Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, offering advice to young university candidates in the career selection process, said, “For the right choice, young people must first thoroughly analyze their own desires, ideals, and dreams.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör also noted that candidates should definitely visit the university campuses they are considering. “They should meet and talk with the teaching staff of the university, department, and program, and see and examine the university's location and physical facilities,” she said.
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör offered advice to young university candidates to assist them in the career selection process.
Now is the time to decide…
Stating that university preference is one of the most difficult decisions in the lives of young individuals, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör said, “Young individuals who prepared for the university exam with an intense study pace starting from primary school have taken the exam and received their scores. Now is the moment of decision. Which university, which department, which program? They have a long life ahead of them, and now is the time to decide how they will plan and live it. It is not easy at all. On one side, there are professions imposed on them by their families for years, and on the other, their own desires, ideals, dreams, talents, and preferences. The expectations and guidance of the social environment they are in are also an important factor in the decision-making process. And then, of course, there is the course of the world. The trajectory of the world we live in, its needs, trends, change, development… Therefore, making a decision is difficult.”
Self-Knowledge is Crucial in Career Selection
Offering suggestions on how young university candidates can make the most accurate university, department, and program choices, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör said, “For the right choice, young people must first thoroughly analyze their own desires, ideals, and dreams. They should think very carefully. Desires, dreams, and ideals do not emerge instantly; they form and take shape from childhood on a mental, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual basis. Therefore, it is very important for individuals who have reached the program and career preference stage to first take a journey into their past, into their childhood years, and carefully analyze the desires, dreams, ideals, and orientations that have formed, developed, and changed over the years for the sake of making the right choice. A journey into our own past is very important for understanding and analyzing our talents, preferences, what we want and don’t want to do, our orientations, our future goals, and our expectations from life. Let’s not forget that everyone can do every profession, but it is not possible for everyone to achieve the same success in every profession. Similarly, everyone can work in any job, but what matters is that the job we do gives us pleasure and boosts our life energy. Therefore, in choosing a university, department, program, and profession, self-analysis and self-knowledge are very important,” she explained.
The World's Trends and Expectations Must Be Analyzed
On the other hand, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör noted that it is important to thoroughly analyze the trends, needs, and expectations of the world we live in for the right choice. “The university, department, or program we choose will lead us to the professional field where we will build our future. Therefore, the place of the profession we choose within the world’s trends is important. The way to understand which professional fields will safely lead us into the future is to thoroughly analyze the future development dynamics of our world and our country. Evaluating the needs, problems, future projects, and development goals of the world, country, and society is important for making the right choice,” she continued.
Lifestyle Also Influences the Preference Process
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör also stated that the social environment one lives in is very influential in the preference process. “The individual’s social relationships, circle of friends, school environment, family environment, targeted social status, and lifestyle are all elements that effectively participate in the preference process. Therefore, an individual cannot remain insensitive to their social environment when making university, department, and program choices. We should consult the opinions of people around us, listen to them, benefit from their experiences, knowledge, and accumulated wisdom, but at the moment of decision, we must still turn to our own desires, goals, dreams, and ideals. Rationally synthesizing our own desires with the desires of our social environment can guide young people toward making the right choice,” she said.
Parents Should Not Impose During the Preference Process
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör also pointed out that families are decisive in the preference and decision-making stage. “It is a fact that every family strives to raise a genius in their own way. Most of the time, parents tend to realize their own dreams, ideals, and goals through their children. However, a child or young individual is neither entirely their mother nor their father. They are a separate, distinct, unique individual with their own desires, orientations, talents, goals, and dreams. Therefore, parents can certainly support the preference process, but this should never turn into imposition or coercion. Young individuals, from this perspective, should also empathize with their parents, analyze their expectations regarding their children, and accordingly listen to and respect their opinions and guidance, but in the final stage, they must make decisions about their own lives with their own common sense,” she stated.
Every Person Has Unique Talents
Stating that discussing the matter in detail together with mutual persuasion without conflict with parents during the preference process is important for not damaging relationships, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör said, “For example, persistently directing a young person who has no interest in mathematics towards engineering departments is not the right approach. Or, directing an individual without artistic talents towards art will not benefit them, but harm them. It should be remembered that every person has unique talents, inclinations, orientations, dreams, expectations, and designs for life. Therefore, it is necessary to help individuals in the preference stage, share experiences, but not force them into certain choices, or rather, choices in the direction we want,” she advised.
Definitely Visit University Campuses
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör also noted that candidates should definitely visit the university campuses they are considering. “They should meet and talk with the teaching staff of the university, department, and program, and see and examine the university's location and physical facilities. Let us not forget that every touch to the horizon line is the birth of a new horizon,” she concluded.