How to Balance Being an Undergraduate and Preparing for Another UTME: A Practical Guide

For someone who just got admitted to a course he/she do not want and who is planning to write another JAMB UTME towards getting your dream course, juggling your current university coursework, assignments, and lectures, all while trying to find the time and mental energy to prepare for another JAMB UTME to get into your dream course might sound so daunting. Honestly, it is a tough journey, but it is a possible one. Many have walked this path successfully, and this article is here to guide you to getting it done too.

Table of Contents

1. Accept the Reality and Adopt the Right Mindset
2. Understand Your University’s System
3. The Power of Planning, Discipline, and Consistency
4. Your Circle Matters: Keep Friends That Sharpen You
5. Strategy Over Time: Scrap the Non-Essential
6. Manage Burnout and Build a Support System
7. The Final Word: Believe in Your Will Power

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Accept the Reality and Adopt the Right Mindset

The first step is to stop pretending this is easy. You are essentially running two academic races at once. Accepting this reality is not being negative; it is being strategic. Your mindset will shape your entire progress. You must see yourself as a strategist on a mission, not a victim of circumstance. This journey requires a fighter’s mentality, not a quitter’s excuse.

Understand Your University’s System

While you’re preparing for UTME, you must be a student of your own university. How does your school work? What are the specific pathways to your dream course?

Ask yourself these critical questions:

• Is there a possibility of cross-transfer? Some departments allow internal transfers if you meet certain GPA criteria. Find out the rules.
• What are the requirements for passing the UTME route again? You need to know the exact JAMB and Post-UTME cut-off marks for your desired course in your university or elsewhere. Knowledge is power.

You cannot fight a battle you do not understand. Go to your academic office, ask questions, and get the facts.

The Power of Planning, Discipline, and Consistency

This is the engine room of your success. “Proper Planning, Discipline, Diligence and Consistency” are not just motivational words; they are your daily commandments.

• Set realistic goals: You may not be able to read for 5 hours after a full school day. Be real. Maybe it’s 45 minutes of focused UTME study daily and 3 hours on weekends.
• Put in the work. Don’t let past glory deceive you. Your previous JAMB score or SSCE results are in the past. What matters is the work you put in now.
• DO IT NOW. SAY NO TO PROCRASTINATION. That topic you’re saving for later? Do it now. That past question you’re avoiding? Solve it now. You’ve got the WILL POWER. Use it.

Your Circle Matters: Keep Friends That Sharpen You

What friends do you have that fuel your mindset? You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with. If your friends only want to gossip, party, and discourage your goals, their energy will drain you. You need friends who are also ambitious, who understand your vision, and who can offer a word of encouragement or even share useful tips. Keep friends that sharpen your mindset and your own life will become sharper.

Strategy Over Time: Scrap the Non-Essential

“There’s always time. What matters is strategy to use the time effectively.” You have the same 24 hours as everyone else. Audit your day. How much time is spent on social media, on unnecessary gist, on activities that do not serve your goal?

Scrap schedules that are not a priority and replace them with something important. That 30-minute scroll before bed? Replace it with a 30-minute review of JAMB topics. It is about making conscious swaps, not finding mythical extra hours.

Manage Burnout and Build a Support System

Let’s be clear: Burn out is unavoidable but proper management is what matters. You will get tired. The key is to see it coming and manage it.

• REST !! This is not a suggestion; it is part of the strategy. Your brain cannot absorb information when it is exhausted. Schedule rest like you schedule study.
• Have a support system. You cannot do this alone. Talk to a trusted family member, a mentor, or a friend who is on the same path. Share your struggles. A problem shared is a problem halved.

The Final Word: Believe in Your Will Power

This journey will test you. There will be days you feel like giving up on both your current degree and your UTME dream. On those days, you must dig deep. Believe in the power God has given you. Believe in your will power. You started this because you have a goal, a dream course that calls to you. Let that be your fuel.

You have what it takes to balance both and succeed. Now, go and put in the work.

Need a Personalized Study Plan or Advice?

Struggling to create a balance? Send us a message on WhatsApp. Let’s discuss a realistic study plan that fits your undergraduate schedule and gets you ready to conquer UTME.

This article was credited to Mr. Samuel, a tutor at MVA UTME Tutorials, and someone who has gone through this before. Join his tutorial group here to boost your preparation for JAMB UTME 2026.

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