How to Become a finalist In top Universe Cohort

Marvelous Solomon

May 14, 2023 — 6 min read

He was better than I was during the program, I knew it and I was humbled to send him a direct message to team up with him during the course of learning. But sadly, at the end, he wasn't selected as a finalist.

Introduction

I'm a Backend Engineer furnished by Top-Universe Cohort program.
I'd walk you through this phase bearing in mind that I am amongst the finalist of the Top+Universe Cohorts 2.0. It was the first ever virtual cohort program I enrolled in and I was new to the system. In this blog post, Using my personal experience, I will discuss with you how to become a proud finalist just like myself.

The Classes

First thing I'd advise you not to do during the classes/learning process is using different emails.

I was excited I got the opportunity to enroll in a virtual program with different people (who later became my close allies), the class timetable has been scheduled and lessons kicked started after the onboarding session, the backend classes were rolling in, same as other stacks.
I missed the first class with the assumption that I'd later watch the recorded version, little did I know that I'm not helping myself because, during the class, the attendance form would be filled out. Although I wasn't the only student that missed the live session (a relief lol 😉 ). Where I and a few others were there missing our various classes, there was this brave lad who attended almost all the classes (I mean all stacks) at the end he gained the recognition of the coordinators.

I knew I started on the wrong foot when I couldn't solve the first assignment that was given based on what was taught in the first class. I asked myself an honest question, which was: "Am I True to myself???"
I knew I just had to adjust and adapt to the system otherwise I'd be "yanked off" the program just like Mr. Marv will say. I started attending classes and I was able to learn and grab a lot from the class, as a matter of fact, I still have some recorded classes on YouTube which I watch whenever I want to write codes on the specific topic.

One mistake I made that would later seem to be a blockage to my finalist eligibility was my email, I used three different emails during the learning process, I filled the attendance form with two different emails reason was because sometimes, I use my mobile phone to attend classes and the email on my phone is different from the one on my laptop. I never knew this was going to be among the requirements later on, I just filled out forms and moved on.

Tasks

The first task (not assignment) that was given was easy, I wasn't stressed, and I wrote the algorithms easily without stress or delay. I felt like a boss but unknown to me, the main task was just a stone throw away. We had class with a Ghanaian instructor, who took us on CRUD API using NodeJs, I can attest to it that 70% of the students were lost during this class. I was battling to assimilate what was treated. Suddenly, boom!!! the task came in, and we were asked to write a CRUD API just like what we treated in class.

I started my task gradually but I notice a student who was a bit ahead of us as at then, he was better than I was during the program, I knew it and I was humble enough to send him a direct message to team up with him during the course of learning. But sadly at the end, he wasn't selected as a finalist. I was selected as a finalist because I was true to myself and I was dedicated to finishing what I had already started.

I discovered that he never attended classes, and only submitted one out of the three tasks that were going to be our prerequisites in becoming a finalist.

Finalist Selection

The requirements to becoming a finalist were At least: 5 classes attended and 3 tasks

Miss Amaka: "We'd send out a list containing your attendance record and number of tasks submitted"

I was looking forward to working on a life project as a junior backend engineer and was very excited.
Mr. Marv had already been telling us about how we'd enjoy the process and see how real-life projects are executed. The list was out and I was 100% sure that I'd be selected.

I opened the file with the mindset of a finalist, gently scrolling in search of my name/email which begins with the letter T (it was arranged alphabetically). I got to my name, and I smiled (thinking in my mind, calling myself senior man lol)

I slid to the side to see my statistics, goodness I was dumbfounded, shocked, and disappointed. I was asking questions, Like how did I get this stat? 3 live classes out of 5 and 1 task out of 3?
This can't be possible, I dropped my phone and went out trolling right away just to digest my little disappointment and clear my head, because I can't imagine all the time and effort I've invested being overlooked and thrown into the bin.

While I was strolling and reflecting, it just flashed my mind that I once used my phone to attend class and I also submitted with my phone, immediately I rushed back home and I checked the list again and I began to see how scattered my statistics were, different emails different stats, it was so trivialized, to be honest with you but I was partially optimistic and that prompted me a little and I began to send "cold message" to the three coordinators (Mr. Marv, Miss Ella, and Miss Amaka), I was already in good communication with Mr. Marv but forwarded the same message to both Miss Ella and Miss Amaka though.

I had established good communication with Mr. Marv already.

The Selection

After sending them cold messages with my evidence, I wasn't given the assurance that I'd be selected but one thing played out during the processes, was that "I was True to myself" and the coordinators noticed it and saw that I truly attended the class and I did my tasks but with different emails, Miss Amaka ensured that I was the same person using those emails and names, Mr. Marv directed me to her and it wasn't easy dealing with her lol.
I got selected because I had evidence that I passed the requirements, but the negligence attitude almost cost me.

Conclusions

To become a finalist is in your hands, how you become a finalist will be determined by your activeness during the course of learning, team work was encouraged and empathy was taught in the program. You can't do it alone, you don't know everything and you definitely need help.

Be true to yourself and see how well you'd flourish. Oops!!! I forgot to mention that because "I was true to myself", Mr. Marv gave me my first remote job with kidsClub