WHY THEY WERE NOT ADMITTED

 

Introduction

Admission into Nigerian tertiary educational institutions has in recent times become a game of chance, this is because, many students apply, but few are chosen. This year again, many students will fail to secure admission into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education among others. I do not want you to be part of this group of candidates. I want you to smile at the end of the day, that your JAMB registration was not just used to plant flowers at Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB)’s office complexes.

If you must be admitted this year therefore, you need to know why many candidates, just like you, who sit for UTME every year fail to secure admission.

In the just concluded 2017 admission year, it was gathered that about 1.7 million candidates registered for UTME, jostling for few spaces available for admission in all our tertiary institutions. Commenting on this figure, the National Universities Commission (NUC) stated that, of this figure, only 30% will be admitted. This is due to many factors which many candidates fail to consider, are ignorant of, or altogether ignore at the very beginning of the admitted process.

Characteristics of unadmitted applicants are as follows. They are,

1.   Underaged.

We all know that before a candidate is considered for admission, following due process, he or she should be 16 years old within the admission year, as stipulated by JAMB. However, many go ahead to register, ignoring this rule. At the end of the day, the ones that eventually gain admission usually had to defer it, while others lose the admission altogether.

It is wise of every underaged applicant therefore to find out from their institutions of choice whether there can be a possibility of waiver to the age requirement.

2.   Uncertified.

The JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, commented on this in 2017. He said that of the 1.7 million candidates who registered for UTME, many of them are not prepared for admission. They are just trying. He said this because these candidates lack the required O’ level results required for admission. In fact, he also stated that 80% of 2017 UTME candidates, at the point of sitting for the exam, used awaiting results.

This is a strong reason why many fail to secure admission. They take admission like a game of luck. Even if you score 389/400 in UTME, without the required school certificate result, you cannot gain admission. This point should be well understood.

If you do not have your O’ level at the point of registering for UTME, you may as well take it as a mock exam. Actually, you haven’t lost anything. That is why I will recommend students who will write JAMB in SS3, to write GCE in SS2.

3.   Over-ambitious.

Many students are ill-informed or poorly educated. They lack adequate career guidance and counselling. Many students are not aware of the other career opportunities open for them to have a successful future. All they know is medicine, engineering, pharmacy, law, accounting or mass communication.

Some have been applying for MBBS for four consecutive times. (To such students, taking a resit for a better school certificate result will be most recommended).

4.   Ignorant.

Ignorance is a disease, a serious disease for that matter. If you want to know the prevalence of this problem, visit any JAMB CBT centre during UTME registration, you will find out that, so many students do not know which course to apply for, which university, the required O’ level results combination and the UTME subjects to write. You can imagine that! I have seen this with my eyes.

Some students are not aware that some their chosen universities do not offer some courses and some register the wrong UTME subjects. They eventually score very high in UTME but end up losing their admission. This level of ignorance is uncalled for in this age and generation.

5.   Unserious.

The Bible says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men.” Some, because they fail to study hard, fail to secure admission. Some prepare for exams without having the necessary tools or books. Some despite having been informed that they will be subjected to CBT, fail to master the use of computer applications before the exam day. Some depend on mercenaries.

Not only these, others apply for different courses every year, after losing admission. These are unstable as water, and as the Bible says, they cannot excel.

Dear friend, when will you face your dreams squarely? Don’t you know that kids at sixteen never grow up till sixty? Be serious with your life.

6.   Unaided.

In life, we all need connections to get to where we are going. Especially when it comes to admission in Nigeria.

You need connection with God. You also need to know somebody in the school you are applying to. God can use the insider or your connection to assist you in the following ways.

i.                  Give you relevant information about your admission, and necessary updates.

ii.               Monitor your admission.

iii.            Help with change of course if necessary.

iv.            Ensure that you are not short-changed.

These are just few of the roles of the insider. Many candidates’ names have been removed in times past, owing to mischief, all because they lacked helpers.

v.               They can also recommend you for admission.

Don’t behave foolishly. Choose your tertiary institution wisely. We know the Nigerian factor, and we belief the government is working hard to provide a fairer system. Before then, wisdom is the principal thing.

Conclusion

Few candidates again, of the teeming number of applicants for the 2018 admission season will be admitted as usual. Like I said earlier, the people that may not be admitted are the under aged, the uncertified, the overambitious, the ignorant, the unserious and the unaided. Now that you know what will you do about this information?

If you need assistance concerning your admission processing, career choice, choice of institution, change of course or whatever, do not hesitate to call me.