How To Pass Jamb: What I Learned from 4 Years of Writing Jamb

Jamb, short for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, is more than an exam; it’s a rite of passage for thousands of Nigerian students each year. 

With its reputation for academic rigor, success in Jamb is key to securing a spot at a university and, ultimately, shaping one’s future. 

This comprehensive guide is tailored to those daring to scale the heights of Jamb, and we will explore not only traditional study techniques but also unconventional wisdom and cutting-edge research that promises to elevate your study game.

Introduction

Jamb is often likened to a crucible, the exam pressure forging a path for the future. Every year, the stakes of Jamb grow higher. 

An event that was once about requirement has become about attainment, where only the highest marks open the doors to the best institutions.

But the path to success is not without its thorns. For many, the challenge of Jamb lies not in the depth of the curriculum (though that is considerable) but in the myriad distractions and stresses that can derail the most dedicated of students. 

Set a Study Goal and Commit to it

Whatever it is you want to do, you need to set a study goal first. You will be deceiving yourself to say you will study for the whole day or study for a whole week or months.

There are so many things out there that will be a disturbance to you. If you don’t set a goal, you will be distracted before you know it.

Setting a goal is your first step towards your preparation for Jamb. It’s the building block and if the foundation ain’t solid, it’s just a matter of time before the whole building comes crashing.

Set a daily study goal and a weekly goal. How long do you want to study in a day, how many times per week? These are the questions you need to ask yourself.

You need to be able to answer what subject are you starting with, what topics, and for how long you will be studying.

To answer that question effectively, look at your current schedule–are you working now? Is bullshitting on social media what’s taking most of your time?

Whatever it is that’s taking your time write it out and work towards it. You will notice that you can do away with most of the things that are between you and your ability to pass Jamb.

Go To Jamb Tutorial

Back in 2017, when I was looking for a Jamb tutorial, I had so many options and choices. At the time, Galad was not an option, hell I don’t even know about it.

There are other tutorials around my area. I visited each one of those tutorials and I just don’t feel like they are the right one. This has to do with my instincts and attention to detail.

When I visited most of those tutorials, I saw that they are not well organized, and that might not be of importance to you but it is to me.

Before then, I was talking to someone about going to Jamb tutorial and he said there’s a tutorial at Academy that he went there last year and they are good that I should check them out.

Academy was a bit far from my house but because of the person recommending the place, I had to go and see myself.

When I got to Galad, almost immediately I knew this was the right tutorial for me. The way the students were acting, they were all coordinated. Once I’m in, I knock on every door in the building–I visit the science, art, and commercial classes.

And the rest as they say is history.

So, if you’re going to attend any Jamb tutorials, the first thing you need to do is ask around. Ask people who have attended the place before, what they can say about it.

Their way of teaching, the students, the teachers, etc. You need to pay attention to their teachers, do they have teachers for all the subjects or do they have free classes most of the time?

Then ask about their way of teaching, do they operate with a Jamb syllabus or the teachers are teaching with their guts or vibes and Insha Allah?

I have a lot of friends that go to such tutorials and it turns out bad for them. Don’t make the same mistake.

Create Your Syllabus

Jamb has been in existence for at least 46 years now. And if you check the education curriculum in Nigeria, not so much has changed in that for a while now.

And that’s how it’s going to be until they turn off the damn light in this thing of ours. It’s not a good thing, but it is what it is, for now.

But on the other side, there are opportunities for smart folks like you. Been around for a long time means something is predictable. To some extent, one can say Jamb is predictable, and so is every other exam.

If you pick up your Jamb series, any subject and you go back to the last ten years now, you will see a pattern. You will see that some topics are repeated. I’m not talking about questions here, I’m talking about topics.

For example, the Division of Labour is a topic, and if you check under Commerce for

Jamb, you will see different questions from the Division of Labour being asked.

Now, here’s why I’m not talking about questions in particular. Division of Labour is a wide topic, if you’re looking for a repeated question on that, you’re just wasting your time.

The probability of that happening is close to zero. But you can bet a question will come out regarding the Division of Labour in Jamb Commerce exam.

So, instead of looking for questions, focus on the topics.

To do this effectively, Jamb has a syllabus that they update every year. This syllabus contains all the topics that Jamb will be asking questions on across all subjects.

If Jamb is telling you “Hey, these are what we will be testing around in your exam, why not play along with them?

Equip yourself with the syllabus and master each subject. Look for textbooks on the subjects and

I learned you have to take multiple examples, and multiple scenarios before certain topics begin to sink in. This is why you need to set a study goal as discussed before. How do you want to start?

What subject are you starting with, what topics, and how long are you dedicating to that?

Practice Makes Perfect

Practicing yourself is the only surefire way of passing Jamb. I always say that if I were ever gonna bet on a horse at a track, then let it be me goddammit. Because I know I’m gonna run as hard as I can.

You’re the one who can make scoring 300+ in Jamb a reality, and to do that, you need to practice a lot.

If I had not practiced in all those years I wrote Jamb, I wouldn’t have had those scores.

I did not practice until a day before the exam, that might sound like not the right thing to do, but, when I did that, I was betting on myself again.

You need to put in the work.

You already know what you need to pass Jamb–set a goal, create your syllabus, attend Jamb tutorial (if you wish), and the last thing is to practice.

Practice with your series or the CBT software. Practicing with series might to old fashioned. Almost everybody is on their phone now, I’m sure you’re reading this book on your phone.

And I think most of the CBT software is now on mobile. Download them and activate it.

Using the CBT software is like simulating your Jamb environment–you have the time, and each subject all in one place.

So, you’re the only one stopping yourself from scoring 300+ in Jamb.

Final Word

By now, you’re equipped with a veritable arsenal of strategies designed to optimize your Jamb preparation. The road ahead is challenging, but with dedication and smart tactics, you can overcome every obstacle.

Remember, the Jamb exam is not merely a test of your knowledge; it’s a trial of your preparedness, resilience, and tactical acumen. 

We wish you the best of luck on your Jamb Odyssey. May these strategies carry you to the shores of success, where the gates of opportunity swing wide open to welcome you. 

And when they do, take a moment to reflect on not just the destination but the incredible journey you undertook to get there. 

It is that profound and personal experience of growth that truly defines the Jamb success story.