'Choose the university where you will be happy and successful'

Following the announcement of the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) results on July 17th, the marathon of university preferences, a process as challenging as the exam itself, has begun. Millions of students must choose the university that will shape their future by August 13th. Aslı Orman, Director of Uğur Schools' Psychological Counseling and Guidance Unit, offered advice to students on key points to consider during the selection process.

Aslı Orman emphasized that it's not wise to make a decision based solely on scores, saying, "Whether students are placed depends on how they use their 24 preferences. The order of their preferences should be based not only on scores, but also on their academic standing, interests, and goals. Furthermore, when preparing preference lists, visiting university campuses, meeting with department officials, and experiencing the city's amenities firsthand will help you make more informed decisions."

'CREATE YOUR PREFERENCE LIST STRATEGICALLY'

Aslı Orman, Director of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, suggested developing the preference list with a three-stage strategy. She stated that it would be wise to place programs with low placement odds at the top of the list but highly desired ones. "Then, focus on programs that are very close to your success ranking and have a high probability of placement," Orman said. "For example, for a candidate ranked 100,000th, this range could be between 90,000 and 110,000. These preferences constitute the most critical section of your list, as they include realistic and relevant options. The final section of the list should definitely include secured programs. In other words, you can place programs that fall twice your success ranking in this area. However, the crucial point here is that if these programs are in a field you truly don't want to study or that will make you unhappy, not writing these preferences at all and taking the risk of re-studying the exam may be a much healthier decision in the long run. Choosing out of necessity can lead to years of regret."

'BE CAREFUL WHEN MAKING YOUR CHOICE'

PDR Director Orman offered the following suggestions regarding what to consider when making a choice:

"Make your choice in order of success.

"Scores may change each year, but choosing in order of success provides more accurate results.

Research the department and career landscape: Look at course schedules, graduate employment, internships, and job opportunities.

"Analyze university opportunities: Academic staff, study abroad opportunities, campus life tell a lot.

"Don't ignore the city: Factors like cost of living, housing, and transportation affect real life.

Pay attention to the scholarship conditions: Especially at foundation universities, carefully examine the scholarship continuation conditions.

"Examine the university's accreditation and quality documents: Check whether the program you are considering has Higher Education Quality Board or international accreditation. Such documents provide an idea about the educational quality of the department.

Personal goals and happiness should be taken into consideration: Make choices based on your own interests, values, and goals, not on your success rankings or the expectations of others. Choices made solely for the sake of winning can lead to unhappiness in the long run.

Be sure to pay attention to the success ranking thresholds: ÖSYM applies a success ranking threshold for some undergraduate programs. Candidates who fall below this threshold cannot choose the relevant programs. These thresholds must be taken into consideration when preparing the preference list; otherwise, the choices may be invalid.

DHA

Reporter: News Center