University life comes with excitement, freedom and many new experiences. Yet, for many students, the thrill of entering this new phase can cause them to overlook one crucial responsibility: building a strong academic foundation.
One of the common mistakes students make is taking their Level 100 and 200 courses lightly. Because some of these courses are general or considered “easy,” students assume they can simply work harder in Levels 300 and 400 to improve their grades. But academic success does not work that way.
In Level 100 and 200, you make your class; in Level 300 and 400, you maintain your class.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” This principle applies to every stage of university life. The first two years provide a valuable opportunity to establish a strong academic foundation. Every course, whether general or directly related to your programme, contributes to your cumulative performance.
Unfortunately, some students enter university with the mindset that Level 100 is simply a period to “settle in,” planning to become serious when they reach Level 300 and their courses become more specialised. By then, however, they may have accumulated grades that are difficult to recover from.
If you desire to graduate with a First Class or a strong Second Class, start early. Take seemingly easy courses seriously. Attend lectures, complete assignments, study consistently and understand how your GPA is calculated. Build strongly in Levels 100 and 200, then work deliberately to maintain your standard in Levels 300 and 400.
Think of your academic journey as building a house. Before a structure can be maintained, it must first have a solid foundation. Proverbs 24:3–4 says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
Your Level 100 and 200 years form a significant part of that foundation. When you perform well during these years, you enter Levels 300 and 400 with greater confidence. You are no longer trying to build your academic record from scratch; you are maintaining what you have already established.
This was my own experience. By the time I completed Level 200, my cumulative GPA was around 3.8. By God’s grace, graduating with a First Class was no longer the major challenge. The foundation had already been established, and my focus shifted towards graduating as the best student in my class.
That experience taught me something I believe every student should understand: the best time to secure your class is before your final year.
Of course, Levels 300 and 400 are not unimportant. In fact, they can be more demanding because the courses become specialised, detailed and closely connected to your programme. However, when you have built a strong academic record in Levels 100 and 200, you approach these challenges from a position of strength. Your goal becomes maintaining your standard rather than desperately trying to repair your academic record.
This requires consistency.
Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Do not become complacent because you performed well in your first two years, and do not become discouraged because your courses have become more difficult. Keep working.
Never underestimate small beginnings.
Sometimes, the grades that appear insignificant can have a significant impact on your final outcome. An A in a general course may seem ordinary, but several good grades accumulated over time can make the difference between graduating with a First Class, a Second Class Upper or a lower classification.
Zechariah 4:10 asks, “Who dares despise the day of small things?”
Do not despise Level 100. Do not despise Level 200. Do not despise the courses you consider easy. Every stage is part of the journey.
A First Class is not simply produced in the final year. It is built gradually through discipline, consistency, wisdom and diligence.
If you are entering Level 100, start strong.
If you are in Level 200, build aggressively.
If you are in Level 300, maintain what you have built.
And if you are in Level 400, finish well.
Remember the strategy:
In Level 100 and 200, you make your class; in Level 300 and 400, you maintain your class.
Above all, remember that academic excellence should not be pursued apart from God. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Study hard. Plan wisely. Remain disciplined. Trust God.
Start well. Build strongly. Maintain consistently. Finish well.Written by Deacon Francis Baah
