Journal of Education and Human Development

Entry Qualifications, Study Habit and Self-Concept as Correlates of Academic Achievement among University Undergraduates in South West, Nigeria
Dr. Gbore, L. O.

Abstract
This study investigated Entry qualifications, study habit and self concept as correlates of academic achievement among the university undergraduates in South West Nigeria. A sample of seven hundred and fifty (750) students comprised of three hundred and seventy five (375) males and three hundred and seventy five (375) females were selected through stratified sampling technique from the five purposively selected conventional universities in the south west Nigeria. An inventory tagged “Entry Qualifications Proforma (EQP)” and Questionnaire tagged “self concept inventory and study habits inventory” Were used to collect the data. Multiple regression (Backward solution) were used in the data analysis. The result showed that 61% of the variability in academic performance among the university undergraduates in South West Nigeria accounted for the linear combination of the six variables (SSCE, UME, ND, NCE, Study habit and Self concept) that formed the independent variables. NCE and ND: the qualifications for direct entry shows potent prediction while both study habit and self concept exhibited negative contributions to the academic performance of the university undergraduates. While SSCE showed very low and positive contribution, UME exhibited negative contribution to the prediction which justify the introduction of post- JAMB examination by the university authority. Based on the findings of this study, it is therefore recommended that NCE and ND or their equivalents should be made the basic qualifications for admission of candidates into the university programme to complement the admission of candidates with good and genuine Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and University Matriculation Examination (UME) results in order to improve the qualify of academic performance of university undergraduates. Concerted efforts should be made by the Nigerian university authorities toward resuscitating good and genuine reading habit culture and self concept among the university undergraduate students which will invariably minimized the low quality output of Nigeria undergraduate’s product.

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