University of Port Harcourt Best Engineering Graduate Shares How UNILAG Once Denied Her Admission

• The best graduating engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt has opened up about her experience in school
• Ijeoma, who graduated with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.80, shared how she missed out on studying at UNILAG
• In this insightful interview with Legit.ng, the 23-year-old shared her admission journey, her experience in school, and her study techniques

Ijeoma Nwosu received nationwide appraisal when she emerged as the best graduating student from the faculty of engineering, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) for the 2024/2025 session.

The intelligent 23-year-old from Anambra State graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering with a 4.80 CGPA.

She speaks to Legit.ng about how she gained admission, her undergraduate experience, and her plans for the future.

UNIPORT's top graduate wanted to study in UNILAG

Ijeoma, who grew up in Lagos, shared how she had wanted to study at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The lady told Legit.ng:

“I graduated from secondary school in 2018 and scored 281 in JAMB, which was the highest score in my school at the time. I applied to study Civil Engineering at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and scored 23/30 in the Post-UTME.

“However, I was not offered admission because the departmental cut-off mark was increased from 71 to 74 points, while my 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.”

Sharing why she chose civil engineering, Ijeoma added:

“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.”

Ijeoma shares her experience in UNIPORT

The engineering BGS told Legit.ng about her experience in the university and the tips that helped her to excel.

Speaking about he early undergraduate days, she 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.”

Sharing tips that helped her succeed, the intelligent lady added:

“One thing that helped me was understanding what study method worked best for me and remaining consistent with it throughout my academic journey.

“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.”

UNIPORT engineering top graduate held leadership position

The civil engineering graduate opened up about the leadership position she held and how she balanced it with her academics.

Ijeoma told Legit.ng:

"Throughout my time in school, I held several leadership positions, including Assistant Course Representative (Year 1–Year 5), Departmental Assistant General Secretary (Year 2), and Faculty Vice President (Year 4)

“Balancing leadership and academics required discipline and proper prioritisation. Regardless of my responsibilities, I always made my studies a priority and ensured that my academic goals remained on track.”

Sharing her plans for the future, she 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."

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.

LASU BGS shares admission experience

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University's (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience.

In an insightful interview with Legit.ng, the young lady shared her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.

Source: Legit.ng