Every year, when examination results are released and university admissions begin, thousands of young people across Ghana face one of the most consequential moments of their lives. Some gain admission to the programmes they have dreamed about for years. Others, despite strong academic performance, discover that highly competitive cut-off points, limited spaces or institutional requirements have placed those programmes beyond their immediate reach.
Dr. Reginald Arthur, Director for Graduate and Executive Education at Academic City University, understands this feeling. As a science student, he once imagined a future in aviation, wanting to become a pilot and associating that ambition with science and engineering pathways. However, the realities of university admission made that dream difficult to pursue, and he eventually studied Public Administration.
His interests gradually shifted towards people, organisations, and work, and he moved into Human Resource Management, postgraduate education, and research, eventually earning a PhD in Human Resource Management. Dr. Arthur did not become a pilot but has never considered the direction his life took to be a lesser future. Instead, it was simply a different pathway.
Universities need admission standards, and some programmes are naturally more competitive because there are far more qualified applicants than available places. However, the difficulty arises when young people begin to interpret an admission outcome as a judgement on their overall ability. A cut-off point performs an admissions function but cannot fully measure curiosity, creativity, resilience, problem-solving ability, or future professional contribution.
The conversation around science needs to be broadened, especially for science students in Ghana, who sometimes grow up with a narrow understanding of where science should lead. Medicine, traditional engineering disciplines, pharmacy, and a few other professions are familiar to most students and parents. However, the science and technology landscape is changing rapidly, with emerging fields like Biomedical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Science creating new professional opportunities.
At Academic City University, Biomedical Engineering students are exposed to areas such as programming, artificial intelligence, biomedical imaging, biomechanics, medical devices, and rehabilitation engineering alongside their core engineering education. This interdisciplinary education matters, as it reflects a broader transformation taking place in higher education, where the boundaries between disciplines are becoming increasingly porous.
Parents also have an important role during the admissions period. When a young person does not gain admission to a preferred programme, the response should not simply be, “Choose whatever is available.” A better conversation asks: What is the student genuinely interested in? What abilities have they demonstrated? What other programmes connect with those interests?
Key points
- A cut-off point is not a verdict on a person's overall ability.
- The conversation around science needs to be broadened.
- Interdisciplinary education matters in emerging fields like Biomedical Engineering.
