Gaining admission into any Nigerian university is highly competitive, and the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) is no exception.
With over 20,000 applicants annually vying for just a few thousand slots, getting your application calculations right is crucial.
A key metric admissions officers use to determine candidates offered provisional admission is the aggregate score, a mathematical combination of your scores from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the post-UTME screening.
ALSO SEE:
FUTB Portal: Admission | Student | Screening
Federal University of Technology Babura School Fees
What is an Aggregate Score?
Your FUTA aggregate score is a weighted average of your UTME score and your post-UTME/screening score, with the post-UTME score carrying higher weight.
Specifically, your UTME score constitutes 40% of the aggregate score, while your post-UTME result makes up the remaining 60%.
To calculate your aggregate score, simply add 40% of your UTME scores to 60% of your post-UTME scores. Here is the formula:
Aggregate Score = (0.4 x UTME score) + (0.6 x Post-UTME score)
So for instance, if you scored 200 in UTME and 250 in your FUTA post-UTME, your aggregate score is calculated as:
(0.4 x 200) + (0.6 x 250) = 80 + 150 = 230
This shows that out of a maximum possible aggregate score of 400, you scored 230. The admissions committee will assess candidates primarily based on these aggregate scores.
Why Aggregate Scores Matter
FUTA, like most federal universities, receives far more applications than it can admit. This intense competition means small differences in aggregate scores can determine who makes the cut-off mark and who doesn’t. That’s why you need to thoroughly understand the aggregate score calculation to optimize your chances.
Additionally, your UTME subject combination affects the courses you can apply for. So maximizing your aggregate score improves your chances across multiple programs at FUTA and beyond.
For instance, if you miss the medicine cut-off mark by a few points, your score may still be good enough to get you into microbiology or chemistry instead.
Minimum Aggregate Scores for FUTA Courses
While the general minimum aggregate score for FUTA admissions is 180, requirements vary significantly across faculties and departments.
Some highly subscribed courses like Medicine have minimums exceeding 250, while less competitive ones like Agriculture accept aggregates closer to 200.
Here’s a table of approximate cut-off mark ranges for major FUTA courses:
| Course | Minimum Aggregate Score |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Engineering | 180 – 220 |
| Computer Science | 200 – 240 |
| Electrical/Electronics Engineering | 220 – 260 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 210 – 250 |
| Medicine and Surgery | 250 – 290 |
Do note these scores keep changing annually based on application volume and grades. They mainly provide ballpark figures of competitiveness.
As evident, you typically need high 200s at least to stand a good chance for the premium FUTA science and engineering courses. Medicine and health sciences often have the highest cut-offs nearing 300 aggregate.
Optimizing Your Scores
Here are some tips to help optimize both your UTME and post-UTME scores:
UTME Strategies
- Thoroughly revise the junior WAEC syllabus across all subjects like Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc. The UTME questions focus on testing grasp of SS3 topics.
- Take UTME past questions to understand question patterns and better predict topics. Review mock exams to identify knowledge gaps.
- Master Math, English, and your science subjects – these constitute the bulk of the UTME. If you score highly here, you already have a solid foundation.
- Attempt all questions – there’s no negative marking in UTME, so make logical guesses if unsure rather than leaving questions unattempted.
Post-UTME Strategies
- Confirm the testing pattern – some screening exams only assess your core subjects while others test all subjects more extensively.
- If allowed, carry a calculator into the exam hall – it eliminates silly math errors which may cost you precious marks.
- Practice past post-UTME questions specific to your institution and course to understand expectations. Their website or unofficial forums may have archives.
- Prepare summary notes and formulas you can quickly revise just before the exam when waiting for question papers. It helps beat anxiety.
In conclusion, calculating your aggregate score accurately and scoring highly on both UTME and post-UTME is central to gaining FUTA admission.
While the institution keeps raising standards annually, proper planning and preparation make meeting the cut-off mark quite achievable. All the best!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the consequences of entering the wrong aggregate score during registration?
Entering inaccurate aggregate scores while filling FUTA’s registration forms could lead to disqualification. The admissions system cross-checks your inputs against actual UTME and post-UTME grades. If there are discrepancies between claimed and verified scores, authorities may perceive it as falsification and cancel your eligibility. Hence double check your workings before submitting aggregates.
Can I still get admission if I score below the minimum aggregate cut-off mark?
Scoring below the published minimum cut-off mark significantly reduces your odds of admission. However, if vacancies still exist after exhausting the number of applicants who meet this threshold, authorities may dip into the pool below cut-off to fill remaining slots. So while low, some chance exists if you’re close enough to cutoff.
What’s the highest aggregate score possible for FUTA?
The maximum aggregate score sums your highest possible scores for UTME (400) and Post-UTME (400), which is 400 + 400 = 800. However, it is extremely rare for any candidate to achieve perfect grades in both examinations. Aggregate scores exceeding 330 are quite exceptional.
Does having a high JAMB score guarantee admission into FUTA?
No, a stellar UTME score alone does not guarantee FUTA admission if not paired with decent post-UTME grades. Your aggregate weighting system means post-UTME contributes 60% to the total. So someone with a 250 UTME but only 150 Post-UTME (aggregate of 210) may still lose a slot to another person with 220 UTME and 230 Post-UTME (aggregate of 228) due to lower overall score.
Both UTME and post-screening performance determine admission outcomes.
