A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ADMITTED THROUGH THE PRE-DEGREE AND UNIVERSITY MATRICULATION EXAMINATION PROGRAMMES

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to ascertain if there is any relationship between mode of admission (pre-degree or  Joint Admission and  Matriculation Board's University Matriculation Examination (UME) and academic performance of University Students at their first year (100 level). The subjects of the study included 516 first year (100 level) students who gained admission through pre-degree programme of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and 244 first year (100 level) students that gained admission through UME. These represented all the first year students of the College of Natural Science at UNAAB for three sessions (1997—200). Results indicated that students who were admitted through pre-degree performed better than those admitted through UME. The gender of the students (admitted through pre-degree and UME) also influences their academic performance. Some of the factors, identified by the subjects as having effects on their performance included inadequacy of upkeep allowance, pre-University preparation and hostel accommodation. Others are instructional facilities, library facilities and instructional quality. The study recommended, among others, that Universities without a pre-degree programme should start one.