Pre-Degree programme as a medium to ease university admission | EduCeleb
Kabeerah Aremu
9th February 2018
You are probably not getting to hear about the Pre-Degree programme for the first time. Okay, maybe my assumption is wrong. Simply put, the Pre-Degree programme is set aside by a university to prepare candidates for admission into the school or other schools of its type, as the case may be.
In this post, EduCeleb.com presents you information about the programme and why you should consider it to ease admission into your university of choice.
Pre-Degree is an advanced institution in which secondary school graduates can apply and get prepared for the challenges of obtaining a degree. A major requiremnet is the obtaining relevant credits in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised either by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Subjects taught therein are usually like what you did in secondary school but they go beyond these. Their contents are much broadened making every learner experience the taste of university education in some way. You would see that the quality lessons are taught by university lecturers eminently qualified to do so.
Note that not all school run the predegree programme. Others run other variants of it to ease prospective candidates’ admission into their institutions. In different schools, its duration may vary from eight to twelve months depending on their academic calendar.
At the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where I did mine, the predegree program requires hardwork. Ditto every other place it holds. In Ife, it is structured into two semester-like times called contacts. Subject contents are spread across the two contacts in which you would undergo both tests and exams. Like every other programme, this is not for lazybones but for the hardworking people.
Upon completing the programme and gaining admission into the university, you would be admitted to start 100 level there. I need to add that most schools only accept to admit Pre-Degree candidates originally from their schools.
You may have asked yourself “What do I gain from doing Pre-Degree?” “What are the advantages of Pre-Degree?” Here are specific reasons why you should do a Pre-Degree programme
No knowledge is ever a waste if properly utilised. It helps a lot by knowing more before gaining university admission for you would have ideas about topics taught in schools. This programme helps a lot in every aspect, irrespective of your eventual course of study.
Not all things are assured but with a Pre-Degree programme, you are assured of gaining admission into the university. Everyone who applies for the programme would be guaranteed university admission. That is if and only if a candidate meets up with all the requirements for admission into their course of choice.
Ensure you have more than the required cut off mark of your desired course. Score above the required cut-off mark in your UTME too.
Rather than sitting at home for a year after secondary school, this programme provides an opportunity for you to gain university life experience even before admission. Lectures hold within and around the university environment utilising university structures.
The Pre-Degree programme helps prospective undergraduates to have more ideas about the university life before getting into the university environment.
Although, this may be relative, a Post-UTME is not usually required of candidates who have done the Pre-Degree programme. Their results are already being processed for admission after they’ve had the required scores in their Pre-Degree exams and UTME.
If you had written a UTME before enrolling for the Pre-Degree, you would have to re-sit for another while on the programme. A good UTME score plus your Pre-Degree exam scores are conditions for gaining admission into the university, as earlier stated.
Though, some would argue that the Pre-Degree programme is rather money-gulping. But it is worth the money since it is even relatively cheaper than many of its alternatives.
The goal of gaining university admission would be achieved by candidates as long as they meet the requirements of their respective universities. You can compare various school fees relative to the course you want to study anyway.
I wish you all the best in the quest for university admission. Do share your thoughts in the comment box below. I’d love to respond to your questions.