The topic of admission cut-off marks has been a cause of concern and confusion for students and aspirants of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The recent release of official cut-off marks by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has further intensified this discussion.
Many candidates find it challenging to determine the exact cut-off mark required for admission.
This blog post aims to clarify the concept of cut-off marks, including the differences between the cut-off marks set by JAMB, the institutions, and the specific departments within those institutions.
JAMB Admission Cut-Off Mark:
JAMB is the Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions.
It conducts the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for prospective undergraduates.
To be eligible for the UTME, candidates must have obtained the West Africa School Certificate or its equivalent.
Each year, JAMB, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, determines the minimum score required for admission into specific institutions. This score serves as the general cut-off mark for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and innovative institutes.
Institutional Admission Cut-Off Mark:
Institutions receive varying numbers of applications from candidates seeking admission. Public institutions, for example, tend to attract a higher number of applicants due to factors such as affordability, reputation, and facilities.
Despite scoring above the JAMB cut-off mark, these institutions cannot admit all the candidates.
To manage the large pool of applicants, they introduce additional criteria, such as a school or institutional cut-off mark.
This mark is often higher than the JAMB cut-off mark and determines eligibility for the institution’s post-UTME screening exercise. However, less competitive universities may opt to use the JAMB cut-off mark as the school cut-off mark.
Departmental Admission Cut-Off Mark:
Within an institution, different departments or courses receive varying numbers of applicants.
Some courses, such as Medicine and Surgery, Law, and Engineering, tend to have significantly more applicants than others.
Each department has a limited number of available slots for admissions. Consequently, the departmental cut-off mark is raised to reduce the number of candidates.
For example, if an institution has only 100 available slots for Medicine and Surgery and receives over 3,000 applicants, the cut-off mark for that department would be significantly higher than the general institutional cut-off mark.
The Purpose of Cut-Off Marks:
The primary purpose of cut-off marks is to select the best candidates from the pool of applicants and limit the number of admissions in a particular course, department, or institution.
The competitive nature of admissions in Nigerian tertiary institutions necessitates these measures.
While admission may seem like a challenging and competitive process, it is essential to view the cut-off marks as targets to strive for rather than intimidating obstacles.
Conclusion
Understanding the concept of admission cut-off marks is crucial for students and aspirants of Nigerian tertiary institutions.
JAMB sets the general cut-off mark, while institutions and departments may have higher cut-off marks to manage the number of applicants and select the best candidates.
Although the admission process can be demanding, it is important to approach it with determination and focus on achieving the required cut-off mark. Best of luck in your admission journey!