The pandemic has brought about radical transformations in education, just as in every other aspect of life. Experts emphasize that students preparing for exams should not lose their motivation, suggesting that the new process needs to be normalized, excuses reduced, and study processes managed. Experts also remind that this period can be turned into an advantage, pointing out that online conferences will be beneficial for candidates to get to know themselves and learn about suitable professions.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Educational Institutions and Guidance Services Manager, Specialist Psychological Counselor Ece Tözeniş, stated that the conditions brought about by the pandemic period can be turned into an advantage.
You can join virtual university tours…
Specialist Psychological Counselor Ece Tözeniş said, “While many things in our lives are changing in the new normal, getting to know universities, departments, and professions is just a click away.” She added, “During the 2020-YKS preferences, prospective students had the opportunity to tour university campuses virtually. They met with instructors from the departments they were considering online and received support from preference counselors regarding their choices. They communicated with universities through social media accounts and WhatsApp.”
Career Test can guide you
Specialist Psychological Counselor Ece Tözeniş reminded that there are many things that can be done to get to know universities, departments, and professions during this exam preparation period, and offered the following suggestions:
If you are still confused about career choice, you can take the ‘Career Test’ to see your personality traits and suitable career fields.
- You can visit universities with a virtual tour.
- You can ask all your questions about the university via social media and websites.
You can attend online conferences…
Specialist Psychological Counselor Ece Tözeniş stated that they help candidates with online conferences, and said, “During this period, we also meet with teachers and students through our online conferences. We conduct informative sessions on online platforms through their schools on topics they need, such as Exam System, Anxiety and Motivation, and Effective Study Techniques for students.
Through schools, National Education Directorates, and Guidance Research Centers, we also stand by our teachers with our online conferences on different topics according to their needs, such as ‘New Truths in Education,’ ‘Brain and Learning,’ ‘Positive Psychology in Education,’ and ‘The World Changing with the Pandemic Process’.”
Reduce excuses, manage your study process!
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Preference and Promotion Specialist Ertuğrul Tut stated that processes referred to as “new normals” have been experienced in everyone’s lives with the pandemic, adding, “Many sentences have been formed about the new normal study process. The difficulty of the process is evident, and we now need to normalize the university preparation process. For this reason, instead of talking about the study process during the pandemic, I want to talk about the “normal” study process. We need to direct our study process by minimizing our excuses.”
Heed these suggestions to boost motivation
Emphasizing that motivation for university should be kept high before starting to direct studies, Tut listed his recommendations as follows:
- - First, set up your study environment in a way that you will be comfortable and your attention will not be distracted.
- - Keep distracting elements (mobile phone, tablet, computer, etc.) away from yourself during study.
- - Be sure to set realistic and exciting goals for yourself.
- - Never neglect to dream about your future.
- - No matter how much you struggle, always strive to affirm the process for yourself.
- - Believe that you will achieve excellent results from your efforts.
- - Finally, determine your roadmap in light of the topics we have discussed.
Do you know how to study?
Ertuğrul Tut noted that one of the most important mistakes candidates make during the preparation period is not knowing the correct study method, and said, “Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes we make is not knowing how to study, which method is more efficient for us, or discovering it late. Therefore, we should first determine the most suitable study method for ourselves, our study hours, and the maximum time frame during which we can concentrate. Then, starting with the subject where we face the most problems, we should write down the topics we struggle with, and address our knowledge gaps by revisiting those topics. The next step is intensive problem-solving to see many question types, and most importantly, understanding the logic behind solving questions that could not be answered with the support of an expert.”
You can learn to use time efficiently with practice exams
Ertuğrul Tut, pointing out the importance of using time efficiently, said, “To use time efficiently, we must take plenty of practice exams under appropriate conditions. Again, questions that could not be solved must be understood by grasping the solution logic with the support of an expert. Taking proper study notes for ourselves and revisiting topics when we feel a lack of knowledge is another beneficial approach. It should not be forgotten that the university preparation process requires long-term planning. Candidates who plan properly can master time, while those who cannot plan fall victim to it.”