science

Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination rather than just read about it. In short: The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is a computer-based standardized examination used for college admissions in Nigeria. Since its debut in 1978, it has maintained two components, art and science based tests, each of which 3 of its subjects, with Use of English as compulsory, were scored on a range from 0 to 400.

Key takeaways

Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is a computer-based standardized examination used for college admissions in Nigeria. Since its debut in 1978, it has maintained two components, art and science based tests, each of which 3 of its subjects, with Use of English as compulsory, were scored on a range from 0 to 400. Prior to 2014, the exam was a paper-and-pencil test until 17 May 2014 when it became computer-based.

Policies Registration is usually once in a year, and candidates are allowed to register in four subjects only. The only mandatory subject is English Studies (termed 'Use of English') and any other three subjects relevant to the proposed course of study as set out in the relevant chapters of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination brochure. The board prohibits the use of calculators, timers, or other electronic devices during the exam. Cellular phones are also strictly prohibited from exam rooms and individuals found to possess them are penalised, usually made to forfeit the exam. The only item that may be brought into the testing room is the candidate's Reprinted E-registration slip. Exam results are made available just few days after the exam has been conducted via board's website, SMS and email. The board also sends scores to universities and institutions being applied to.

Preparation The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board does not prepare candidates for its examination by establishing secondary schools or tutorial centers, and no such institution is affiliated with the body. However, the board provides a syllabus brochure, which is either made available online or given to students when they register. Candidates are expected to cover all the subject areas in the syllabus. The board also has an online practice test on its website which enables students to practice. There are also some test software and applications which are made by several test preparatory companies, none of which are affiliated with the board. Students also purchase books that contain questions asked in the exam during previous years. The book is made by different publishing companies.

JAMB subject combinations JAMB subject combinations refer to the specific subjects that a student must select during the UTME registration process. Each course of study has its unique set of required subjects, and students must carefully choose the right combination to be eligible for admission to their preferred courses. Common JAMB subject combinations are:

Medicine and surgery: physics, chemistry, biology. Engineering: mathematics, physics, chemistry. Law: use of English, literature in English, government or history, and any other arts or social science subject. Economics: mathematics, economics, and any other social science subject. Psychology: use of English, biology, mathematics, and any other subject. Civil engineering: mathematics, physics, chemistry. Computer Science: mathematics, physics, and one other science subject. Pharmacy: use of English, biology, physics, chemistry. Political Science: Use of English, Mathematics, Government, Economics

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

In research: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Standardized tests, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in simple terms?

Why does Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.