About 14,800 candidates who obtained aggregates between six and 12 have applied to Achimota School, where only approximately 1,300 places are available, according to the Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Sherif Sulemana.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 3, Mr Sulemana said the highly competitive nature of the school’s admissions meant that securing a place would depend on several factors beyond a candidate’s aggregate.
He was responding to a parent who wanted to know the prospects of her daughter, who obtained an aggregate of 15 and selected Achimota School as one of her choices.
Mr Sulemana disclosed that about 28,000 candidates had applied to the school in total, with approximately 14,800 recording aggregates between six and 12.
He explained that the number of applications does not, by itself, determine which candidates will be placed. The CSSPS considers factors including aggregate, school and programme choices, residential preference and the number of vacancies available.
Candidates who select the same school, programme and residential option may therefore be competing directly for the same limited spaces.
Aggregate determines ranking
Mr Sulemana said a candidate’s aggregate remains the primary factor used in ranking applicants. Where candidates have the same aggregate and are competing for the same vacancy, their raw scores are used to break the tie.
He also noted that the grading system can produce situations where a candidate with a higher raw score may receive a higher aggregate than another candidate with a lower raw score.
Consequently, he stressed that an aggregate of 15 does not automatically guarantee admission to Achimota School.
Final placement will depend on the level of competition, the candidates’ selected choices and how their performance compares with other applicants seeking the same school, programme and residential option.
The disclosure comes as candidates and parents await the 2026 CSSPS placement exercise, with some of Ghana’s most sought-after second-cycle institutions expected to face intense competition for their limited vacancies.
