Every serious student that gains admission into
tertiary institutions has the aim of graduating
with a first class/distinction degree but the
reality shows that the number of first class
students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions is on
the decline. Earning a First Class Honours is,
invariably, a by-product of self-application.
I do not believe that anyone is pre-programmed to
make a third class, or a bare Pass, provided the
individual was qualified in the first instance to
be admitted into the university (even
otherwise).
The class of degree a student earns in the
university is also a function of a point scoring
system.
That is what is called the Cumulative Grade Point Average, (CGPA) which is a weighted scoring system with maximum of 5.0.
You make a first class when you score a CGPA of 4.50 and above upon graduation.
This article gives steps which if diligently followed will enable every student who aspires to make a first class in school to do so with ease.
Know Thyself: The problem with many students is they try to ‘copy-cat’. While it is good to learn from the method of another high performer, it is important to know how to adapt it. Some students don’t need to read for more than 3 hours a day before they pass, indeed do excellently well and top the class.
Some must read for at least 7 hours a day. I know First Class students that watched football and participated actively in campus religious activities. Some even get involved in departmental politics. Its about knowing one’s self.
But for most First Class students I know, reading the notes while still hot, and not waiting till they accumulate, is a common denominator.
And Know thy teacher too: Knowing how to approach a question in an examination is an art itself. How do you organize your answers?
It goes beyond just picking the answer script and
writing down what you think is the answer.
Know what the lecturer wants. Does he want ‘lengthy story’? Or he wants it ‘short and snappy’? You may have a clue into this through your seniors who had taken the course earlier.
First class students study not only the course,
but the course-taker.
Get serious from the first day: It is common for students to get carried away with the euphoria of gaining admission into higher institution that they forget the major reason why they are in school. It is essential to start building your grade point from the first day so as to avoid playing catch up afterwards.
The first semester vis-à-vis the first year in school is usually the easiest academically so its best you
take advantage of it.
Attend Lectures: While attending lectures may not be so important in your first year in school as most courses are what you must have already learnt previously in your secondary school and the large number of students in lecture rooms in your first year may not make attending lectures enticing however after your first year, attending lectures must be a priority, this is enable you mark attendance in class which may be the difference between an A or a B, pick
salient points which the lecturer may mention in
class and to pick instructions and tips which
lecturers usually give in class.
Begin Studying For Tests and Exams EARLY:
Between academics and your social life, time is not something you will have in ample quantity throughout your stay in University. One cardinal act you should always make time for is studying early for exams. There’s nothing worse than leaving all of the studying for the night before an important test or exam. The stress causes you to panic and you won’t perform as well as you normally would if you had studied early
enough. Studying a little bit during the semester
will not only make you better prepared but will
also remove most stress you’d have if you leave
your studying for the last minute.
Early exam studying allows a student to identify
weak spots in their understanding and to prioritize their studying accordingly. Just imagine studying until the early morning of the day of your exam only to find you’ve completely ignored a section that you have little or no understanding in. Don’t let that happen.
Use Your Time Wisely in between classes as well as before and after school. There are many opportunities to sneak in some studying or homework that many students either don’t realize or just don’t use. I’ve known people who would study on the keke during the ride to and from school.
I’ve also known people that would combine the time waiting for a lecture to begin with their study time! Just bring your notes and instead of pinging or chatting endlessly with friends.
You get a workout for your body and for your brain! Always keep your notes handy and use any spare time for simple review to make sure you’re on top of the
material. All of those small moments you fill with studying will really add up to a solid understanding. You’ll discover that you will require less studying when exam time arrives. That’s huge.
Obtain Old Exams Question papers and Assignments: from your senior colleagues to procure a satisfactory idea of what subject matter the instructors are most likely to test you on. They are even more useful because you
can attempt the exam/assignment as a check of knowledge, identifying weak areas that you must take into further consideration or re- study.
I heard of a scenario where a guy was studying gluconeogenesis in Medical Biochemistry and his senior colleague of his happened to pass by. He appeared interested and proceeded to supply him a couple of past
questions. One was “Gluconeogenesis is not necessarily the reversal of Glycolysis. Explain”.
Propitiously, in the end of his semester examination, it was asked exactly as he was given in Number 2. It was worth 10 marks.
One common tactic many students use for science laboratory classes is to find a graded laboratory notebook from a previous year.
Laboratory work is notoriously difficult with respect to time limitation and what is expected from a student’s lab report. Having a format to follow along with is a phenomenal help.
Knowing where to avoid mistakes is fundamental as well.
Optimistic Mentality : Some students die many times before their academic death. How can a student gain admission into a school and the first thing he hears is
“you can never make a First Class”, “they won’t
give you”.
Well, I don’t believe this. This is what kills many
students. How can you go to battle with a defeatist mentality and expect to win? Many First Class students defy these “messengers of doom” and pursue their target optimistically.
As a Jambite, what you hear are stories of one Lagbaja that shattered school records, or one Saka that effortlessly broke any record breakable. You even hear of stories of students that had graduated since the 1970s.
These are stories that motivate you, not some tale by moonlight about a sadist lecturer denying you First class. This is another very vital feature of First Class students. They don’t believe cock and bull stories.
Put God first: Ultimately, God is very important. Always remember that God is the owner of all knowledge and gives only to those who he wishes to. Learn to always put God first before every lecture, test or exam. He is the only one who can see you through. The above are just helpful human factors.
These are just the most important attributes one needs to make first class. There are more factors to be considered which may have been omitted. Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section.
