2015/2016 UNN POST-UTME SCREENING EXAMINATION: 9 Things You Need to Know -

Hi UNN Aspirants. Hope studies have been progressing? Well, if you have not started; start now because there is no time. If you have started, keep firing at supra-threshold. There is no shortcut to achieving your UNN dreams. I've had plethora of questions and discussions about cut-off mark with a good number of us here especially the medical students-to-be. I just saved a brother from making what I consider a colossal mistake. Imagine someone with an appetizing score of 263 contemplating to purchase the Change of Course form. According to him, he was told that medicine cut 280. I wonder where he got that from. It's sad that many are being led astray

1. There is what is called JAMB/general cut-off mark. It is the same for all the courses in UNN. You are eligible to sit for post-UTME once you score up to that mark. Before last 2 years, it was 200. In 2013 and 2014, it was 180. I still think it will be 180 this year (just a guess please).

2. After writing post-UTME, every department will have her own cut-off mark. This determines whether you will be admitted on merit or not. The cut-off mark is calculated thus: assuming OBI scored 240 in UTME and 250 in post-UTME, his total score is the average of both; i.e (240 + 250) divided by 2 which is 245. Assuming Obi's prospective department cuts 240, Obi will be admitted on merit. If they cut like 250, Obi may not make the merit list.

3. As it stands now, UNN has not announced the JAMB/general cut-off mark. Like I said earlier, I strongly suspect 180.

4. What makes some departments e.g medicine to have high cut-off marks is because of the high number of applicants and their performances. They use the high cut-off marks to 'weed' out many.

5. Cut-off marks vary each year. It is dependent on the candidates performance that year. E.g Medicine cut around 305 in 2011 but in 2012 it was around 282. So, don't bank on the cut-off mark you see last year. It might be higher this year. Work hard!

6. Merit is merit. That's the best place your name can appear. Don't listen to those who tell you that you must know a lecturer or be connected to be admitted. Many of us knew no one when we got admitted.

7. Don't rest on your laurels. Having high JAMB score is not a guarantee for admission. You will not be admitted if you happen to score below the general cut-off mark (180 or 200) in your post-UTME despite your high JAMB score.

8. For those with reasonably high JAMB scores, bear in mind that it is very possible that those with lower JAMB scores now can push you out of the merit list if they perform extra-ordinarily well in their UNN post-UTME exam. Will you create room for that? The ball is in your court.

9. For medical aspirants, let me be blunt this time, if you have not read and mastered JAMB past questions from 1978 till date, you are lagging behind. If you solve and fail any question, don't be happy with yourself. Go on hunger-strike, facebooking-strike or chatting-strike till you get it. If I were you, my target will be 400/400. Who said it's not possible?