Introduction
Once JAMB has been written, candidates have always been left with a feeling of relief, but as soon as the relief is felt, the candidate asks what the next thing is? The reality is that just because you have your UTME result after its release, it does not mean you will automatically be admitted into any Nigerian university. There are a few important steps to go through that could mean the difference between admission or not, and even missing one of these could impact the likelihood of being admitted. At this stage, students have to be mindful, informed, and deliberate about their actions in doing what JAMB and their target institutions require them to do. With a good understanding of this process, you will be able to minimize errors and boost your admission possibilities to higher educational institutions.
A common question that candidates will ask is “so what do I do now?” Hence, knowing what the next step is after JAMB for everyone who sat for the UTME becomes very crucial. Admission journey includes checking your JAMB CAPS regularly, upload of your O level results, application for post-UTME screening, even changing course/institution, tracking your status of admission, and paying your admission fee upon your acceptance. These steps are all critical for your academic success, and they’re all interdependent, so it is important to execute them carefully and in the proper order. In this article, you will be taken through all you need to do after JAMB until you finally get to matriculation.
After JAMB what’s next
Step 1. Regularly Check your JAMB CAPS
The first and foremost thing to do after JAMB is to know and always check your JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS). JAMB is the official platform to control and manage all admission processes in Nigeria through CAPS. It is the mistake of many students to think that if they score high in JAMB, they will definitely be offered admission, but it is CAPS which will determine whether you will be offered admission or not. The school publishes its admission lists on CAPS and the candidates are in one of three categories: recommended, not recommended or offered.
Regular logon to CAPS using JAMB profile password is required for checking CAPS. You will see the options like “Admission in Progress,” “Not Admitted” or “Admission Offered”. Once you receive an offer of admission, you must decide to accept or reject it as soon as it is made; otherwise, it will be withdrawn. Also, it is important to note that CAPS is not the only thing used to determine admission status; it is a collaboration with your JAMB and O’level results and the requirements of the institution you are applying to. So, even if you have a high score, your score can be impacted due to missing requirements. During the admissions period, students are encouraged to visit CAPS at least once/ twice a week to ensure that they do not miss updates.
Step 2. Upload your O’level result to the JAMB portal.
The other important step after the JAMB is the upload of your O’level result(s) (WAEC, NECO or NABTEB). A lot of candidates fail to get admission due to late upload of the results. All candidates must make sure that the result of their O’level is uploaded to their profile, which would enable the institution to check the academic qualification of the candidate during the admission process. This upload is very essential because even a high JAMB score may be discredited without it.
Typically, the upload will be carried out at a recognized CBT centre. Candidates should bring their original result slip/scratch paper and ensure that all the subject(s) necessary for their course of study are uploaded correctly. For example, certain subjects may be required for certain courses such as Medicine, Law, Engineering and Nursing. Your chances of getting in can be affected if your results are uploaded incorrectly. After visiting a CBT centre it is also advisable to check your upload status on CAPS to ensure that things have been captured correctly. This is not something that the candidates choose to opt for; it is a mandatory requirement for all those who are looking to get admission.
Step 3: If needed, make a change of course or school.
Once you have checked your result, and after knowing your performance, you might discover that you did not achieve the cut-off mark of your first choice institution or course. If this is the case, the next step would be to look for a change of course or institution. This is a very strategic decision that can determine whether you will gain admission that year or not. If you don’t make this adjustment early, quite a few candidates miss getting into school altogether.
Change of course/institution is carried out via JAMB portal or accredited CBT centres. It enables candidates to change their selections according to their performance and the opportunity of admission. For instance, if you entered a Medicine program at a competitive university, but your score was not high enough, you might want to change your course to a related one such as Anatomy and Physiology, or to another university that may have a less competitive program. But it shouldn’t be done at random, it should be done with research and understanding on the needs of each institution. Candidates are advised to refer to previous cut-off marks before making any changes to get the best decision to make their chances of getting admissions better.
Step 4: POST-UTME Registration and Screening
Another big step in the admissions process is the post-UTME. Nearly every university in Nigeria runs a screening exercise to further evaluate candidates before admitting them into their university. This screening may be written tests, online tests or verification of documents, with regards to the institution. Once JAMB results are out, institutions generally publish their guidelines for the post-UTME registration and candidates are advised to adhere strictly to them.
Candidates are expected to fill in the personal details, JAMB registration number, O’level results, passport photograph and sometimes pay for screening fees during the post-UTME registration. Registration is important as deadlines are often tight with very little room for late entrants. Some schools also adopt a hybrid method of using JAMB score and post-UTME result to calculate final admission scores, thus having a good performance in both examinations puts you in good odds. It is also important for candidates to make sure that all the information supplied during the registration process is accurate for them to not be disqualified during the verification process.
Step 5: Checking Your Admission Status
Once you have met all the requirements after the Post-UTME, the next thing is to check your admission status regularly on your JAMB CAPS and the institution’s portal. Patience is a must at this stage as admission lists are generally drafted in waves like First Batch, Second Batch and Supplementary Lists. Candidates who are not getting any seat in the first batch need not worry as many seats are being allotted in subsequent batches.
For CAPS, the status of admission can be “Admission in Progress”, “Recommended” or “Not Admitted”. If accepted, you will be asked to accept or reject the offer. Admission has been taken to mean that you accept to study the course and institution offered, and to refuse admission means you are waiting for another offer if one is available. But turning down an offer of admission should be considered thoughtfully since there is no assurance that an alternative offer will be made. Also, be sure to look at both CAPS and the school’s website as some schools publish admission lists on their websites before CAPS.
Step 6: Acceptance fee and clearance
After admission is accepted, the next step is to pay the acceptance fee. You will be charged this fee when you make an offer of admission and are prepared to register. The amount of acceptance fee and the payment process in each institution varies and is generally clearly mentioned in their official website. If this fee is not paid within the stipulated time, then the candidate’s admission may be cancelled and the candidate should act quickly after getting the admission.
Once the candidate pays the acceptance fee, he/she goes to clearance and documents. This includes providing original academic documents, birth certificates and other necessary paperwork. Schools may also use a physical verification to verify your documents. This is very crucial because it moves you from being an admitted student to a student on the Register of the institution. All directions should be followed closely and backups should be made to allow for a safety net.
Step 7. Getting Higher Institution and Matriculation.
Matriculation is the last step of the admission process, in which you officially register yourself at the University or higher institution. Typically, this ceremony is held to formally welcome newly admitted students, and is usually organized by schools. All registration procedures must be completed prior to matriculation, namely: payment of school fees, course registration and department clearance. No one else is permitted to take place in matriculation other than a fully registered student.
At matriculation, students take an oath of allegiance to the institution and agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the institution. They also officially qualify as full-fledged students of the school. It’s symbolic, but an important one since it’s a confirmation of your status as a university student. Students will be able to fully engage in academic, examination, and campus activities after matriculation. It is, therefore, the last affirmation that you have made it as a JAMB candidate to a university student.
Conclusion
The journey after the JAMB is not a one-time process, it is a process of well connected steps which determine the success or failure of a candidate to get admission into a higher institution. All these steps from checking CAPS to uploading of O’level results, registration for post-UTME, checking admission status, payment of admission fee and matriculation are very vital and should not be taken lightly. Sadly, there are a lot of students that do not get admission due to not following directions or not taking action in time.
By knowing the entire process, you will have no room for error and you know you’ll stay ahead and never make the same mistakes that thousands of people make each year. By taking care, being consistent and acting promptly, the odds of admission are greatly improved. It just means being informed, alert, and proceeding carefully through each step until you finally enter the institution as a matriculated student.
