Here’s Why Many Students Are Placed In Courses They Did Not Apply For According To KUCCPS

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), Dr. Agnes Wahome, has come out to shed light on the growing concern raised by many students regarding their placement in university and college courses they never applied for.

Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Wahome sought to clarify why the placement body ends up allocating students to courses outside their original choices, especially amid complaints by affected students who expressed disappointment after being placed in programs they did not select.

Dr. Wahome pointed out that the challenge was particularly common among students applying for medical-related courses. She disclosed that the overwhelming demand for such programs far exceeds the available slots, making it impossible for all qualified applicants to secure positions in their preferred courses.

“We receive more than 10,000 applications from students who want to pursue medicine and related courses. Unfortunately, the number of available slots across all universities that offer medical courses is less than 1,000,” Wahome explained.

According to the CEO, many students list medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry as their top career choices without considering the competitiveness and limited capacity of these programs.

She noted that this trend often leaves KUCCPS with no option but to place students in alternative courses that match their cluster points and qualifications.

“When you ask students about their career aspirations, most of them say they want to do medicine or pharmacy. However, the slots are few, and not everyone can be accommodated,” she said.

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Dr. Wahome further appealed to students, parents, and guardians to be more open-minded when choosing courses, emphasizing that many other programmes beyond medicine are equally marketable and can lead to successful careers.

She underscored the need for applicants to avoid over-relying on only a few courses and specific universities, stressing that this mindset was partly to blame for the challenges faced during the placement process.

“We want Kenyans to know that there is no bad course. What matters most is what a student does with their certificate after graduation. Many other courses are marketable and fulfilling,” she added.

The KUCCPS CEO also highlighted another common trend where students prefer to apply to older, more established universities while ignoring newer institutions that have equally good facilities and programs.

She explained that this has forced KUCCPS to distribute students to different universities, including those they may not have initially applied to, to balance enrollment numbers and avoid overcrowding in a few popular institutions.

“Most students prefer to apply to universities that they consider prestigious or well-known, such as the University of Nairobi, Moi University, Kenyatta University, and JKUAT. This leaves many other newly chartered universities with low enrollment, yet they offer the same accredited programs,” Wahome said.

She urged students to embrace the wide range of available universities and to trust the quality of education offered across the different institutions.

Additionally, Dr. Wahome advised students to take their time when selecting courses and universities during the application process. She noted that KUCCPS has put in place measures, including the use of colour coding on its online portal, to help applicants differentiate between public and private universities easily, thereby saving time and reducing errors.

“We have created different color segments on our portal for both public and private universities to guide students during the selection process. This is aimed at helping them make informed choices and avoid making mistakes,” she explained.

Dr. Wahome concluded by reminding students that the ultimate success of any graduate does not solely depend on the course they pursued but rather on their dedication, hard work, and ability to take advantage of the opportunities available in the job market.

“Every program has value. It is not just about being placed in medicine or law. It is about what you make out of the opportunity given to you,” she stated.

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