Title: Relationships Between Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination Scores, Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination Scores And Undergraduate Students' Cumulative Grade Point Average In Nigerian Universities
Authors: A. M JONUSA, J. N. Odili, P. U. Osadebe
Volume: 10
Issue: 9
Pages: 231-238
Publication Date: 2026/09/28
Abstract:
This study examined the relationship between Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores, Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (PUTME) scores and undergraduate students' Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in Nigerian universities. Two research questions were answered and two null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 1,265 undergraduate students admitted into the Faculty of Education of Delta State University, Abraka, and Cross River State University, Calabar, during the 2019/2020 academic session. A sample of 622 undergraduate students, representing 49% of the population, was selected through probability sampling using balloting with replacement from three departments in each university. Data were obtained from students' UTME and PUTME scores and their corresponding CGPAs. The instruments used for determining UTME and PUTME scores had face and content validity. Their stability was established using the test-retest method with 50 undergraduate students from the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, who were not part of the study. Data were collected from the Directorates of Admissions and Statistics and the Examinations and Records units of the sampled universities. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to answer the research questions, while linear regression was employed to test the hypotheses using SPSS at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant relationship between undergraduate students' UTME scores and their CGPAs. Similarly, a significant, though weak, relationship was established between PUTME scores and students' CGPAs. The study concluded that both UTME and PUTME scores possess predictive value for undergraduate students' academic performance, although the predictive strength of PUTME was relatively weak. It was recommended that UTME and PUTME scores should be considered jointly with other relevant academic indicators in university admission decisions.