After having a 2.21 GPA in his first year at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigerian student John Eso has overcome all odds to graduate with honours and earn 14 scholarships to prominent universities in the US and Europe. His path is proof of tenacity, fortitude, and an everlasting dedication to personal development.
John had serious setbacks at the start of his academic career. His poor arithmetic and physics background hindered his achievement as a student of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, despite his drive and strong vision. He sought assistance from high-achieving classmates, attended several tutorials, hired a private maths teacher, and put in a lot of study time because he was determined to do better.
Using YouTube lessons to gain more knowledge.
Even though he worked hard, he made modest progress and found it difficult to get from Ds to Cs, although his peers did well and received A’s. But he didn’t give up, and eventually his perseverance paid off.
John’s grades improved over time as a result of his persistent work; he went from receiving a D to a C, then a B, and finally an A.
He achieved a perfect 5.00 GPA just one semester before graduating with a Second Class Upper (Honours) degree, demonstrating his exceptional performance in challenging areas such as Engineering Mathematics. John pursued graduate studies overseas because he wanted to combine engineering, technology, and business to create novel solutions.
He submitted applications to a number of prestigious universities in the autumn of 2023, including Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, and New York University. Despite numerous rejections, he was awarded a Graduate Research Assistantship and a 50% merit-based scholarship from Johns Hopkins University.
He reapplied in the spring of 2024, aiming for admission to the University of Virginia and the University of Florida, but was turned down again.
One of his most difficult experiences was when a Florida professor whose work was exactly what he was interested in abruptly stopped answering his emails. Relentlessly, John honed his strategy for Fall 2025, sending out more than 500 cold emails to department chairs, graduate coordinators, and professors while thoroughly researching 152 Civil Engineering programs in the US.
His perseverance paid off, as he was offered several fully financed PhD programs by prominent universities, including:
The University of Southern California, Ohio State University, Texas A&M University, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, and the University of Hawaii
John had considerably improved his academic standing by the spring of 2025, publishing four research articles, obtaining more than 20 certificates, and accumulating a wealth of professional, teaching, and research experience.
When he received a fully financed PhD offer from North Carolina State University (NCSU), USA, his perseverance and hard work finally paid off. As he looked back on his journey, John was incredibly appreciative to his teachers, family, and friends for helping him get through his most trying times.
He recognised the obstacles, the innumerable rejections, and the unrelenting work necessary to realise his goals. His counsel to those going through comparable difficulties:
“Success is about showing up, working hard, and never giving up—it’s not just about talent.” Keep going, keep failing, and eventually you’ll succeed.
CREDIT: ALLSCHOOL, Allschoolabs
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