How to Avoid or Overcome Carry over Courses

Every high Institution has room to accommodate carryover and extension but this is a portion every student wants to avoid. Yet, those without proper orientation falls victim of carryover and all they think about is how to overcome carryover. This post is written for two categories of students;

• Those who want to avoid carryover courses
• Those who want to overcome carryover courses.

What you should know about carryover courses in school…

To avoid carryover, you must first understand what carryover courses are in Nigeria Universities. Knowing is half the battle. Carryover courses in Nigeria Universities are courses you must attend the class (if the lecturer demands your presence) and resit for the exam.

You cannot graduate without passing all carryover courses. If worst comes to worst, some departments will ask you to withdraw. So whether it’s your fault or the lecturer’s fault – the most important thing is you must resit for the examination. Am trying to avoid the word *Fail* because some carryovers may be caused by varying factors such as absence, missing script, a misunderstanding with the lecturer etc

Carryover is one of those things that define a student, but I pray, that won’t be your portion. The effect of carryover course is frustrating, weakens and it kills morals especially if you have too many carry over courses. When others are preparing for one paper, you’re preparing for three, and God helps you, the exams timetable don’t clash with each other.

And the most annoying thing is… the lecturer tells you to attend carryover class. And the insulting part is…. when you have to sit down with lower levels to receive the lecture. Your mind can never be settled in that class – have been there, I know the drill.

My dear, the best is this… Do everything you can to avoid getting a course carry over rather than trying to overcome.

How to avoid carry-over courses in school...

Choose your course
If you wish to avoid carryover, the first call is to reject imposed course by friends, family, and the University… The latter will cajole you to study another course if they reach the maximum number of admissible students in a department. These things occur mostly in Predegree.

Don’t because I must study by fire by force go for a course you cannot fit in. If your background is Commercial or Art and the course you find yourself is Science related to – You’re playing with carry over. Getting admission is tough, so not knowing what you’re there to do is foolishness.

One of those things a student should know about carryover courses is that you – unlike secondary school where you get promoted even after failing some subjects but in carryover, you will have to repeat the exam again and again and again until you pass. If you still have carryover after your final year, you will wait for an extension.

Choose friends –
They are the key players. You get called when your face ain’t seen within examination premises. You get called, when you’re missing in class, You get called when an impromptu test arises. You get called when you miss regular hangup meetings. These are friends… not those ones that forget you exist until after the deed is done.

Get handouts and attend class –
Handout or textbooks, materials – whichever way – get them and buy pass questions too. If you don’t have cash, go make photocopies. The primary purpose of handouts and the likes is to read ahead. Some lecturers are full of themselves – locate their kind and read up their stuff. While some may ignore your presence, others will take their time to call attendance – be wary of such – their kind has no forgive me spirit.

Befriend you Coordinator-
If you’re melancholy like me – get in contact with your coordinator and say hi often. Send recharge cards with gestures and maintain your distance – That’s respect ultimatum. With time, the coordinator will reveal secrets – the unknown academic survival pattern which may have been revealed to your coordinator by your lecturers directly or indirectly. When in a troubled situation, meet the coordinator – he/she can access freely where you can only dream of.

Rent a nearby hostel-
Where you live play a crucial role in avoiding carryover. When your cell is unreachable, can your comfort zone be reachable within few minutes walk from school? How fast do you get a rumour? Never joke with rumour. If it’s not true, it may have been true.

Study-
I never met read when examination date draws near… I met, get busy with the reason you got admission in the first place… Study hard, study smart, study to live, study everything. Ask questions, create or join study groups. Use the school library.

You will meet friends who are not serious, though with a kindred heart – stick with them – but pay homage to your rules and follow the path of set goals. The library may be a boring place, but it is the best place for lone study. Outside the library is a good place for group study.

Set goals-
Many students don’t understand the place of – setting a goal –  please understand this – goal is not a yardstick but rather, your goals create a yardstick. A set goal may take discipline to obey but the outcome pays off.
Two things can help you stick to your goals

• Know how to calculate CGPA Don’t wait until you have a carryover course before learning how to calculate GPA.
• Submitting to a mentor, who understands your goal and ensure strict adherence.

Eat and Sleep like a dog –
While eating is essential, walking is a daily dose for the body. Eat as much as you can, and sleep well. The body never forgives a sin against it – wear it out, you break down. Sickness is no excuse – your head will fall if you’re sick during an examination. Takia of your health…

Have time for pleasure –
The difference between efiwe and efiko is – the latter loves pleasure. Find time to play games like Scrabble, sudoku, ludo, chess etc. Go for a swim. Sit under a mango tree – it reduces stress and illness, eliminates negative energy and releases fresh oxygen.

Avoid unhealthy relationships-
The university environment creates some sort of entanglement and attachment between students. An unhealthy relationship depletes the emotional bank… And you need the latter full to have a stable mental attitude towards academics. 40% of cases of carryover course are caused by unhealthy relationships…

If you want to survive – detach yourself. 99.9999% of boyfriend and girlfriend relationship ends at the school gate.
Nobody will write your carryover course for you. I know, have been through this before.

Answer your way, you fail.
Some lecturers prefer a word for word. Give me back what I taught you. My dear – obey. If you know more, keep it. Write down exactly what they taught you. If you write from your head in lieu of your class note or handout – OYO…

Now to those who are reading this epistle to learn how to overcome carry over courses…
My deepest condolence…

Retrace your steps –
What went wrong or where did I get it wrong. Even the mighty fall. If you’re so sure that you couldn’t have failed the course, then request your script. Two things may have occurred. You actually failed the course or your script went missing. You can also retrace your steps to your friendship with others. Do you want to overcome carryover retrace your steps and amend?

My Story
I had my first share of carryover in my first year 100level– first-semester examination. While the exam was on, I was so busy studying; I had the wrong exam timetable. On my way home to dress up for the exam, I met a colleague coming back from the examination hall… the rest was a sad story. A fashion designer who heard our conversation encouraged me with a word I will never forget ‘Carryover is one of those things that define a student’

I had another carry over in my 200level first semester (3 unit course) because I wrote exam attendance late. I had my 3rd carryover in a Sociology course (elective) in the same semester. It was not funny. And to God be the glory, I wrote my 100level and 200level carry over course in my 300level first semester; and passed them all with no E attached.

And that’s the end of my story

How to overcome carry over course

• Firstly, learn how to calculate C.G.P.A. You will know how well you must prepare for forthcoming examinations

• Always find time to sleep and worry less…

• Create a time for reading and for pleasure. You have to balance things. Studying and no pleasure is foolishness. Students wear themselves out with the hope of passing carryover courses, The body never forgives a sin against it; wear it out; you break down. No matter how busy your schedule is, find time to read, find time for pleasure

• Study the carry over course past questions. You should revise questions from the course you failed and also change your reading habit.

• Change your peer group if necessary. Some friends are agents of extensions. Some of them may be nightcrawlers. These are students who study hard at night but spend their day partying.

• Three carry over courses in 300 level is a symptom of extension… If you’re a Christian I like me, then pray. My song at night was “I have a Father that will never ever fail me‘ and indeed God never failed. It may sound funny but knew an extension was never my portion. My Prayers were answered according to how I requested them. How? During one of my midnight studies, my spirit prompted me to write the scores I wanted. I wrote down the course names and the desired grades – Example: LIS 102 A, SOC 101 C, SOC 201 D. I got exactly what I wrote down. Wish I wrote an A for all the carryover courses.

• I think I have said enough…

Start making things right now, I mean now. Don’t procrastinate; don’t fear losing friends. You came alone into the higher Institution – you will either graduate with others or be left alone for an extension.

Be wise.

Shalom!