Ijeoma Nwosu, the best graduating student from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) for the 2024/2025 session, has revealed that the University of Lagos (UNILAG) once denied her admission despite her impressive scores. She graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.80.
Admission Journey: From UNILAG Rejection to UNIPORT Success
Nwosu, a 23-year-old from Anambra State who grew up in Lagos, told Legit.ng that she initially applied to study Civil Engineering at UNILAG after secondary school. She scored 281 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the highest in her school, and 23 out of 30 in the Post-UTME screening. However, she was not offered admission because the departmental cut-off mark was raised from 71 to 74 points, while her cumulative score was 72.
“The following year, I applied to the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) for the same course. I scored 267 in JAMB and 232 in the Post-UTME screening, after which I was offered admission to study Civil Engineering,” she said.
Choosing Civil Engineering
Explaining her choice of discipline, Nwosu said: “I have always been fascinated by how bare land can be transformed into remarkable structures and infrastructure. Watching that process has always filled me with awe and curiosity. Interestingly, I initially wanted to study Architecture. However, after doing their research, my parents advised that Civil Engineering would be a better option. They fully supported my decision and embraced the idea wholeheartedly.”
Undergraduate Experience and Study Techniques
Reflecting on her time at UNIPORT, Nwosu said: “I believe UNIPORT was where God wanted me to be, and I accepted that wholeheartedly. It was not my first-choice university, so I went there without any expectations. I simply left everything in God's hands and trusted the process.”
She attributed her academic excellence to a consistent study routine: “My strategy was to cover each course at least two to three times before examinations. First, I reviewed my notes after every lecture. Second, I read through the entire course before every test. Third, I revised the entire course again before the final examination. This approach helped me retain information effectively and stay prepared. I also made it a habit to reach out to lecturers whenever I had questions or needed clarification.”
Leadership Roles and Balancing Academics
Throughout her five-year programme, Nwosu held several leadership positions, including Assistant Course Representative (Years 1–5), Departmental Assistant General Secretary (Year 2), and Faculty Vice President (Year 4). She balanced these responsibilities with her studies by prioritising academics: “Regardless of my responsibilities, I always made my studies a priority and ensured that my academic goals remained on track.”
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Nwosu said: “I believe the future holds opportunities far greater than I can currently comprehend. I look forward to building a successful career as a Civil Engineer, particularly within the oil and gas industry. I am also interested in exploring opportunities in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) and seeing where that path may lead. I would love the opportunity to explore what Civil Engineering has to offer beyond the borders of Nigeria, gain international exposure, and learn from different environments and engineering practices around the world.”
