Exams
How to score 300 in JAMB: a realistic study plan
October 31, 2026
A score of 300 in the UTME means averaging about 75 out of 100 in each of your four subjects. That's demanding, but it's not luck: candidates who reach it usually follow the same habits for months, not weeks. Here is a plan you can follow.
1. Understand what you're aiming for
The UTME has four subjects, each marked out of 100, for a total of 400. Use of English is compulsory and has more questions than the other subjects, so it deserves more practice time than many candidates give it.
To reach 300 you don't need to be perfect in every subject. A realistic target is to be very strong in two subjects (85 or more), solid in the other two (65 to 75), and never let one subject drag the total down.
2. Work from the syllabus, not just textbooks
JAMB publishes a syllabus for every subject. Print it or save it on your phone, and use it as your checklist. A topic is only "done" when you can answer past questions on it without looking at your notes.
3. Give each subject a weekly slot
Most candidates spend too long on the subject they like and avoid the one they fear. A simple weekly plan fixes that:
- Use of English: a little every day (comprehension, lexis and structure, oral English).
- Your weakest subject: the most hours in the week.
- Your other two subjects: steady practice, two or three sessions each.
- One day a week: a timed mixed test across all four subjects.
4. Practise the way you'll be tested
The UTME is computer-based and timed. Practise on a screen, with a timer, and get used to moving on from a hard question and coming back to it later. Speed matters: many candidates know the answers but run out of time.
5. Keep a mistakes notebook
Every time you get a question wrong, write down the topic, the question and why you got it wrong: a careless slip, a forgotten formula, or something you never understood. Review the notebook every week. Your mistakes are the fastest route to a higher score, because they show exactly where the marks are being lost.
6. Sit full mock exams near the end
In the last four to six weeks, take full timed mocks for all four subjects in one sitting. They build stamina and show you how to share your time. After each mock, spend as long reviewing it as you spent taking it.
7. Get help early with the subject that holds you back
If one subject keeps pulling your total down, extra help makes the biggest difference there. A tutor can find the gaps (often topics from earlier classes), rebuild them and give you the right practice. Starting a few months before the exam works far better than a few days.
The short version
- Aim for two strong subjects and no weak one.
- Follow the syllabus and tick topics off with past questions.
- Practise on a screen, against the clock.
- Learn from every mistake.
- Take full mocks in the final weeks.
- Get help early with your hardest subject.