YOU COULD GO HOME AFTER ONE YEAR IN UNILORIN

By

Austin Archibong

Austin, a recent graduate of the University of Ilorin, is the founder of Austine Reviews, a website that focuses on reviewing academic and literary works.

 

It is not uncommon to see or hear about many students hanging around even when they have been sent out from their universities. They are aware that they would not be welcomed with outstretched hands, since it is not an enviable achievement. Right?

 

Now, step two, which comes after the initial step of accepting the admission offer from any school is to work at retaining your studentship. In most schools, the criteria is just a paltry 0.99 on a scale of 5 to move from being a freshman/fresher to being a sophomore/second year student. This is where the major hurdle is.

 

In the better by far institution, as they like being referred to, the minimum criteria keeps rising every few years. One day the criteria might be to have 5.0 out of 5.0 to cross to form 100 level to 200 level.

For all students, the minimum CGPA used to be 1.5 on the 5-point scale, while it was 2.0 and 9-9-6 for engineering students and more stringent for medical students as they couldn’t score below 50 percent in any course with CGPA of 2.5 and above.

As at the 2014/2015 session, the minimum for all students is now 2.0 out of 5.0. Anything less and you would not be in good standing and would be ‘advised’ to go to your parent’s house to spend more family time.

For engineering students, it gets interesting. For the current final year student in agricultural and bio-systems engineering of the University of Ilorin, 99 resumed 100 level in 2010, but only 45 students crossed to 200 level. Now, the minimum requirement is 2.5 and 9-9-6. 12 units will be offered in mathematics and physics in 100 level, 9 must be passed to continue in 200 level. 8 units will be offered in chemistry, 6 must be passed to continue.

For medical students, it is now 3.0 out of 5 and no score in ANY course below 50 percent. If you have a CGPA of 4.5 and score below 50 percent, you would be honourably dropped into the physical or life sciences faculty while someone with 3.5 but fulfills the criteria would proudly continue. Correct!

Many more students were admitted this year, as Unilorin increased her carrying capacity. Sure, many more would go home if they don’t meet these requirements.

Some departments would tell you after you are dropped from your previous one that they don’t accept the excreta of others. That it is ‘unhealthy.’ It is very common to see engineering students being dropped to continue in educational technology or medical students in biochemistry or microbiology.

So, yes, you could go home after year one in Unilorin. They go every year, en masse. This year would not be any different. Work hard!