to set targets because it will give you a powerful drive towards the exam.
Do you want to score 350+ in Jamb? It all begins from now. Remember, a man who fails to plan is indirectly planning to fail.
Joshua Abuwa said, “The problem with a lot of young persons today is that they don’t have visions, they only have television”. In your quest for university admission, what can you see?. Your worth in life is tied to the quality use of your mind.
2. The Right Materials:
Empty the coins in your purse into your mind and your mind will fill your purse with gold. Reading quality books for your examination will give you nothing, but quality grades.
For every examination, there is a course outline. This guides you on the topics and parts of the topicS to cover. It is essential you get the books that cover the required topics and sub-topics.
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) usually recommend texts. Get them and start studying as soon as possible. You may want to buy Dandy English or New Testament of the use of English by Joseph Omofomah for your Use of English.
3. A Great Study Habit:
Your habits determine your habitat. It is high time you develop a solid study habit. Need help? here is how to start. Before you study, make sure that you are relaxed physically, emotionally and mentally. The following study practices might be of good help to you.
- Study in an environment that is best conducive for you. It doesn’t really need to be calm; if a noisy area is OK for you, go with it.
- Read with revelation. Draw a plan of what you should achieve after the study.
- All materials that guarantee smooth learning must be ready to avoid searching in the midst of learning.
- Get a Jotter to put down salient facts.
- Don’t skip any part of the material if you don’t understand it.
- Prepare a study timetable and follow it consecutively.
- Prepare a rest and recreation time-table too. Funny?
- Read the 10 secrets of successful students and
- How to remember 90% of what you have read
Recommended: How to pass Jamb without expo
4. Use of Past Questions:
Past questions are the picture of the future. The future here speaks of the exam you are preparing for. Studying with past questions will act as a positive catalyst for your exam. The importance of past questions is they help you to:
- Know the nature of questions to expect.
- Identify the dark spots in your textbooks
- Take note of the frequently asked questions.
- Examine your level of preparation by putting yourself in the exam condition.
- Boosts your confidence.
Note: Most past questions pack have answers at the back. Do not check the answers before you solve the problems. Just make sure that you understand the questions.
5. Identify Your Weak Point:
Like I always say, “telling yourself the truth is honesty but telling others is integrity.
Find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Find that the subjects and topics you find very easy to learn. In addition, don’t run away from the ones giving you a tough time.
Do everything possible to give them a tough time too. Just imagine losing 80 marks in mathematics just because you fail to fall in love with it. Handle your weakness or your weakness will handle you.
6. Associate with Scholars:
Who you associate with determines whether you will dissociate or appreciate. There are people who add to your life, those that subtract from you, those that divide and those that multiply you.
Identify those who add to and multiply your success. There is nowhere you want to go that people haven’t gone to. Look for people whose realities are your dreams.
7. Learn Jamb Strategies:
There are things that don’t seem reasonable but are capable of making you responsible. Understand the following strategies:
- Any question you get wrong, there are people who will get it right.
- Some answers follow a pattern. This pattern can help you get the questions you don’t know the correct answers to.
- After every 30 minutes go back to the questions you think you have answered to be sure if you actually answered it correctly. Sometimes the brain deceives.
- Increase your speed and don’t leave any options blank.
8. Study Deep:
No matter the motivational books you have read on exam success, the efficacy of hard work cannot be overemphasised. Don’t study for Jamb the way you study newspapers. Put in effort in your study. Study, but study wise. Make sure you understand every topic in Jamb Syllabus.
9. Be Up To Date:
Be up to date on your exam date and procedures. Don’t fail to read articles relating to exam success as well. Follow Jamb latest guide here.
10. Learn Success Skills:
Learn computer skills since Jamb is computer-based. Make sure to click the answers and confirm that you have ticked is correct. Don’t submit when you have not attempted all the subjects.
Recommended: how to pass jamb without expo
How To Pass Post UTME
Post-UTME is very important when it comes to admission. In fact, Post UTME is more relevant than Jamb. Even with high Jamb score, you can fail to gain admission if your score is low in Post Jamb (Post UTME).
After scoring high in Jamb, you need to also score high in Post UTME. For some schools, Post UTME score is 50% while Jamb score is the other 50%. Waec result is not counted in most schools (Just have it for clearance sake). To tackle post UTME this year, I have two beautiful articles:
University Admission! University Admission!! Your University Admission is sure. Share with your friends. I will like to hear from you via the comment box below.
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