After UTME, What Next?

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) started on April 19, and by April 29, 2024, it will end. No candidate would wish that he or she fail the all-important examination. Every candidate expects success, but if it goes the other way, you can still pull through. There are still plenty of things to do.

An excellent result in UTME starts from 250 and above, an average performance is between 200 to 249, while scores below 200 are deemed to be low. However, it doesn’t mean candidates cannot secure admission with average and low scores.

But you occupy a vantage position with your high score which earns you a high profile course in a high-profile university.

What you should know

You may not be able to secure admission into competitive courses and universities with low scores, but if you explore other avenues, you may still get admitted. That’s why you should look at other options than those popular courses and competitive universities.

With a score of 150, you may be offered admission into some universities. All you need do is apply for a change of course and change to another university where your score could fit into their cut-off mark.

In most federal universities, their cut-off mark is 200, while in other federal, state, and private universities, their cut-off mark sometimes can be as low as 170 or 160 for some courses. If you score as low as these marks, you may still be admitted if you apply for a change of course and institution. What is very important is possessing your five O’Level credits in the required subjects, including English and Mathematics.

Try Private Universities

With 150, 160, or 170 scores you can still get some private universities that will admit you. However, their high charges may be an obstacle. But you can consider applying for a scholarship. With scholarship opportunities, you may scale through most of these private universities as far as charges are concerned.

Polytechnics and Colleges of Education

Nigerian polytechnics sometimes offer admission to candidates who score as low as 150. While colleges of education also grant admission to candidates with as low as 140 scores. Instead of staying at home, you can apply to one of them and gain more knowledge preparatory to university. If you complete your Ordinary National Diploma (OND) or National Certificate of Education (NCE), you may qualify for a Direct Entry admission.

Try JUPEB

If your score is so low that you cannot meet up with admission this year, try the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB). After spending a year in JUPEB, you are guaranteed of admission into the 200 Level if you do well enough.

Post UTME Screening

Having been successful in UTME, you still have a hurdle to cross. That hurdle is Post-UTME screening which some of the universities organize.

The way Post-UTME is conducted varies according to each university. Some only screen candidates aside from UTME score. They don’t conduct any Post-UTME, because they believe in the integrity of UTME.

Some find the average of UTME and Post-UTME scores. For instance, they make UTME scores 50 percent and also Post-UTME 50 percent, out of which they find the average to select those that will be offered admission.

Others use UTME and Post-UTME scores as well as SSCE results. Each of these is allocated a percentage, out of which they compute the average.

Read and Prepare ahead

It is important to find out which type of computation the school of your first choice uses. Once you find this out, begin to read so that you can prepare ahead for the post-UTME screening. Don’t relax. It is not over until it is over.

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