Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria is our focus in this particular article.
Apparently, for many people the next thing after high school is getting into college or furthering their studies and obtaining a university degree and this is one of the most important decisions in their lives.
However, to make a decision like that you need to be more intentional about your choices of university especially in Nigeria. Hence, you need to weigh as many factors as possible to help you decide which university will be best for you.
Why is this necessary? Well, it is not enough to just want to get a university degree. It is important that your degree remains valid anywhere, recognized and honored by any establishment or for further studies anywhere in the world.
For that reason, choosing a university needs to be done properly by considering certain factors. For instance, a student who is looking to major in Fine Arts is not supposed to be seeking for admission in a university of technology.
The place you choose to study for your course or degree will have a lasting impact on your personal life and career.
Therefore, in this article we will enlist the Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria.
This factors will guide your choices and help you choose a university based on what criterion matters, rather than sentiments or a gut feeling. While this may not literally hinder you directly from academic or career achievement, such an important decision should still be subject to higher scrutiny.
If you’re shopping for universities, the factors we will outline will help you narrow your choice of schools, and you may wish to dig deeper and ask more detailed questions to find out if the school is right for you. In this article, we will stick to the essential factors to consider when choosing a university or college.
Also Read: Best Engineering Universities in Nigeria
List of Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria
Below is a list of the Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria.
1. University’s Accreditation
One of the most important of our top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria is ensuring that the university’s courses are accredited.
This because only schools that have accreditation for their courses, at the end of the course durations and graduates obtain their certificates. Only such certificates can be honored by other educational institutions in the case where students may want to further their studies, as well as in the case of getting a job.
Attending a university that is not accredited by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC – a government commission body responsible for promoting quality higher education in Nigeria) may be one of the most detrimental and frustrating moment for any graduate especially when they are searching for a job in the real world.
Which is why, knowing a University’s accreditation is one of the first things to consider when choosing one, and you can do this by visiting the university’s portal to ensure they have NUC’s accreditation.
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is simply a form of official approval given to a university by the NUC. This means that the National University Commission (NUC) must have reviewed the school and its curriculum as well as adequate facilities necessary for the smooth running of the academic program and to verify that it makes the cut of basic academic standards for higher education.
Some of the responsibilities of the Nigerian Universities Commission include:
- Development coordination of universities in Nigeria.
- Advising the government on the creation of degree-granting institutions and faculties.
- Research on topics relating to higher education development in Nigeria.
- Allocation of federal grants to universities.
You also need to ensure that the course of your choice is available and has the proper accreditations. Most schools will readily provide this information on their website, usually on the About or Admission pages. If you are experiencing difficulty finding it, call or email the admissions department.
In a university, specific colleges, departments or programs may also have their individual accreditations. This ensures that employers and other higher education institutions recognize your course or degree.
2. University’s Geographical Location
The geographical location of a university is another vital detail of the top 12 factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria. For many reasons a student needs to know what to expect, in order to have a plan that works best for them.
Will thy live in campus or off-campus, if off campus you will need to make accommodation plans as well as mobility plans to ensure you meet up with all the lectures designed for your course of study.
You also want to ask yourself if you want to attend school in a bustling city or in a small quiet town. This has a lot to do with your security and safety decisions too, so you decide if you will be staying close to home or miles apart. Can you afford to go out of state, especially to a more expensive big city?
Is a party campus a fun part of the college experience in your opinion or do you find it as just a distraction? How about the weather and the culture of the region?
Geographical location have a significant impact on your overall university experience, so it remains one of the top 12 factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria. It can affect your attitude to learning and your overall performance if you are uncomfortable with the school’s geographical location. You can plan a trip to take a close look at the place.
3. Nearness to Basic Amenities
This is one of the Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria to consider, and it is related to geographical location of the university only that this time it focuses on the school’s environment. By environment, we refer to the proximity at getting to places such as a hospital, a grocery shop, restaurants etc.
Is your school area accessible to the above or do you need to travel several kilometers to get to the closest ones? Is it located at a rural area, if yes what is the activities like for crimes such as thieves, cult issues, rapes etc? All of which is why this point is among our top 12 factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria.
Also Read: Best Engineering Universities in Nigeria
4. The Size Of The School
When talking about top 12 factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria, you want to look at the size of the University.
There are hundreds of Universities in Nigeria, if not about a thousand and they come in almost all sizes. The size of a school betray a lot about it. It is important to have an idea of the size of the school you want to attend, within it lies how popular and reliable their academic prowess goes.
Larger student sizes most usually translate to universities with better learning resources in Nigeria. It may also include campus facilities such as student hostels, libraries, computer and internet access, health centres, sport facilities, culture and entertainment.
Large research universities most likely have large budgets to invest in research and development laboratories for faculty, classroom technology, arts, science, engineering, and other fields of study.
Perhaps most importantly, large institutions also offer wider academic options, including hundreds of different graduate and postgraduate courses and programs. This can be particularly attractive if you wish to pursue an interdisciplinary course.
Small colleges have ability to specialize in a particular discipline. Also, with smaller campuses and Classroom there is more intimate learning and tutelage and the overall university experience is generally more intimate which could better weaker students performances.
Remember, a small university can still be found in a big, vibrant city and a large public university can be found in a small town. Find which will work best for you.
5. The Overall Cost
Universities can be very expensive, particularly private ones. For this reason, it is important that before you get shortlisted on the admission list that your parent or guardian or yourself are equal to the task ahead.
You have to be ready for the financial implications, and ensure that other aspects of your life doesn’t suffer at the expense of getting an expensive tertiary education. There are also lot of education options out there, which will help you consider your financial capability before making your final decision or settling down on a particular choice.
Private schools though usually expensive tend to have larger donations and readily provide more grants and scholarships than their public counterparts.
Tuition fee is not all you will be paying for at a university, it is only about half the total cost in most cases. You will need to put in view housing allowance or accommodation (though in-campus accommodations are usually hugely subsidized), food, transportation, books and other educational necessities contribute to a higher “tag price”.
6. Catchment Area
Catchment area is another crucial factor to consider in the Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria is knowing What the catchment area of the university you will like to attend.
Catchment areas are simply the areas in which the Universities will more likely consider most when giving admission. For example, UNILAG catchment areas are Osun State, Oyo State, Ekiti State, Ogun State, etc.
People in these areas with a lesser cut off mark if there was a need to consider will stand a higher chance of getting admission than those afar off.
7. Academic Quality
Academic quality is definitely one of the vital top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria.
lit matters. It’s more specific. You want to know what you are buying and this is exactly what you need to find out, the Academic quality the school offers its students.
This can be the determining factor in your final decision. Learning about the school keep your ideas informed. You know what to study and what you intend to gain from your university experience. So, pay more attention to the quality of education offered at each school.
You could even seize the services of a counsellor to offer some form of guidance and counselling, you can benefit from. .
8. The University’s Strike History
Most public Nigerian universities are a frequent victim of indefinite strike actions, at such don’t be in a hurry to pick just any school that look attractive.
These Universities with high strike rates have negative effects on students academics.
For instance, a course that should take 4years to completion, may take about 5years due to long months of strikes or even longer. Putting your colleagues in other universities well ahead of you.
This situation is pathetic especially in the Nigerian Federal and State Universities where the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is in the constant habit of going on strikes.
Hence, it remains one of the top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria to avoid unnecessary delays.
9. Facilities and Equipment
If you go to a school without adequate learning facilities, you will end up getting tired of the whole school system fast. Learning is easier when the proper facilities are available, like libraries, laboratories, workshops, etc. Do your research and consider this also.
10. Your Choice Course
This is one of the most important of the top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria. Why is this so?
There are some universities that are very good in some courses because they have the necessary facilities and expertise. So you must consider your course just before picking a university.
You need to do some research. For example, Ambrose Ali University in Ekpoma, Edo state, is known for its prowess in the Faculty of Law.
11. Reputation
A university’s reputation is one of the top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria.
You do not just need to read a few general descriptions of Nigerian universities, but you also need to look at specific departments and programs. You should be able to find information about almost any school.
Rankings can help you know which institutions to choose but they aren’t always absolute but can give you a good idea about some tertiary institutions.
Publications have their criteria for determining rankings.
12. Financial Requirements
The last but not necessarily the least you must have in mind among the Top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria is your financial requirements and capabilities. This covers registrations, handouts purchases, researches etc.
Some universities like private universities have very high financial demands, while the federal and state universities can be less financially demanding. So you must consider this when choosing a university in Nigeria and cut according to your cloth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the success of these approach of knowing and ultimately applying the top 12 Factors to Consider in Choosing a University in Nigeria lies with research and dedication.
With the above factors you can now carefully weigh all these factors, to eventually find your way through the process. Take it step-by-step. Start in general and become more specific as you learn more about yourself and your options.
In the end, what started as hundreds of options will narrow down to just a few, and you will find a great university or college of your choice.