There are many advantages attached to having a strong CPGA in your first year in the university. One of them is your suitability to apply for many undergraduate scholarships. It is also important I let you know that it is easier to make first class when you have a strong CGPA in your first year than any other year in the university. If you check students who made first class, most of them didn’t have less than a CGPA of 4.0 in their first-year results.
Let me quickly clear some erroneous belief among students and it is “making a good grade isn’t a guarantee for a good job” This kind of mindset is self-limiting and unhealthy. Making a good grade gives you an edge over someone with a poor grade and even put you in a better position to succeed in life.
Read: Reasons why students graduate with a poor CGPA
What you need to do to start with a strong CGPA are:
(1) Study your terrain
Every university has their own culture, what is peculiar to their lecturers, what is obtainable, and so on. These are what you need to take note before you strategize your plans for success. For example, at FUTA it is compulsory you take mechanical engineering course in your first year for all students but at UI this isn’t so for all students in their first year. So MEE becomes a culture at FUTA while it isn’t at UI.
Your first year is not a time to play away your time. Although, I understand that some students wouldn’t have gotten over the joy of gaining admission and freedom from their parents. In spite of this, you need to get your priority right.
(2) Don’t throw away what you have learned in your secondary school
Majority of what you are going to be taught is 75% what you have learned in your secondary school. If you are a serious type while you were in secondary school, classes will be a revision time for you. But there is a caution; you shouldn’t miss classes because you feel you’ve known what the lecturer is going to teach.
(3) Understand the examination techniques of your school
At this point, you need to have friends in higher level to tell you what each lecturer expects from students when writing their exams. For example, some lecturers like students to give them back what they have taught them in class: they hate seeing points they haven’t taught you in class in your exam booklets.
Moreover, some lecturers repeat past questions, in such case, you have to gather as many past questions as possible for you to pass their course.
Students in higher levels (especially those with a strong CGPA) will explain this to you so as to prepare your mind on how to approach any exam in your university.
(4) Be smart
It is not about the number of hours you spent reading that gives success but your ability to master and understand the key to every course. This means you have to know what the course is all about, the objective, what you need to understand and master at the end of the course, etc.
(5) Interact with your colleagues especially the brilliant ones
You will gain a lot when you interact with people of like mind: you share knowledge and exchange ideas.
(6) Believe in yourself and set a high goal (making above 4.5 in every semester)
Let your goal be high and believe that it is achievable
(7) Be focus and never be distracted away from your set CGPA
Lastly, there is no mountain that is too high to climb, if only you can believe and work towards it.
Recommended: How to calculate CGPA
