Set the Bar High and Achieve Excellence

 

By: Marzuq Ungogo

The university where I had my undergraduate studies had two sets of bars: C and E. While medical/veterinary/pharmacy students needed a minimum of C (50%) to pass a course, students from other faculties could pass a course with a minimum of E (40%). Due to this higher requirement and other demands, medical/veterinary/pharmacy faculties were called “Bermuda Triangle”. Funny enough the buildings of those three faculties in Ahmadu Bello University are in close proximity and indeed formed a clear triangle.

In a grand scheme of things, students from ‘Bermuda Triangle’ aimed and prayed for at least a C in all courses. At least a catenation C-C-C-C…., as we joked. “Allah ko C-C—“. On the other hand, students from other parts of the university worked and prayed for E. An exhausted student would often shout “Allah ko E-E-E”.

The trend in commitment and effort between the 2 sets of students was clear. It was so clear in the university library and night reading rooms that students from ‘Bermuda’ spent more hours there. The outcome every end of the semester is simply predictable- higher grades observed among ‘Bermuda Triangle’ students. 

There have been arguments that the higher grades were because smarter students populate medical/veterinary/pharmacy faculties. While variable intelligence might contribute to that, I believe effort is the higher determinant. Among all students from all faculties, you would notice that smarter students actually read for more hours. You would see ‘gurus’ in night reading rooms long after others have slept. In every class, the best students worked harder than the average student in the class.

Years later when I returned to the same university as a lecturer, the National University Commission raised the bar from E to D (45%) for all students. There were complaints and lamentations for while. But  when the students realised the new policy will not be reversed, they adjusted their commitment and worked for at least a D now.

Here is the smile logic. If you work for A, you would get A most of the time, and B when things go south. If you aim for C, you would get it and end up with a D if things don’t go as planed. In fact I have a friend who got ‘57%” many times. We would joke about it all the time and it kept repeating itself. I now understand it was because he was working for a B.

I was lucky to understand this very early in my studies. So I pushed my pass mark to A (70%). That has helped me throughout my higher studies, getting A’s and occasional B’s. If there are any secrets to getting a Distinction/First Class, I think this should be an important one. 

However, this does not only apply to studies. Whatever you want to achieve, set a little bit higher goal than the minimum needed. If you are in a job or business where targets are placed, make it a habit to set your own target above the target given to you. There is a reason why an A is referred to ‘Excellent’. Whatever target you are given, consider it as a pass mark C (50%). Workout the calculation of what would be the 70%. If you hate math, just aim ‘1.5x actual target’. Work for that 70% and trust me, your boss or client would shout “Excellent!” by the time you deliver! This is just the ‘extra’ in ‘extraordinary’.

23/12/21