Expert Psychological Counselor Özgür Akoğlan stated that as YKS approaches, parents' attitudes play a decisive role in students' exam performance. He said, "The first and most important rule parents should pay attention to during this process is to maintain the natural order within the home. As the exam approaches, turning the house into an 'exam camp' and constantly asking questions like 'How much have you studied?' makes the student feel pressured."
Özgür Akoğlan noted that one of the most important issues parents should pay attention to is expectation management. He said, "When the student is confident of your love, regardless of the exam result, they can manage their stress more easily. Being a 'safe harbor' on the path to success is valuable."
Üsküdar University Education Institutions and Guidance Services Manager, Expert Psychological Counselor Özgür Akoğlan, evaluated parental attitudes shortly before the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS), which will be held on June 20-21, 2026.
Maintain the natural order at home
Özgür Akoğlan stated that an exam-oriented atmosphere forms in many families days before the YKS. He said, "Shortly before the YKS, the invisible burden on parents is as intense as the pressure on students. In this critical period, both supporting the student healthily and maintaining peace in the home are more important than exam success. The first and most important rule parents should pay attention to during this process is to maintain the natural order within the home. As the exam approaches, turning the house into an 'exam camp' and constantly asking questions like 'How much have you studied?' or 'What was your score on the practice test?' makes the student feel squeezed and pressured. Keeping your daily routines, meal times, and general conversation topics as normal as possible ensures that the student does not lose touch with the world outside the exam."
Numbers change, the student's worth does not
Özgür Akoğlan noted that one of the most important issues parents should pay attention to is expectation management. He said, "As a parent, one of the most valuable things you can achieve is to establish expectation management on a healthy foundation. Making comparisons, reducing success solely to high scores, or using phrases that can indirectly induce guilt, such as 'Don't let your efforts go to waste,' seriously damages the student's self-confidence. Instead, you should adopt a reassuring approach that makes them feel that the result is not an existential matter and that they are valuable to you under all circumstances. When the student is confident of your love, regardless of the exam result, they can manage their stress more easily. Being a 'safe harbor' on the path to success is valuable."
Sleep, nutrition, and exam logistics should be planned with the support of parents
Emphasizing that the student's physical needs should not be neglected during this period, Özgür Akoğlan said, "Supporting the student's physical and biological needs is also entirely your responsibility. Establishing a sleep and nutrition regimen as close as possible to the exam day prevents biological disruptions that may occur on exam day. Furthermore, taking on logistical details such as the exam entrance document and visiting the exam location ensures that the student's mind is not burdened with such details. Finally, you should not forget that students reflect their parents' anxiety like a mirror. Your calm, composed stance, conveying the message 'I am with you no matter what,' is the biggest source of support that helps the student complete this process with the least damage and highest performance. During this period, it is best for you to be an invisible supportive parent at the exam table, rather than the student's teacher or career counselor."
Do not question performance immediately after the exam
Özgür Akoğlan also offered important recommendations to parents regarding post-exam communication, saying, "Create a post-exam communication plan. Instead of asking questions like 'How did it go?' or 'Was that question difficult?' the moment they leave the exam, accept that the exam is over and make a normal evening plan. If they want to talk about the exam, let them initiate it; if they don't, keep the topic closed."
