KCSE 2025: 6 costly mistakes students make when choosing university courses

The release of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results has set thousands of households across the country into decision-making mode, as candidates and parents begin planning the next stage of education.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba officially released the results on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Eldoret State Lodge, announcing that 993000 candidates sat the national examinations.

Of these, 1932 candidates attained grade A, an improvement from the 1693 recorded in the previous year, while 270000 candidates scored grade C plus and above, qualifying for direct university entry.

President William Ruto welcomed the improved performance, describing it as a positive signal for the education sector.

With the 2025 KCSE cohort also marking the final group examined under the 8 4 4 curriculum, the results carry added weight for candidates transitioning into higher education. As learners access their results through the Kenya National Examinations Council system and begin considering university and college applications, it is important to note that excitement and pressure can easily lead to poor course choices.

There are several common mistakes that students who have just received their KCSE results make when selecting university courses that significantly affect their academic experience and employment prospects after graduation.

Here are 6 of them:

Peer influence

One of the most common mistakes is choosing a course purely based on peer influence. Many students select courses because their friends are applying for them or because they want to remain together in the same institution.

While social comfort is understandable after years of shared schooling, course selection should be guided by individual ability, interest and long-term career goals. Students who follow peers into demanding programmes they are not suited for often struggle academically or lose motivation along the way.

Choosing prestigious courses

Another frequent error is selecting courses based on prestige rather than practicality. Certain programmes are widely perceived as prestigious, leading students to apply for them without fully understanding what the course entails or the realities of the job market.

In some cases, graduates from such courses face stiff competition and limited absorption, particularly when the number of graduates far exceeds available opportunities. A course name alone does not guarantee employability.

Outdated information

Many students also make the mistake of relying on outdated information when choosing courses. Labour market demands change rapidly, yet some decisions are based on advice given years earlier or on success stories that no longer reflect current realities.

Courses that were highly marketable a decade ago may now be saturated, while emerging fields remain overlooked. Without updated guidance, students risk entering fields with limited growth potential.

Subject strengths and weaknesses

Another critical mistake is ignoring subject strengths and weaknesses. KCSE results provide important signals about a student’s academic aptitude, yet some candidates choose courses that are heavily dependent on subjects they struggled with.

This often leads to poor performance, extended study periods or eventual course switching. Aligning course demands with demonstrated strengths increases the likelihood of academic success and timely graduation.

Institutional capacity and course structure

Some students also overlook the importance of institutional capacity and course structure. Differences in teaching quality, facilities, industrial attachment opportunities and accreditation can significantly affect graduate outcomes.

Choosing a course without researching how and where it is taught can limit exposure to practical experience that employers value.

Long-term career pathways

Finally, many candidates fail to consider long-term career pathways when making course choices.

Focusing only on admission today without thinking about postgraduate requirements, professional certification or career progression can leave graduates stranded later. A well-chosen course should open doors to further training and advancement, not close them.

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