YKS (Higher Education Institutions Exam) was announced recently. The choice period that students who see the results have been waiting for has arrived. The selection period, which will last until August 5th, has started today.

Many factors such as the ideas of the families, the profession that the students want to do, the university or city they want to study at can make this period stressful. We asked Psychological Counselor Gamze Sadeer Şen what should both families and students pay attention to in this process.

Starting university is a new excitement for every student. However, preference periods can be stressful for both students and their families. What are the reasons for this?

The selection period has many meanings for students. The idea of ​​choosing a good university and a right department for a good future, determining the university and department to be chosen, the city to live in for the next 4-5 years and the profession to be done increase the importance of the preference period and the pressure on the student. The fact that the university entrance exam, which has been at a priority point in the lives of students and families in recent years, has such a vital place can bring anxiety along.

‘Family attitudes play a facilitating or complicating role’

Among the reasons for anxiety, there are factors such as choosing a department and university, moving to a different city, incompatibility between the wishes of the family and the student, leaving the family, and entering a new environment. In addition, the attitudes of families play a facilitating or complicating role in the selection process. The fact that families want to realize their own dreams through their children, approach their children in a guiding way rather than supportive, and not accepting that their children are growing up makes the process difficult for them to think that they can make the best decision for them. More importantly, families with such an attitude may ignore their children’s interests, talents and wishes, causing them to make wrong choices and to drop out of school in the future.

So, what should students and families pay attention to during the selection period?

Some points that students should pay attention to when choosing can be listed as follows:

1- Preferences should be made based on success, not points. Because the rankings corresponding to the exam scores may change every year.

2- The department to be preferred should be determined according to the interests and abilities of the student. Receiving consultancy services on discovering interests and talents will facilitate the process.

3- While creating the preference list, even if the student’s score and ranking are behind, the targeted universities and departments should be included in the first preferences. However, universities or departments should not be added to the list of preferences, with the thought that it will not come any way, which can be said to be ‘I wish I hadn’t written’.

4- Before making a choice, students should determine a preference range and sort accordingly. While creating this preference range, criteria such as transportation, dormitory facilities, campus features, the quality of the activities offered by the university, career opportunities, and the adequacy of the economic situation should also be taken into consideration.

5- The student should choose according to his own wishes; preferences should not be decided on the basis of friends or family.

6- It should not be thought that everything will end after you settle in the university. On the contrary, it should be aimed to continue learning regardless of the university and department. It is essential that students make a difference in the department they are in in order to work and live in the conditions imagined in the future.

7- Students should evaluate what they are interested in, where they can be more productive and their employment status when choosing the department they will choose. It is important that the student determines his/her preferences by asking himself/herself what kind of job, environment and hours he/she wants to work.

8- Being a graduate, that is, deciding to prepare for the exam again is a part of this process. While making this decision, first of all, the reason for not getting the targeted score in this year’s exam should be investigated. A major change, loss, or other traumatic event may have occurred in the student’s life. It may also be that the student could not show his performance due to an inconvenience or bad luck during the exam. In such a case, it may be considered a good way to prepare again. While deciding this, it should be evaluated whether the student has studied adequately and whether he has the motivation or purpose to study for the next year.

Result: ‘Whatever the thought, it can bring unhappiness to the individual for life’

As a result, the student’s interests and abilities, skills, socio-economic expectations, dreams and wishes about the university should be considered as the most important criteria in the selection process. Whatever the thought, it can bring unhappiness to the individual for life. For this reason, it is very important for students who experience indecision to receive expert support from relevant institutions and psychological counselors.

In this content, we listened to Psychological Counselor Gamze Sadeer Şen about what to pay attention to during the choice period, which can be stressful for both university students and families. We wish success to all our students during the selection process and throughout their education life.