A young Nigerian man, Odunayo Olasuyi, who aspires to study at the University of Ibadan, has shared his examination journey. He opened up about how he missed admission in 2025 and his plans for the 2026 post-UTME.
Man Recounts UTME Experience and Shares Post-UTME Plans
On his LinkedIn page, Odunayo Olasuyi explained how he scored 254 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) but improved to 295 in 2026. He detailed his transformation from a passive learner to an intentional one.
His LinkedIn post read: “Most people think doing more means achieving more. I used to believe that too. While preparing for JAMB in 2025, I read mostly passively, attended tutorials, and studied zealously at night. I was constantly doing something that felt like progress. But I ended up with 254.
“At first, I thought the problem was effort. So I assumed I just needed to do more. But looking back now, I see the real issue clearly: I was doing too much without doing it right. I tried to cover everything at once. I read overly broad syllabus topics that didn’t really matter. I didn’t understand that studying too much, without direction, can actually water down effectiveness. I was busy but not focused. And that changed everything I believed about learning.
“I realized something important: Sometimes success is not about adding more, but focusing on less. So in 2026 I changed my approach completely. I stopped reading without purpose, trying to cover everything, and measuring progress by how much I did. And I started focusing on high-yield topics, studying with intention, prioritizing understanding over coverage, and learning how to retain, not just read.
“Then something even deeper changed. I started treating my brain as an organ, not a machine. I began to realize it doesn’t just need pressure—it needs care. I started minding my diet. I started choosing sleep and rest, not because I was lazy, but because I understood something important: A tired brain doesn’t learn efficiently. For a long time, I thought pushing harder was the answer. But the real improvement came when I stopped glorifying exhaustion and started supporting my brain like something I actually depend on.
“And that shift changed everything. From confusion to clarity. From random effort to intentional strategy. From 254 to 295. I’m lucky to have learned this early. So I made use of every AI tool I could find—ChatGPT, Thea—and began to test myself. Truly, I didn’t figure this out in one day. I’m still figuring it out. I studied not just hard, but smart. And now I’m studying even smarter for my Post-UTME into the University of Ibadan.
“This time, I practice active recall. I test myself immediately after reading a topic. I answer questions from memory. I use flashcards and short self-quizzes. Because the goal is not to feel familiar with the material but to be able to produce it when it counts.”
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In a related story, UNILAG’s best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University’s best graduating student opened up about her admission experience. In an insightful interview, she shared her admission struggle, school experience, and future goals.
