Are you confused about how to choose the first, second, and third university choice in JAMB? A good number of students have forfeited admissions to higher institution because of petty mistakes while filling the registration slip. I am sure you don’t want to be in that position. Anyway, in this post, I will teach you how to choose a university during JAMB registration.
What is Jamb?
JAMB is the acronym for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which is an interface between secondary education and tertiary education in Nigeria. It is a body that organises a Computer-based exam which students must pass before gaining admission into any university in the country.
Founded in 1978, JAMB is popularly known for conducting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. In 2022, reports show that over 1.7 million candidates registered for the exam.
6 Factors to Consider when Choosing a University in JAMB
Deciding what university to go to can be a very tough decision. However, when you have the right information, you can easily glide through the process without any hassle.
If you have a JAMB registration slip and you don’t know how to fill “the choice of institution” column, we have listed out 6 factors that will help you make the best decision:
1. What is your Preferred Course?
When filling the JAMB registration slip, one of the factors to keep in mind is your preferred course. As a prospective undergraduate, you need to be sure of the course you want to study at the university. This will help in your research about the universities offering that course of study.
It is equally important to be sure of the course you will spend the next 4-6 years of your life studying at the University because you definitely want to make a career out of it.
The following questions will definitely help you decide the best course to study in higher learning:
• What excites you when you read, talk or hear about it?
• What special ability do you have?
• What subjects do you understand best?
• What other skills have you grown passionate about overtime?
Summarily, avoid coercion to study a course. Instead, develop a dream or career in what interests you. Also, give priority to your ability above every other thing; consider what you know best. In that way, you will have no regrets.
2. What University Offers your Course?
Now that you have a preferred course, try to get a handful of information about universities where you can study it around you.
This means that you will conduct many surveys and carryout a good deal of research. Consider the following factors to know which institution to choose as either your first, second or third choice in your JAMB registration slip:
• Establish that universities around you offer your preferred course or similar courses.
• Among these universities, which of them is the best in terms of human and physical resources?
• Check out the school review by alumni, visitors, observers and or university commission.
See this list of 10 best universities you should consider in your next JAMB
3. Subject Combination
I have read a lot about people who forfeited their admissions because they chose the wrong subject combination while filling their JAMB registration slip. This is why you need adequate information.
A case study is that of my friend who scored over 300 in Jamb and passed his post-utme exam with an excellent grade. Unfortunately, despite scoring above the cut-off mark for Architecture, he wasn’t given admission because he chose the wrong subject combination.
You can avoid this mistake by taking time to study JAMB brochure and institution of choice’s subject combination requirements for the course you chose.
4. Cut-off Mark
Another factor students should know when considering a university to choose in JAMB is the cut-off mark list. Every school has a minimun mark that you must have if you must qualify for their entrance exam.
For most federal universities in Nigeria, candidates must score at least 200 in JAMB UTME before they can write their Post-UTME exams. While, some state universities accept 180 as a minimum UTME score and most Polytechnics and Colleges accept a lesser score.
Whichever, what is important is that you meet the cut-off point of your preferred university.
5. Post-UTME/Screening Process
This is another factor to look out for when choosing a university in JAMB. In fact, you should be very smart and careful with it.
I am saying this because many candidates choose universities they don’t have an idea what their post-UTME or screening process looks like and in the end they regret.
If you want to decide the university you want to go to, you must have adequate knowledge about:
• The post-UTME or screening process, is it a written or CBT exam or an oral interview?
• What and what and what culminates in your cut-off points?
Some Federal schools consider candidates O’level grades during admission screening. That means, the higher your O’level grades, the higher your chance of getting admitted.
For some, cut-off marks are calculated on a 50-50 basis. That is, your JAMB score is divided by 8 plus your post UTME score divided by 2. All you need as regards the O’level result is credit in the important subjects.
So you see, when you consider these variables, you will know what works for you and where you stand a chance to get admitted.
You may also like to read on Success Tips and to Conquer Fear In Your Next Exam
6. School Fees
In all your considerations, do not forget to look at the cost of your institution of choice while filling out your Jamb slip. Do you have the financial capacity to sponsor yourself?
Struggling with academic and financial crises may not be as easy as you think. It is actually a BIG war with damning consequences. So, my advice is to know your financial strength before making the final decision about the university you want to attend.
You may also consider the geographical location of your university of choice and other things that demand financial responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Choose a University in JAMB
What Influences Students Choice of University?
Many things influence students’ choice of university. These include thier preferred course of study, Jamb score, Post-utme/screening, school fee, location, peer influence, etc.
How Many Universities Can I Choose in Jamb?
On the Jamb registration slip, candidates can make four choices as far as higher learning is concerned. However, they can only fill in two universities: federal or state university choices. The other two institutions of choice are for polytechnics and colleges of education.
Can I choose Federal University as my First and Second Choice?
Gone are the days when JAMB candidates can gain admission in the university of second choice. Presently, no university accept candidates that choose them as second choice. They gave much preference to those who choose them as their first choice instead.
Hence, when you want to make your choice of institution in JAMB, ensure you make your most preferred university your first choice. If, however, you score below the required cut-off mark, you can obtain the “change of institution” form and choose another school that accepts your score as your first choice.
Conclusion
By now, you should know how to go about choosing a university in Jamb. This article explains 6 important factors that students must keep in mind when deciding their institution of choice. The author also tries to answer some of the frequently asked questions among prospective undergraduates.