With the announcement of YKS results, it's time for university preferences, one of the most important steps in the university journey... Considering the number of candidates taking the exam, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, in his capacity as an educator and psychiatrist, offered guiding advice to candidates regarding preferences that closely concern a significant portion of Turkey. Tarhan stated that the first condition for making the right choice is for the person to know themselves and the profession, adding that a connection should be established between personality traits and the characteristics of the profession. Reminding that a profession is important not only for livelihood but also for one's self-fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness, Tarhan emphasized that a correctly chosen profession has a therapeutic effect.
University exam results have been announced, and success rankings are clear. Now it's time to make preferences. University candidates will make their choices based on their success rankings until August 8th, the final application date announced by YÖK. Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that considering their families, 15 million people are in the preference period, discussed methods for making correct decisions and explained the key points for choosing suitable professions.
Candidates should not choose departments they would "absolutely never go to"!
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, "There are two important choices in a person's life: career choice and marriage. Research on decision-making behavior shows that 52% of people cannot choose the profession they initially wanted. For this reason, the rate of re-taking the exam is very high. Young people realize they won't pursue that profession while studying, then they want to change. They re-take the exam. Almost one-third of those who take the exam re-take it. Although the horizontal transfer system is being popularized, students should not choose a department they do not want. They should not include departments they would 'absolutely never go to' in their selection lists." he warned.
There is a significant connection between personality traits and profession
Tarhan listed the stages of choosing the right profession as follows: "In the first stage, a person needs to prioritize by first knowing themselves; their talents and competencies. The second stage is to get to know the profession they will choose. What are the weak and strong points of the profession, what is the concept of working hours? Will they be both happy and successful when doing this profession? Have they observed those working in this profession? What impression did they get?... they should look at such details. In the final stage, they need to establish a connection between their own personality traits and the characteristics of the profession." Tarhan explained the issue of choosing the right profession with examples: "Someone who loves to touch people, talk to them, converse, and help them can choose nursing or psychology, whereas a person with low social scores who does not like to interact with people or talk can choose a profession requiring technical skills. A person with more developed social and emotional skills and a sense of compassion can choose the teaching profession. Therefore, there is a very serious connection between personality traits and profession." he stated.
A correctly chosen profession has a therapeutic effect
Tarhan stated that "livelihood" is often prioritized in career choices, adding, "A profession is not just about earning a living; it's also important for one's self-fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness. For a person to do their job with love, to have a purpose when they wake up in the morning, to have a planned life, and to be able to plan for today and the future is crucial for mental health. For example, in therapies, we set having a purpose when waking up in the morning as a therapeutic goal. A correctly chosen profession also has a therapeutic effect. It shouldn't be thought of only as financial gain. Therefore, we advise students, when making their choices, not just for their 4-year university education, but to make a decision that allows them to say, 'I want a profession that I will carry like a sword for life and spend my life in.'" he said.
The candidate will make the final decision!
Emphasizing the importance for young people to consult everyone who knows them and a preference advisor during this period, Tarhan said, "A person's university life is one of their most important social periods. While their personality is being shaped, their profession is also being shaped. Friendship and peer relationships at universities are truly important. Therefore, the child will make the final decision themselves, by asking their parents, getting the opinion of the guidance counselor and class teacher who know them at school, and consulting a preference advisor. They will bear the responsibility for their decision. If they regret it, they will experience the pain themselves. They should not later say, 'My mother wanted it, my father wanted it, you misled me.' Parents are guides. They will express their opinions but will not pressure or force a department choice. They will ask themselves not 'Which profession fits my dreams?' but 'Which profession is most suitable for my child's future?' The young person will make the final decision. In addition, they can map out their path by researching places where they can receive counseling services." he advised families with these suggestions.
"Which university" with a career test
Emphasizing the importance of "Career Tests" in guiding individuals towards the right professions in their decision-making, Tarhan said, "Üsküdar Üniversitesi's website features a career test that helps individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses. This test provides results on which artistic, academic, social, or verbal areas a person is successful in. Although verbal, numerical, or equally weighted scores are currently known, it is beneficial to consult a career scale as well. Preference counselors who have advised tens of thousands of people at universities guide candidates in this regard. These counselors rank choices according to success order and the individuals' wishes. For example, if a candidate unknowingly writes a less desired department higher and their desired department remains in second place, they have made a wrong ranking. Therefore, they should benefit from preference counselors and YKS robots. This way, they can prevent the risk of accidents on the path opening before them," he said, guiding university candidates on making the right choice.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan's preference checklist
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, advising students not to make hasty decisions and to effectively use the time until August 8th, concluded his remarks by listing the key points for making preferences:
√ Go to university to learn, not just for a diploma. For this, choose universities that say 'Those who want to learn, come.'
√ Remember, the university you choose is the biggest investment you make in your future.
√ Choose departments where you believe you can be both happy and successful. Not everything is about success.
√ Look at the websites of the universities and the departments you want.
√ Examine the academic staff on those pages.
√ Visit the Bologna Information System page, and learn about the curricula.
√ Does the university use the Bologna Information System? Has it declared the courses it will offer?
√ Are these courses it offers compliant with the quality system? Are the learning outcomes sufficient? Make sure to find out.
√ In this century of big data, no matter which profession you choose, opt for universities where you believe you can learn artificial intelligence, English, a second foreign language, and software.