In this post, I will be making the difference between general and departmental cut off marks known. A lot of aspirants take them for each other.
Firstly, when we talk about general cut off mark what we mean is the specific mark or score that an institution has fixed for aspirants who wish to gain admission into them.
For example, institutions like UNILAG, UI, OAU among others set their general cut off marks at 200. This means that any aspirant that has less than 200 is automatically illegible. It doesn't matter if a candidate had 199 in UTME and the general cut off mark is 200, such a candidate is not eligible to apply.
On the other hand, departmental cut off marks means the marks that the departments and faculties within the institution set for candidates who are aspiring to study their courses.
A candidate might meet up with the general cut off mark and be eligible to apply but might not meet up with his or her departmental cut off mark. In a case like this, the candidate may or may not get the desired course.
Consider: If an aspirant had 230 in UTME, he or she is eligible to apply to a school like OAU. Then, if the aspirants picked a course like Medicine whose cut off mark is around 290, such a candidate is not meet up to the departmental cut off mark. Such an aspirant might end up getting another course or probably nothing as the case may be.
There are few exceptions though.
That would be discussed later.
I hope I've been able to make you understand the difference between general and departmental cut off marks through this post?

@HEADY SPLENDID CONSULTS
WhatsApp: 08025621154