JAMB UTME registrations and exam are here again. A lot of candidates do not get proper counselling before buying the form. Hence, they make huge mistakes that could easily be avoided.
Some attendants at the various CBT centres do not also help matters as they are supposed to guide JAMB candidates during the registration; although, the CBT centres are mostly crowded so the registration is usually done in a hurry.
In this article, we will guide you on the most important things to consider before buying the JAMB UTME form.
Reading this article to the end could save you from future mishaps.
1. NIN is not Compulsory
Few days to the commencement of the 2020 UTME and Direct entry form sales, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB cancelled the provision of a National Identification Number (NIN) as a requirement for registration.
However, the Board said it will be compulsory in the next JAMB.
If you have not registered for your National Identification Number, this is the best time to register as there will be fewer queues.
2. Register with your Correct Details.
Some candidates make mistakes while registering for JAMB. Mistakes such as wrong name arrangements, date of birth, state of origin and local government are the most common.
Any mistake here could cost you extra to change in the future or disqualify you from getting admission completely.
Before going for the registration, you should ask your parents or guardian for this information.
Your name arrangement and spelling should tally with the name on your SSCE result and birth certificate. Surnames always comes first.
While registering for JAMB, you will be required to send an SMS with your full name to 55019. Your surname should come first, followed by your first name and then your middle name.
Your surname (also known as last name) is the same thing as your family name. Your First name is the name you are usually called (not your surname) and your middle name is your second name.
Most people use their native names as their middle name.
To be on the safer side, check your SSCE result or birth certificate to see how it was arranged.
We have laid much emphasis on the name arrangement and spelling; do not ignore the other aspects of the biodata which include your date of birth, state of origin and local government.
3. Your School of Choice Matters.
If one of your choice of institution is a Federal school, you need to prepare harder due to stiff competition.
In Nigeria, a lot of parents encourage their children to apply for Federal government universities or polytechnics because of the cost (mostly cheap) and quality of education compared to state-owned institutions.
This results in a higher number of applicants vetting for admission in Federal government schools.
AgegePulse learnt that, every institution has the capacity of students it can admit. When this limit is reached, the school can no longer admit students.
In a nutshell, if you really want to get admitted into a Federal University or Polytechnic, you have to prepare harder, smarter and score higher.
However, this does not mean that all state-owned tertiary institutions do not have a high number of candidates applying.
For example, The Lagos State University and Lagos State Polytechnic are both owned by the Lagos state government and they have a very large number of applicants every year.
4. Your Course is Saturated.
There is a usual trend in JAMB UTME every year; so many candidates apply for a few courses.
Most art students want to study Mass Communication, thereby neglecting other Art inclined courses like Philosophy, Linguistics e.t.c
The same thing is applicable to both science and commercial students.
If you have made up your mind to study that competitive course you have in mind, prepare harder because the road is tough. If not, you could apply for a less competitive course.
Finding a less competitive course is not like seeking gold, it’s actually easier than you think.
So how do I find a course with less competition?
Search online for the previous cut off marks of the school you want to apply for. Courses with low cut off marks usually have low applicants.
5. Know the Correct Subject Combinations.
Imagine after picking the perfect school and perfect course then you choose the wrong subject combination.
God will forgive you but your school of choice won’t.
These schools are looking for the slightest opportunity to disqualify you. And trust me, they will if you do this kind of mistake.
Before buying the JAMB UTME form, make sure you know the correct O’level and JAMB subject combination of the course you want to apply for.
You can find this information on the JAMB brochure, the website of the school you want to apply for or online when you search Google.
The best option would be a JAMB brochure or the school website.
You could also join the Facebook groups of the school you intend to study at and interact with the members in the group.
If you want to study at any school in Lagos state, join our Facebook community to interact with members of various tertiary institutions in Lagos state..
6. Your First Choice Matters.
Here is a not so popular fact; No school accepts the second choice option. That’s a direct order from JAMB.
To be admitted into any school, you have to make that school your first choice.
Here’s a tip.
Most Universities in Nigeria do not accept below 200 in JAMB.
So, if you scored below 200, you can get a JAMB change of institution form and make another school your first choice; a school that accepts below 200 or a polytechnic.
You can change your institution as many times as possible.
7. Know your Exam Date, Time and Venue.
Once you have completed your registration, you should see your exam date, time and venue on the registration slip.
If you don’t see it immediately, you will have to reprint your JAMB UTME exam slip on a later date that would be announced by JAMB.
It is always a good idea to visit the exam venue before the day of the exam especially if you have not been to that city or state before. This would help you locate the venue easily on the day of the exam.
Try to be at the exam venue at least 30 minutes before the exam time.
This would help you to be more relaxed when you get into the exam hall.
8. Attend JAMB Lessons.
Passing JAMB UTME exam is not rocket science. The earlier you begin to prepare for JAMB the better for you.
Here are some tips to take;
Find a good JAMB tutorial centre around you to attend.
Practice the JAMB CBT software on a computer (you could go to a cyber café that has the software installed to practice).
Practice JAMB Past questions.
Read and understand the JAMB novel assigned for this year.
Concentrate more on the subjects you are already good at while studying (at least 3 subjects including English language).
Reduce your social media usage during this period.
9. Price of the Form.
The price of JAMB form has reduced. Candidates are to pay 3,500 Naira to purchase the registration pin, 500 Naira for the compulsory reading text and 700 Naira for CBT centre charges.
The total price of the form and registration will cost you 4,700 Naira.
Please note that you can register for the JAMB UTME exam only at an accredited JAMB CBT centre.
10. Stay Informed.
The battle doesn’t end at having a high score in the JAMB UMTE exam.
You also have to keep yourself updated with the latest events in your school of choice.
This way, you get to know when the school commences sales of its post-UTME form.
It won’t be nice to go through all the stress of getting a good grade in JAMB and then miss the post-UTME exam.
Conclusion.
A lot of candidates made this mistake in previous years and some of them are still writing JAMB UTME exam while some are finally in school but it took them many years of trying.
You don’t have to follow that part.
Smart people learn from the mistakes of others.
We noticed that a lot of candidates make this mistake, so we took a little bit of our time to compile this post.
You have this list of nine things you should know before getting JAMB UTME form. Learn from them and don’t make the same mistake.
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