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How to choose the right course and university to study

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Do not misquote the post title, for there is no such thing as the wrong course. if something is not right doesn’t mean it is wrong. Every year, students are faced with making a decision on which course to study in a higher institution. In fact, you make hundreds, if not thousands of decisions, each day. These decisions range from what to eat for breakfast to what to wear today.

Other decisions require more thought, for example, which school to attend, and the required qualification. One important thing to keep in mind with making career choices (such as choosing a qualification) is that you will ask others for information about your decision, but in the end, the responsibility is yours to evaluate the information you have and to make the final decision.

It would also be important for you to be able to distinguish between facts and opinion. People have different ways of making decisions – through conscious effort or overtime influence. Conscious effort simply means understanding self and thorough examination of one’s abilities, environs without eternal influence. A conscious effort can be aided through guidance and counselling (preferably by an external personnel). But some prefer to gather a lot of information and then weigh all the options in terms of positives and negatives; others solve problems by eliciting opinions from others.

There are two primary agents that influence your decision when choosing a course to study.

1. Peer group.

2. Family. (It can be a direct or indirect influence)

Direct means can be by telling you to study a particular course because I blah blah blah and blah. Go study this study because my friend is the CEO of blah blah. Am not against this as some parent may have good intentions.

Indirect means could be through observation and direct (though not important) engagement.
For example, an Artist whose child also help out in daily activities may end up pursuing an artistic course/career. A Pharmacist whose child help out in dispensing drugs over the counter may end up pursuing a course related to Medicine.

How then can I choose the right course to study

There is no definite answer because we humans are different and complicated. I am not going to direct you on how or what to do, I will only provide guidance and the decision will be yours. Many students look to the future when choosing a course to study, where they will work and how much they can earn. Am not faulting that thought yet let me remind you that the future is slippery.

More than 1million people lost their jobs in 2016 are you aware of this

Don’t choose a course because you want to use the degree to earn a living by working in oil companies, telecommunication industries etc… wake up… that’s is not a right way to make a decision. Earning a living with your degree doesn’t guaranty you the happiness you desire. If you examine yourself well, you may be someone like me who doesn’t like to be bossed around.

I will advise you again to choose a course that is somewhat related to what you love doing. You should also learn a trade. A trade serves as a backup to your degree. When your degree certificate fails to get you a job, you can easily fall back on to your trade. You should ask yourself, what do I really love doing. Do I love singing, selling, do I love to talk. There must be a thing which is of interest to you and there is a related course for such.

But I have interest in a lot of things. What do I do Out of those things, one of them makes you happy the most, think about it or go for what I coined Double Passion Course (Dopaco). These are courses that turns you into an Entrepreneur while allowing you to pursue other Career E.g A Musician and a Lawyer, A Movie Actor and a Politician. An architect to a Photographer.

Type in your desired course below to know the required secondary subject combination  for you to gain admission

Now that we have established how to choose a course to study, another important thing to consider is the High Institution of study…

If you desire is to become an educationist, your best is to follow the path of College of Education. There exist Faculty of education in Universities, but they cannot be compared to the College of Education because it is a specialized institution focusing on education only.

Before you choose where to study, you must consider the following

  • The Fees
  • The Distance
  • The Environment
  • Vulnerability to Strike
  • Type of Degree
  • Academic Calendar
  • Acceptable O/A Level result

Fee
90% drop out occurred due to the inability to pay tuition fees. Most students don’t prepare a budget or understand the place of a budget when choosing a higher institution to study. There are no universal acceptable fees nor fixed. Some Universities increase fees yearly. Do your homework before you make a decision.

 

The Distance:
Some student like it far other prefer the nearest location. Your health should be a major determiner for location. If you are your parent’s parent – You should take distance at hand.

 

School Environment:
The cost of living, traditions, culture and the weather should be on the desk of decision. If you’re allergic to dust like me, some Northern part is a no go area. The cost of living is crucial. What you would buy in the North for 100Naira, you may buy in the south for 1100Naira. I hear Ibadan cost of living is the lowest. Have not been there anyway.

 

Vulnerability to Strike:
Do your research well… Some schools bend quickly to the call of ASUU. You don’t want to spend 7 years in place 4 years. Think twice before to leap.

 

Academic Calendar-
Some private and federal institutions can finish a 4 years course within space of 3 years. Some can linger on for 5 years. You should consider this also.

 

Acceptable O/A level result-
When ignorant is at work, every disappointment is not a blessing.
Some University doesn’t accept two sittings. That is a combination of O level result. For a fact, some will indicate the type of grade required in specific secondary school subjects for a course. And for those driving through the route of Advanced Level (A/level) ensure you also find out which Nigeria Universities does accept IJBM, JUPEB, Cambridge etc and the conditions attached.

Type in your desired course below to know the required secondary subject combination  for you to gain admission

In Conclusion…
Don’t be influenced, take your time to make the right decision. If you wish to study in Nigerian Universities, there are over 700 courses and how many of this course do you know You can also choose to study online with a foreign university right from your bedroom.

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120 thoughts on “How to choose the right course and university to study”

  1. I scored b3 in English
    b3in maths
    b3 in foods and nutrition
    b2 in economics
    c5 in biology
    d7in physics
    d7 in chemistry
    c4 in book keeping
    c6 in civic education
    then 229 in my jamb can I study food science ,if not pls suggest a schhol and courses for me

  3. pls i had the following in my waec result,can i still go for mass com in jamb.Moreover can i still take econs in jamb since i didn’t make it in waec.
    English:B3
    Literature:C4
    Government:C4
    civic:B3
    math:C6
    economics:F9
    yoruba:D7
    Biology:C4
    catering:E8

    • You can study mass communication under faculty of administration… choose economics when writing jamb… Your result is good for mass communication.

  5. please I score the following in my waec can I study Education
    math=C4
    english=C6
    C. r. k=C4
    economics=C6
    civic edu==B3
    tourism=C5
    government =B3
    lit-in-eng=F9
    efik==E8

      • pls sir I need your little opinion on this. I wrote the 2017 jamb and was admitted to study marketing in unilorin. but unfortunately I couldn’t cope with calculations so I failed so bad… sir pls I want to obtain another jamb form in 2019 and am thinking of choosing between public administration or political science.. have got good grades in my olevel am a commercial student. your opinion is highly needed thanks

  7. Pls Which Coures Can I Study In University.
    Math B3
    English C6
    Marketing C6
    Litrature In Eng F9
    I R S D7
    Economics E8
    Yoruba C6
    Civic A1
    Goverment A1.
    Which Course Can Study Sir.

  8. Please sir. Can i study economics with this waec result. Mathematics C6, English lang C6, Yoruba C4, Government C6, Civic edu B3, Crs B3, Economics C5, Literature D7, Book keeping D7

  9. Please Sir, I had a credit pass in English, physics, chemistry, agric sci, economics, Biology… but D7 in mathematics. what course can I study with this result or what course will you suggest sir? Thanks.

  10. I need help I’m too choose between metallurgical engineering and chemical I’ve tried researching on both but I really don’t know what the metallurgical engineering is all about

  12. Good day my name is Leonard uju prosper I obtain this in my waec Economics, D7,Government C6,lit in English was cancelled, civic edu B3,English C6,Igbo language F9, Mathematics C5, Biology C6, Animal husbandry B3 pls sir which course can I study among this two, mass com or media and communication Study

    • Hello sir, please I want to study statistics and I got credit most of my subjects like mathematics English physics biology economics and Civic education animal husbandry but I got D7 in chemistry please can I study statistics in federal poly ilaro

  15. CHIDI
    MY GRADES IN WAEC ARE AS FOLLOWS. ENG B3 MATHS B3 PHY B2 IGBO A1 BIOLOGY C5 ECON C5 HOME MGT C6 CHEM C6 GEOGRAPHY B2, I WANT TO STUDY HOSPITALITY/TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND I DNT KNOW MATHEMATICS COS ITS HARD FOR ME. WHAT COURSE CAN I STUDY

  16. Please help me o I want to study fisheries technologies and am a commercial student because my cut off mark was not good so i did changing of course from banking and finance to fisheries technologies with this subject maths, eng, account, and economics please am I good to go

  18. Good afternoon fatherprada, please am really confused about my career choice, I wish to go a full time course because I want to serve but I have a pass in Mathematics and I don’t want to resit another waec, I don’t which course to study and the institution to apply for. I had B3 Commerce, D7 Crs, Economics C4, Literature in English C4, Government B3, English language C6, Mathematics D7 Biology C6

  19. Please sir, which course can i study with this result
    christain religious-f9
    economics-a1
    government-e8
    literature-f9
    civic-b2
    english-d7
    yoruba-d7
    maths-b3
    biology-b3

  21. Good day sir, I want to study history and international relations, but I’m confused about choosing a University. I am about to buy and fill the jamb form. I have Bs and Cs in Maths, English, CRS, Govt, Econs, Data processing, Agric.Sci, Civic, an e-8 in Literature. I’m thinking of university of Ibadan but …..I’m still confused. Needs your help urgently, sir.

  22. These are the grades I obtained in waec; maths B2,eng B3, lit-in-eng B3, govt B3, biology c5,economics c6, biology c5, crs c6, data process c5. Am I go to go for English and Literary study or mass communication?

  24. sir i have b2 in commerce,d7 in financial accounting,d7 in marketing,b2 in economics,b3 in govt,b3 in civic,b2 in english,b3 in mathematics and c4 in health education pls sir what course can i go 4

  26. Sir good day,I want to study Marketing And i’m in Gbomoso, please which University can i go with this resuit; ENGLISH -C6. MATHEMATICS- A1. CIVIL- B3 MARKETING- B3. ECONOMICS -B3. BIOLOGY -C4. CHEMISTRY -C4. PHYSICS- B3. GEOGRAPY C5.

  35. Sir, I opt for computer science in FUTO as first choice nd ABSU as second choice. I have a good b2 in Maths, B2 in English, B3 in Physics, C2 in ChemistrChemistry nd so on.. Unfortunately I scored 200 in just concluded Jamb utme.. Personally I love maths… What are my chances of getting admission to the universities above

  36. Sir i score
    C in Maths
    C in English
    C in Account
    C in Commerce
    B in Geography
    D in Biology
    D in Book keeping
    E in Economics
    F in Civic education
    what course can i study? And i like Architect but what other course can i study if Architect is a no go area

  39. I had d7 in my economics.. I wrote commerce, government, civic, biology, accounting, book keeping English and maths… I had B in those… I wrote English,maths, government, and economic in my jamb I scored 246…i picked political science but I want to change institution and course to PSYCHOLOGY… Is it possible? If yes which school?

  40. Can I study bus admin with these o level result
    Maths B3
    English C5
    Commerce B2
    Account C4
    Economics C6
    Biology D7
    Government E8
    Yoruba D7
    With 238 Utme scores

  43. I wrote this nine subject in waec
    English
    Mathematics
    Igbo language
    Economics
    Government
    Literature in English
    Civic education
    Data processing
    ICT
    And in jamb;I wrote
    English
    Economics
    Government and
    Literature in English
    What course is suitable for this subject

  44. please sir I have d7 in economic, financial acct c6,boost keeping c5,commerce c6,mathematics b3,english c6,p.h.e c4,civil education c6,biology c6 and i don’t know causes to take

  46. Sir, I have
    Eng B3
    Maths A1
    Account C5
    Commerce B3
    Govt B3
    Civic C6
    F. Maths A1
    Marketing C5
    Economics B3
    Can I study accounting in unizik with Maths, Eng, econs, commerce and govt without account

  49. Please sir which course can I study with this result :
    Commerce c4
    Financial accounting b3
    Office practice a1
    Economic d7
    Civic education c5
    English c4
    Mathematics b3
    Biology c4
    Catering craft b3

  52. I am a student of social science and I score, C5 in English language, C6 in mathematics , C6 in Civic education , C6 in biology , C6 in Geography, C4 in Government C5 in Economics,B3 in commerce B3 in marketing, I want to study political science
    But am also thinking of studying Economics pls help me evaluate and advice, thank you father Prada my great counselor

  54. I want 2 study math education in Lasu and i had 198 in my jamb and 48.75 in my post utme screening.can i gain admission?am even an indigene of lagos state.

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