Addis Ababa University

Dear incoming batch, I wish I knew the criteria to choose a university by before the selection process because it would've made the whole thing way less of a headache. For me, after all the stress, the criteria that mattered most were these: 1. Does it have the department I actually want? And my backup departments? Also, what are my chances of actually getting into them? Because even if the department exists, if you can't get into it, you'll end up studying something you hate. So research all the available departments and how the department selection process goes for your preferred field before making your choices. 2. Is the university environment actually somewhere I can live? I mean the city, the campus, the dorms, the cafeteria... everything. The academic hustle and harsh teachers are inevitable in almost any Ethiopian university. So adding weather you struggle to adapt to, food and dorm conditions that make you sick every now and then, and being far from family with nowhere to run off to on weekends... that's not for the weak. Some, or dare I say most, people can handle it. But if you're like me and you've never lived away from home before, that might not be the ideal place for you. You'll eventually adapt, but your freshman semester is not the time for adaptation and experimentation. It's the time to get the grades that will get you into your preferred department, especially if it's a competitive one. 3. What opportunities does the university offer outside of just the degree? Look into the student communities, career support, activities happening on campus, how good the department's labs and other resources are, and what other opportunities the university has to offer. These are the things that would make a university a good fit for me. Hopefully they help you make a decision you'll be happy with.

Dear junior, here is a note that l wish someone told me before joining. Please take your freshman yr seriously every grade you make there counts. You can drag it up later on but the class you take will be as much if not more challenging than what you expect. The courses aren't hard but the teachers makes it so try to know more about your instructor beforehand. Have Discipline plssss, start now it wouldn't get any better, now is the time truly. Make your focus of course with credit hour, the less the credit hour it has the less it will affect your GPA at all. Your grade is what define you in a country like ours(unfortunately) so try as hard as you can to maintain it. Have connections with senior batch, exams are 60% likely to be repeated so you can have general info. Try going to anything your campus organize and get some friends, start networking....it's literally the most important thing you can do for yourself. Try to do side hustle if you can with friends there as selling products, making bouquet of flowers, anything start hustling there...the money you get from it will give you freedom financially. That's all l think, good luck and may the odds be in your favor.

Coming batches, before you select your university and department, you must consider your matric exam result. If your result is good enough to enroll in the field you want, you can choose respective university. Otherwise, you have to join another university that matches your result. However, that doesn't mean your matric result alone determines your department. Consider your matric result as a threshold, and since freshman GPA plays a lion share, you must be wise and study hard. Lastly, it is better to have optional choice department since there could be an opportunity to lose your number 1 choice. If so, you are not surprised if you fail to take that department.

Go with your passions. Don't hesitate to choose whatever you want. Otherwise you will regret for your life time. Tell your parents convince them and go with your passions. Now, I'm social science student it wasn't that easy to convince my familys but I did cause I thought that is best for me.

Before choosing a University, you have to decide the major you wanna study. If you haven't decided your major yet, select a University that has diverse options. You know, some universities are strong in tech and others are strong in health science, etc... so doing research in universities and selecting best much is key.

Dear coming batch I wish someone has told me earlier that Addis Ababa university specifically for natural science.... Isn't for those students who can't be disciplined and work hard day and night without a rest It is so difficult to keepup here, it costs an arm and a leg to join the department of your dream..... Almost impossible for the government sponsered students So if u want to join here as a government student... Think twice Be sure abt you are capable of handling all those burdens Be sure abt u don't lose hope even if you don't join your dream department I am not telling you this to change your mind, but to make you alert.... To help you understand the situation here... Other than that it is the best university as it is found in Addis ababa

Dear incoming batch, You don't need to worry too much. All you have to do is identify your hobbies, list them in order, and take a step forward. Make sure to gather information about universities that are specifically related to your field of interest. Once you get to university, invest all your energy in your studies and avoid negative influences from bad friends and making relationships with opposite sex. Best of luck!

There is really high competition for the most wanted departments like Medicine, Computer science and Softeware engineering. So if u r interested in these fields make sure to consider ur potential.

Dear coming batch, here is what I wish I knew. As much as possible try to know what you want to learn when in highschool.

Getting into the department you seek is hard. Choose other university if you are passionate to a particular career, since the competition is toug most of the time.