As preparations for the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination intensify, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has advised prospective candidates to begin preparations early and avoid five common mistakes that could jeopardise their chances of securing admission.
Such mistakes as identified by the examination body include late preparation, poor choice of courses and institutions, incorrect subject combinations, failure to monitor official announcements and errors in personal information, all of which JAMB said candidates should address before registering for the examination.
JAMB gave the advice in a video shared on its official X handle on Wednesday, where it urged candidates to take necessary steps to prevent avoidable difficulties during the examination and admission processes.
The examination board warned against postponing serious academic preparations until a few weeks or months before the examination, stressing that such an approach could leave candidates with insufficient time to study the syllabus, practise past questions and improve their understanding of difficult subjects.
It encouraged prospective candidates to develop regular reading habits, prepare realistic study timetables and begin covering the prescribed syllabus well ahead of the examination.
Concerning choice of course and institution, JAMB advised candidates to research their preferred programmes and the admission requirements of institutions offering them before completing registration.
It also noted that making uninformed choices could affect admission prospects, particularly where candidates fail to meet the required O’level credit qualifications.
The examination body cautioned against selecting inappropriate UTME subject combinations, saying that wrong combination of UTME subjects could make candidates ineligible for admission into their preferred courses regardless of their examination scores.
To avoid this, candidates were advised to consult JAMB’s Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS), which provides information on approved subject combinations and admission requirements. The platform is accessible through ibass.jamb.gov.ng.
JAMB further urged candidates to stay updated on official announcements concerning registration procedures, deadlines, examination schedules and other guidelines.
It advised them to regularly visit its official website, www.jamb.gov.ng, and follow its verified communication channels rather than rely on unconfirmed information.
The board also highlighted inaccurate personal information as another major registration challenge, warning that discrepancies in names, dates of birth, National Identification Number details and telephone numbers could create verification problems during registration and admission processing.
Candidates were therefore advised to ensure that their personal details were accurate and consistent across relevant records before visiting accredited registration centres. They were also urged to review all information entered during registration before submitting their applications.
JAMB stressed that success in the 2027 UTME requires more than academic preparation, noting that candidates must also understand admission requirements, make informed choices and comply with examination guidelines.
It urged prospective candidates to take responsibility for their preparation early rather than wait until registration commences or the examination approaches.
