List of Schools Accepting 2nd or 3rd Choice in 2024

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The article discusses Nigerian universities and polytechnics, emphasizing the limitations of selecting them as second or third choices in JAMB, clarifying that while it's possible to list them as such, actual admission typically requires them to be listed as first choices, with institutions often requiring applicants to change their selection before considering them for admission.

Let’s talk about the list of Nigerian universities/polytechnics that accept second (2nd) or third (3rd) choices in UTME or for admission. 

I had earlier given you several possible ways to choose schools during the UTME registration. There, I said, it’s possible to choose polytechnics as the first, second, and/or 3rd choice. 

Also, I insisted that universities can only be chosen as first and second choices. That contradicted the popular way of choosing institutions (i.e. Federal university, state university, polytechnic, and innovation enterprise institutions (IEIs)). 

That post opened candidates’ minds to about 14 other possible combinations.

But, will you be offered admission if you choose a university, polytechnic, or college of education as 2nd or 3rd choice? In other words, what are the universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education accepting second or third choices? This is a question this post stands to answer.

List of the Polytechnics You Can Choose as Second/Third Choice

First, let’s address choosing polytechnics as the 2nd or 3rd choice in JAMB. Generally, you can choose the following polytechnics as your second or third institution:

1. Any federal polytechnics in Nigeria can be chosen as the second and third choice
2. Any state polytechnics in Nigeria can be chosen as the second and third choice
3. Any private polytechnics in Nigeria can be chosen as the second or third choice

JAMB allows you, during the UTME registration or change of institutions/courses to choose any polytechnic as your first, second, or third institution. Hence, nothing is wrong with that.

Recommended: Do I Need JAMB SIM/Line For Change of Institutions/Courses, Data?

List of the Universities You Can Choose as Second/Third Choice

A majority of federal universities can't be chosen as the 2nd choice but none is available in the third and fourth choice sections. This especially is talking about our old and premier universities. For example, you won't be able to choose the likes of UNILAG, UI, UNIBEN, ABU, UNILORIN, UNN, UNIZIK, etc. other than in the first place.

If you must try changes of institutions as well, they will only accept you if you choose them as the first choice. The reason is that these universities are so competitive and heavily demanded that they can't offer all their first-choice candidates admissions in the first place. Why will they go for the second or third-choice applicants? This is why JAMB will not even allow you to choose them in the second and third positions if you attempted.

Meanwhile, there are other federal universities but usually new and very less competitive, that accept 2nd choice. For example, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Federal University Otupo, etc. These are fairly newly created and they may need more applicants than those we're already used to. 

Though they may eventually ignore second-choice candidates if their first-choice candidates are more than they can consider too, at least you can still be allowed to choose them in the 2nd and 3rd positions, to begin with.

Generally, all state and private universities accept 2nd choice candidates. In other words, you can choose them as your 2nd but not available in the 3rd choice section, during UTME registration or change of institutions.

However, read on ...

Recommended: List of Courses in University of Offa (UNIOFFA), Kwara State

List of Universities/Polytechnics that Admits Second/Third Choice for Admissions

This is where things get tricky.

Generally, all Nigerian universities and polytechnics want their candidates to consider them as their first choices. Do you know why?

JAMB will only offer admissions to candidates of schools if those admission seekers consider the schools as their first choice. 

In other words, all polytechnics you chose in the 2nd or 3rd place want to give you admission but JAMB requires them to convince you to choose them as the first choice before JAMB will offer you admission to any of them. 

The same is applicable to all universities you chose as the 2nd institutions.

In case you don’t know yet, JAMB is the exams and matriculating board that will process your admission into any school. By this I mean, schools won’t just offer you admission without passing through JAMB’s desk. 

Because JAMB wants to avoid offering admissions to a candidate to two schools, they choose only to give admissions to those candidates who choose those schools in the first positions.

In summary, there is a difference between being able to choose a school as the second or third choice and being able to secure admission to that school as the second or third choice applicant. Choosing for that position is possible and allowed, gaining admission in that position will be difficult but could get easier if you later change the school to your first choice.

What is Your Fate with Your Second/Third Choice Now?

Let’s now address the popular concern. Will those polytechnics consider candidates who chose them as second or third choices?

The direct answer is No.

Recommended:
Will My Second/Third Choice School Give Me Admission? See Answer

If those polytechnics, you chose in the second or third position, wanted to offer you admissions, they would eventually convince you to change institutions to them and consider them the first choices. 

This is the true way to convince them and JAMB that you want their admissions and not any other school's.

Some of these universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education will even allow you to do their post-UTMEs. Yet, they won’t offer you admission until after you had changed them to first choice (even if you merit a space).

Conclusion

Some universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education insist all candidates must take them as their first choices before taking part in their post-UTMEs. Such include all federal universities, most state universities, most polytechnics, and most colleges of education.

With this, you can only be able to register for their post UTME after you’ve changed them to first choices.

Some institutions open their admission forms (post-UTME/screenings) to any candidate whether they chose them as first, second, or third choice. Some even sell post UTME forms to candidates who didn't choose them at all.

Then, after the post-UTME registration, or when they are about to offer you admission, they make it compulsory that you change them to the first choice. These include the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Osun State Polytechnic Iree, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Osun State Polytechnic, Esa Oke, etc.

Choosing a school as a second or third choice is temporary, you will eventually need to change them to the first choice if you want admission from them, and before JAMB will let you have the admission and admission letter.

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