JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Reading for JAMB is very important—but knowing how to answer the questions during the exam is just as important. Many students study hard, but still lose marks because they make small mistakes when answering questions. This happens not because they didn’t read, but because they didn’t learn the smart way to answer.
JAMB doesn’t only test what you’ve read. It also tests how fast you think, how well you understand the questions, and how you manage your time. That’s why students who score high don’t just read—they also practice how to answer correctly and quickly.
In this article, you’ll learn 9 simple rules that can help you answer JAMB 2025 questions better. These rules will guide you before and during the exam, so you can avoid common mistakes and score higher.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Secrets of Students Who Scored Above 300 in JAMB
Let’s look at what you need to do to answer JAMB questions the smart way.
1. Read the Instructions Carefully First
This may sound simple, but it’s one of the most important steps that many JAMB candidates skip. The moment your exam starts, you’ll see instructions on the screen. Some students are so eager to start answering that they click “Next” without even reading what is written. That’s a big mistake.
JAMB instructions are there to guide you. They explain how to navigate the CBT system, how to answer questions, how to move between subjects, how to review your work, and sometimes even include small changes or tips you may not expect.
Imagine losing marks not because you didn’t know the answer—but because you didn’t understand how to use the platform properly. That’s something you can avoid by taking just one or two minutes to calmly read the instructions.
These instructions also show you where your timer is, how many questions you’ll be answering in each subject, and what buttons to press when you’re done. If you ignore them, you might get confused during the exam and waste valuable time trying to figure things out.
Candidates who score high in JAMB 2025 understand that the CBT system is part of the exam. So, they prepare for it, and they don’t take anything for granted. Reading instructions properly at the start sets the tone for a smooth and confident exam experience.
So, when your exam begins, don’t rush. Stay calm, read every instruction on the screen, and make sure you understand it. That small step could save you from big mistakes later on.
2. Don’t Rush the First Questions
Once the exam starts, many students feel a wave of panic or excitement. They want to start answering questions immediately, and some even think, “Let me rush the first ones and gain time.” But that mindset can lead to costly mistakes.
The first few questions are very important. They help you settle into the flow of the exam. If you rush through them and miss easy marks, you might shake your confidence early—and that can affect how you handle the rest of the paper.
Candidates who score high in JAMB 2025 understand that the exam is not a race—it’s about staying sharp from beginning to end. That’s why they approach the first questions slowly and carefully. They take a few seconds to breathe, read the question properly, and answer with a clear mind.
Even if the first few questions seem easy, don’t be careless. Some are designed to test if you’re paying attention. JAMB might include small tricks in the options to confuse you. If you rush, you may fall for them.
Starting strong builds your rhythm. It gives you confidence and helps you remain focused. Once you’ve handled the first few questions correctly and calmly, it becomes easier to increase your speed as you move on—without fear or doubt.
So, when your JAMB 2025 CBT starts, don’t rush the beginning. Use those first five to ten questions to get comfortable. Think clearly. Choose wisely. Build momentum. Because starting well can make a big difference in how you finish.
3. Understand What the Question Is Really Asking
One big reason students lose marks in JAMB is because they misunderstand the question, not because they don’t know the topic. Some JAMB questions are tricky by design. They test how well you read, not just what you’ve memorized. If you rush or assume what the question is saying, you could choose the wrong answer—even when you know the correct one.
That’s why top-scoring students take an extra moment to read the question carefully. They don’t just look at keywords—they ask themselves, “What exactly is this question asking me to do?”
Let’s say you see a question that says:
“Which of the following is not a function of the liver?”
If you miss the word “not,” you might pick the first correct function you see and get it wrong. It’s small details like this that separate high scorers from the rest.
Understanding the question also means knowing what kind of answer is required. Is it asking for a fact? A definition? A comparison? An exception? Once you figure that out, it becomes easier to pick the right option.
Don’t just look for familiar words and assume you know the answer. Read the entire question. Look for special words like “except,” “most likely,” “least,” or “main purpose.” These words can change the meaning of the question completely.
In JAMB 2025, your ability to read and think clearly under pressure will matter more than ever. So train your brain now. Practice questions with a focus on understanding—not just solving. And on the exam day, read every question with full attention before picking an answer.
It only takes a few extra seconds to read carefully—but it could save you from a costly mistake.
4. Use the Process of Elimination
Sometimes, you’ll look at a JAMB question and have no idea what the correct answer is right away. That’s normal—even for smart students. But instead of panicking or picking randomly, top scorers use a simple but powerful strategy called the process of elimination.
Here’s how it works:
When you don’t know the answer, look at all four options and start removing the ones that are definitely wrong. Even if you don’t know the right answer yet, you probably know what it can’t be. Once you remove one or two wrong options, your chances of guessing the correct one become much better.
For example, if you’re stuck between options A, B, C, and D, and you can confidently cancel out A and C, you’re left with just B and D. Now you have a 50/50 chance—and that’s a smart guess, not a blind one.
This strategy is especially helpful when JAMB tries to confuse you with similar-looking options. Sometimes, two or three answers look alike, but only one is correct. If you look closely and compare them, you’ll notice small differences. That’s where elimination helps—you remove the ones that don’t fit or that sound completely off.
Students who score high in JAMB 2025 don’t panic when they don’t know an answer. They stay calm, use logic, and trust the knowledge they already have. Even when they’re not 100% sure, they make smart decisions that give them better chances of scoring.
So, when you come across a tough question, don’t freeze. Look at the options. Eliminate the ones that are clearly wrong. Then choose from what’s left with confidence.
Every smart guess backed by elimination brings you closer to your target score.
5. Skip and Return When Needed
One of the most important strategies to ace JAMB 2025 is learning when to skip a question. The exam is timed, and some questions will be more challenging than others. You may be tempted to spend too much time trying to figure out a difficult question, but that can hurt your overall score. The smart strategy is to skip tough questions and come back to them later.
Why is this important? Because when you get stuck on one question, you waste valuable time that could be spent answering easier questions. The longer you spend on a hard question, the more stress you create, and the more it affects your focus for the remaining questions. The key is to keep your flow going and avoid getting bogged down.
Let’s say you’re working through the Mathematics section, and you hit a difficult problem that’s taking too long. Instead of panicking or spending 10 minutes on it, skip it and move on to the next question. You might not know the answer right away, but that’s okay. When you finish the easier questions and have time left, you can go back to the skipped questions with a clearer mind.
This strategy works for any section of the exam—whether it’s Science, Arts, or Social Sciences. If a question in Use of English or Literature looks confusing, just skip it and focus on what you know. JAMB 2025 is about managing time efficiently, and skipping questions when you’re unsure can save you from wasting time.
Top scorers know that it’s okay to skip. They don’t get stuck in one place for too long. They answer the questions they know well, and come back to the others when they’re ready. This approach keeps their confidence high and their time usage balanced.
When you practice this strategy in mock tests and in your daily revision, you’ll become better at deciding which questions to skip and when to return. By the time you sit for the real exam, you’ll be a pro at managing time and reducing stress.
6. Manage Your Time Like a Pro
Time is one of the biggest challenges in JAMB CBT 2025. You’ll be given a limited number of minutes to answer a large number of questions—usually 180 questions in about 2 hours. That means every second counts. If you don’t manage your time properly, you could end up rushing through the last questions or even leaving some unanswered.
High-scoring candidates treat time like gold. From the moment the exam starts, they already have a mental plan. They know that spending too long on any one question is risky. So they try to keep their pace steady and consistent. If a question is taking too long, they don’t force it—they skip and return later (just like we discussed in Rule 5).
To manage time like a pro, you need to practice timed CBT sessions before the actual exam. Use online platforms like Assistedu or CBT apps that show a countdown clock, just like in the real exam. Train yourself to answer questions quickly but correctly.
A good rule is to spend around 30–60 seconds per question, depending on the subject. Some questions, like comprehension in Use of English or calculation-based questions in Physics, may take a bit longer. But others, like definitions or direct facts, should be quicker. Balance is key.
Also, don’t spend too much time on subjects you find easier. For example, if you’re good at Government, don’t waste time trying to perfect every answer. Use that saved time to return to tougher sections like Chemistry or Literature, where you may need to think more.
One more tip: always keep your eyes on the timer during the exam. The CBT screen shows your remaining time clearly—don’t ignore it. You should know how much time you have left at every stage of the exam. That awareness helps you stay calm and make better decisions.
Managing your time properly can be the difference between finishing 180 questions and leaving 20 unanswered. So train yourself now. Time yourself every time you practice. Learn how to stay fast, sharp, and focused.
Because in JAMB, what you know must meet how fast you can show it.
7. Stay Calm Under Pressure
Let’s be real—JAMB CBT can feel stressful. The timer is ticking, the questions keep coming, and sometimes, you’ll come across a question that looks totally unfamiliar. At that point, your heartbeat may rise, and your mind might go blank. This is where many students lose control and start clicking anything out of panic.
But students who score high in JAMB 2025 know how to stay calm—even when things get tough. They understand that pressure is part of the exam, but they don’t allow it to control them. They’ve trained their mind to stay steady no matter what shows up on the screen.
The truth is, panic is the enemy of clear thinking. If you start stressing, you’ll read questions too fast, miss important details, and make avoidable mistakes. But when you stay calm, you can think clearly, remember what you’ve studied, and answer smarter—even under pressure.
So, how do top scorers stay calm?
They breathe. Literally. When something confusing appears, they take a short, silent breath to reset their focus. They don’t let one hard question ruin the rest of the exam. They remind themselves, “I’ve prepared for this. I can skip it now and come back later.”
They also prepare their mind before the exam. Some pray, some repeat quiet affirmations like “I am ready” or “I know this” before starting. These little habits create mental strength. It’s not magic—it’s mindset.
And don’t forget, JAMB is not looking for perfection. You don’t need to get all 400 marks. You just need to stay sharp, keep answering, and avoid wasting time or marks on panic.
So on exam day, no matter what happens, stay calm. One hard question doesn’t mean the rest will be the same. Breathe, focus, and keep moving. That steady mind might just be what helps you cross over 300.
8. Trust Your First Answer (Most Times)
You’ve probably heard it before: “Go with your first answer.” And when it comes to JAMB 2025, that advice is actually true in most cases—especially if you’ve been studying and practicing consistently.
What happens to many students is this: they see a question, choose an answer, then after a few more questions, they come back to it and begin to doubt themselves. They start second-guessing, overthinking, and eventually change it—only to later realize that their first choice was actually correct.
Top-scoring candidates have learned to trust their first instinct, especially when they’ve practiced that topic many times. That first answer is usually based on knowledge and confidence. But the second one? Often, it comes from fear or overthinking.
That doesn’t mean you should never change an answer. If you realize you clearly misunderstood the question the first time—or if something you read later in the exam reminds you of the correct answer—yes, change it. But don’t change answers just because you’re scared or unsure.
JAMB is about both speed and accuracy. If you keep going back and forth, changing answers you were once sure about, you’ll waste time and possibly reduce your score with unnecessary errors.
So what’s the smart way to handle this?
After answering a question, move on unless you’re very unsure. If you’re not confident, you can mark it for review and come back later. But if you were sure the first time, trust yourself and keep moving.
The students who score above 300 don’t keep doubting themselves. They prepare well, they answer confidently, and they keep their focus sharp.
So when JAMB 2025 comes, believe in your preparation. That first answer might just be the right one.
9. Review Before You Submit
After you’ve gone through all the questions, don’t rush to submit immediately. Take a deep breath, and if time allows, go back and review your answers. This final check is where you can catch small mistakes, fill in missed questions, and improve your score by a few extra marks—which can make a big difference in your admission chances.
JAMB CBT gives you a feature called “Review” or “Summary Page”. This screen shows you all your answered questions, skipped ones, and any that you flagged or left blank. Smart candidates always take a few minutes to go through this page. They click on the unanswered questions first, attempt them, and then double-check any answers they weren’t sure about.
Sometimes, when reviewing, something clicks. Maybe a question that confused you earlier now makes sense. Or maybe you realize you misread a question and chose the wrong option. This second chance is your opportunity to correct small mistakes before it’s too late.
But here’s the trick: don’t change answers carelessly. Like we discussed in Rule 8, only change an answer if you’re now truly sure of the correct one. Don’t change just because you’re doubting yourself.
Top scorers know that reviewing smartly can be the final push that moves their score from 270 to 300—or from 295 to 310. They don’t treat the last minutes as “waste time”—they use it to polish their work.
Even if you only have 5 minutes left, use it wisely. That short time could be what helps you get 5 extra questions right. And in JAMB, every single mark matters.
So before you click “Submit”, pause. Review. Check. Then submit with confidence.
Final Words
The truth is, passing JAMB 2025 is not just about reading hard—it’s also about answering smart. You can study for months, know every topic, and still lose marks if you don’t approach the questions the right way. That’s why these 9 rules matter so much.
From reading instructions carefully, to managing your time, staying calm, and reviewing before you submit—every small step adds up. These are the same strategies used by students who score 300 and above. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being prepared, focused, and intentional with every question you answer.
So, don’t just practice more questions—practice the way you answer them. Start applying these rules now, during your daily revision and mock tests, so that by the time you sit for the real exam, they’ll feel natural.
And most importantly, believe in yourself. You’ve been preparing, you’ve been learning, and now you know how to approach the exam smartly. Keep your head clear, your heart steady, and your eyes on the screen.
Your high score is not far—it’s waiting for you to claim it.
