A recent analysis of admissions data from Columbia University has revealed that Nigerian applicants, across different ethnic groups, recorded higher average Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores than African American applicants classified as ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery), with Igbos leading the pack.
The data, which covers Black applicants to Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science between 2000 and 2024, shows a consistent pattern in test performance.
On average, Nigerian applicants scored about 1314 on the SAT, compared to 1256 recorded by ADOS applicants.
The SAT is a widely used standardized test for university admissions in the United States, scored on a scale of 1600.
How Igbos Outscores Their Counterparts
A closer breakdown of the figures shows differences among Nigerian ethnic groups, though all still performed above the ADOS average.
Igbo applicants recorded the highest average score at 1322, followed by “Other Nigerians” at 1316.
Meanwhile, Yoruba applicants averaged 1308.
The Hausa/Muslim Nigerian group recorded 1282, the lowest among the Nigerian categories but still higher than the ADOS average.
See table below:
Overall, the gap between Nigerian applicants and ADOS applicants ranges from about 26 to over 60 points, depending on the group being compared.
Analysts say this difference, while not extremely large, is consistent across the dataset.
How ADOS Fared Compared With Igbos
The data also shows that the number of ADOS applicants in the study is much larger, with over 9,000 individuals, compared to about 1,400 Nigerian applicants.
This means the ADOS average is more statistically stable, while some Nigerian subgroups—especially the Hausa/Muslim category with only 53 applicants—may have wider uncertainty.
Providing further insight into the findings, researcher Werner Zagrebbi explained that the ethnic breakdown was estimated using surname analysis after a prompt from Steve Sailer.
Zagrebbi noted that Igbo applicants outscored Hausa Nigerians by about 40 points, and Yoruba applicants by roughly 14 points.
However, he cautioned that the Hausa sample size is small, meaning the difference may not be statistically strong enough to draw firm conclusions.
He also pointed out that the gap between Igbo and Yoruba applicants was smaller than he had expected, suggesting that performance among major Nigerian ethnic groups is relatively close.
Avoiding Overly Broad Conclusions
Education analysts stress that the figures should be interpreted with caution.
They note that the data reflects only applicants to a highly selective university, not the general population.
This means factors such as who chooses to apply, access to quality schooling, family background, and preparation for standardized tests can significantly influence the results between Igbos, Yorubas and Hausas.
In addition, the data does not measure intelligence or ability directly, but rather performance on a specific exam under certain conditions.
As such, it cannot fully explain the reasons behind the differences observed.
Despite these limitations, the findings have sparked discussion about academic performance patterns among different Black populations applying to elite institutions in the United States.
Experts say more comprehensive research would be needed to understand the root causes of the differences, including social, economic, and educational factors.
For now, the data provides a snapshot of how different groups performed on one key admissions metric over a 24-year period.
As conversations continue, observers emphasize the importance of careful interpretation to avoid drawing overly broad conclusions from limited data.
