Every year, thousands of students pass both JAMB and Post-UTME but still don’t make the admission list. The culprit is often something called a low aggregate score. Many candidates don’t fully understand what it means, yet it’s one of the most important factors that decides who gets admitted and who is left out. Knowing what an aggregate score is, how it is calculated, and how to improve it could be the difference between getting admission now or waiting another year.

An aggregate score is simply the combined score your school uses to rank candidates. Most Nigerian universities calculate it by combining your JAMB score, your Post-UTME score, and sometimes your O’level results. For example, some schools use JAMB as 50%, Post-UTME as 40%, and O’level grades as 10%. Others divide it equally — 50% for JAMB and 50% for Post-UTME. The higher your aggregate, the higher your place on the admission list.

A low aggregate score can quietly kill your admission chances because universities start giving slots to those with the highest aggregates first. Even if you performed well in JAMB, a weak Post-UTME or poor O’level grades can drag your total down. And when the course you chose is highly competitive — like Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, or Nursing — even a one or two-point difference can push you out of the top list. Imagine your school uses 50% JAMB and 50% Post-UTME, and you score 260 in JAMB (260 ÷ 8 = 32.5 points) and 70 in Post-UTME (70 ÷ 2 = 35 points). This gives you an aggregate of 67.5. Now, if the cut-off mark for your course is 70, you miss it by just 2.5 points — and that’s enough to lose your slot to another candidate.

To avoid this problem, you need to prepare well for both JAMB and Post-UTME. Do not focus on one and neglect the other. A high JAMB score can give you a good head start, but if your Post-UTME score is poor, the advantage will vanish. Likewise, a strong Post-UTME performance cannot fully make up for a very low JAMB score. If your school includes O’level results in the calculation, you must also take WAEC or NECO seriously because every ‘A’ or ‘B’ in your required subjects can add valuable points to your aggregate.

If you already know your aggregate is low, you can still improve your chances by considering a less competitive course where the cut-off mark is lower. Once admitted, you may be able to process an intra-university transfer to your preferred course if your school allows it.

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SPECIAL NOTE: If your score is below your course cut-off and you’re worried about missing admission, we offer legitimate admission consultation services. We guide candidates through the right channels, help them explore alternative opportunities, and connect them with admission openings in various universities across Nigeria. Our focus is on making sure you still get into school this year without having to start all over again.

The truth is simple: passing JAMB or Post-UTME alone does not guarantee admission. Your aggregate score is the real deciding factor that determines if your name will appear on the list. Know it, calculate it, and work to keep it high. In the battle for admission, every single point matters — and you can’t afford to lose them.