Success Story: How I went from a CGPA of 2.29 to 4.00 within a Semester

This is a Success Story shared by Olusola O'sola Fapohunda, a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.

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In early 2010, I went with about four other guys in my department - to visit our level registration officer. We wanted to check our result. Each one of us, was with a paper and a pen. The lecturer in charge asked for our matriculation numbers and one after the other, he was reeling off grades, GPA and CGPA.

He eventually got to me and I heard a digit that sounded like I've been shot. God! Me! 2.29. I've earned myself Grade E in some three unit courses and my best course was APH301, which I had a B with a score of 69.

About six months later, I went to check my 300 level second semester result and I now had a CGPA of 4.00. That was the happiest day of my University education. I was rolling on the floor of the room. The previous semester has been hell, yet the one that followed it yielded this awesome result!

What did I do? What did I change? What step(s) did I take?

Let me share six of those steps with You.

• I accepted the fact that I had a problem.

After checking the result, I went inside the common room of Akindeko hall, took a sheet of paper with me, sat down and had a pep talk with myself. I agreed that I had failed. I wasn't talking it away or saying let the weak say I'm strong. I accepted the fact that I had a problem. I was not blaming this or that rather I held myself responsible for the result.

Until You accept that You have a problem, the Solution won't come.

I sat down that day, and I accepted the situation.

• I changed my mindset.

I listened to many messages, particularly that of Sam Adeyemi and Joel Osteen. I realized that I had been thinking the wrong thoughts all the while. These two guys made me realize that my results were the product of my thoughts. I changed my thought pattern and started thinking like I'm the big man, the best student ever. I aimed high. I took time to look back to my mindset... All these, "sebi it's just 10 marks", "it's just an assignment", "I don't think I can have A", "It's not yet exam, I can't die", "Ko Kanye "... Thoughts like these were making me underutilize my brain and the result were Grades C, D and E.

I took time to continually think well, talked myself into something good and positive. I kept speaking to myself. On some of my notes I would write, "the best student" or "80A". I changed from "can't do" to "CAN DO".

• Accommodation.

I couldn't get a good accommodation in the first semester, I had to squat. Akindeko Hall Block C was my domain. Six guys were allocated to the room but trust guys, each one had an extra person. We called ourselves floor members of the senate. Our room was rough and noisy. We, the floor members don't sleep till our landlord sleeps. Reading in the room is a joke. Our room was always super heated. Two guys will be cooking beans in the room, one would be ironing cloth, three will be playing FIFA'10 and five guys will be charging and playing songs. It was rough and it affected me in the long run. The room I stayed in the semester I had 4.00 was for only four students. Very quiet and well equipped. We rarely have visitors and reading in the room was a library in room experience. You sleep when you want, wake when you want. Every thing in the room was in good condition. Sockets were in good conditions. Power supply was an out of Nigeria experience. We rarely experience power disruption, and when we do, the school generator will be on in minutes.
These factors were very helpful in stabilising me and giving me a platform to read and understand properly.

Are You a student? I want you to look back at what you've had from the beginning of this session or semester.

** Have you accepted the fact that you have a problem? Or you are still blaming the time given, the lecturer, the this and that... Someone had A in that course o.. Accept the fact that you have a problem.

** What are your thoughts like? What are you thinking? Sam Adeyemi said that if you can make it real in your heart, God will make it real in your hands.
As you change your thoughts, your life changes alongside. Look into your thoughts. What are they? What is the most prominent thoughts of your heart?

** Where are you staying? A place far from school, a place where reading is impossible, a place you can't sleep or rest easily? If you can't relocate, look for a place to read. Don't stay amidst those who don't have the same passion as You. Your place will determine so many things. Look for who to squat with. Do all you can to stay in a good place. Sacrifice comfort for excellence.

• I changed from giving my best to being the best.

This was what I never realized from the onset. There is a big difference between what I called my best, and what was the best required. The difference was in the fact that my best was what I could offer and that sometimes can be very low. In CSC 201 (fotran 77), I had a grade E with a score of 40. That was the best I could offer because I had difficulty comprehending computer programming. I did not get out of my comfort zone. I was doing just enough to get by. But really, was that the best required? NO! I knew a friend who had an A in same course. So in the new semester, I switched from giving what I could give to giving what was required. I stretched myself out of my comfort zone, out did myself. For some courses like AEE 306 Farm Accounting, the normal me would have relied on only the class notes. Instead, in this case, I went after a British textbook, made photocopies and was studying it alongside my notebook. I had grade B in that course, that grade was the highest grade I had in a course that requires lots of calculation throughout my five years in the University. The normal me would have sit with my note and earn a grade D or an E.

• I changed my desires to a strong demand.

I came into FUTA (Federal University of Technology, Akure) as a bright student. I was number one on merit list for my department. My desire for very good grades was strong. It was expressed in my prayers but LIFE WILL NEVER GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESIRE, ONLY WHAT YOU DEMAND.
I expressed that desire by attaching myself to two other guys in my department, Honesty and Idowu, who also desired the same result. We read like we were under a spell. I knew my demand must be expressed by acquiring a superior knowledge. Oyedepo once said those who scored 30 in an exam knew something but not enough to earn a good mark. I expressed the demand by expanding my knowledge base. The days of leaving scripts empty were gone. I would sit and won't submit until I have written everything down. The demand made me study the manner with which questions were asked. I discovered past questions was the way, so I challenged my knowledge with past questions. Until I could answer straight off I wasn't yet satisfied.

• Prayers.

I started the semester with a three day marathon fast. I knew I prayed my heart out. It was not that I did not pray at the beginning of the previous semesters, but I must confess, I prayed this time around with a determination. I prayed and compelled people to pray. I organised prayer meeting for PDS staying in my hall of residence (I was the hall pastor of my fellowship ASF). I sought the permission of my President to organise a prayer meeting on a saturday in fellowship. It was granted, and together with the Academic Coordinator of my fellowship, we did something amazing. I did not pray and then laze up. I prayed and read more. I prayed and studied more. I prayed like my life depended on it and will turn round to study like I was under a spell. I out did myself, went beyond the normal time I would have spent studying. I've always believed every semester was my season of increase, but then that semester I did not just believe, I attached RIGHT ACTIONS to it. I knew many folks don't pray to achieve better grades but for me I realised I had to pray because I am a Christian, and at the same time I had to study. If I wasn't going to cheat, ask for help then I better pray and study. God saw my heart. I did study his Word. I got a Word for the semester. I stood on it, did it's bidding and preached it. Many of my friends in the University reading this would remember.

Dear friends,
What I did were more than these six points but for sake of brevity let me leave it at these six.

All these while you've been giving your best, you've not been getting good results. Well, it might be because you are not doing what is required. You need to do a real assessment. Compare your scripts with those who scored the highest. You need to accept that you've not been doing well. If you keep doing it that way and keep getting the same result, then you really need to change your approach.

I know you've got a desire, you pray about it, say it, write it, sow to it in Church by your service and money. But you should this: GRADES DON'T RESPOND TO DESIRE, IT RESPONDS TO DOING THE REQUIRED.

Ask and observe the best students. I know you have desires but nothing in life changes because we desire them, they change because we demand them. You need to START DEMANDING for the best. Your demand must express itself by you acquiring better knowledge, by you choosing new friends, by you demanding the very best.

Then you need to pray, really pray. So many people study, do their best yet nothing happens. Some have failed mysteriously. Many keep having grade F in a course over and over. Some get sick recurrently, some had mental disturbance, bad news, depression, health crises. I need you to really pray. Pray to God for help. If You are a believer you cannot be possessed by an evil spirit but you can be oppressed by one. I need you to really take a stand and pray. Out of faith, out of the victory you have in Jesus. Pray and take authority. Take charge, be spiritually sensitive. But don't just pray and get relaxed. Pray and study! Fast and attend lectures! Do all You can under God.

If you've got questions for me or feel like contacting me, get me on Facebook with my name as in this Success Story.

Feel free to share my Success Story.

By: Olusola O'sola Fapohunda