10 Most Common Mistakes When Choosing a University

The university preference period that follows the YKS marathon is one of the most critical stages in shaping your future. To make the most of the months of hard work and avoid disappointment, it is essential to avoid common mistakes during this process. Here are 10 critical mistakes you should avoid when creating your university preference list:

1. Looking at Base Scores Instead of Ranking
Since the difficulty of the exam varies each year, scores can fluctuate significantly. When making your choices, the primary criterion should not be scores but success rankings from previous years.

2. Using a Narrow Ranking Range
Listing only programs that are very close to your own ranking increases the risk of not being placed. You should start your list with options that are 20–30% above your ranking and support it with safer choices at lower ranking ranges.

3. Making a Choice Due to Pressure from Family or Others
Living someone else’s dream can lead to a loss of motivation in the future. Seek advice from experts and your family, but make sure your final decision is based on your own abilities and interests.

4. Not Reading the Special Conditions in the ÖSYM Guide
Failing to review special requirements in the guide, such as preparatory classes, health reports, campus locations, or scholarship conditions, may result in losing your right to enroll even after being admitted.

5. Listing Programs You Do Not Actually Intend to Attend
If you list a program simply to avoid being left without a placement and are admitted, your Secondary Education Achievement Score (OBP) will be reduced by half the following year, even if you choose not to enroll.

6. Ignoring the City and Cost of Living
Education is not limited to classes. Choosing a city without budgeting for accommodation, transportation, and food expenses can make your university experience significantly more difficult.

7. Not Researching the Academic Staff and Curriculum
Programs with the same name at different universities may offer completely different areas of expertise. Be sure to research the academic staff, Erasmus agreements, and double-major opportunities.

8. Blindly Following Popular Career Paths
Popular fields can become saturated in a short period of time. Instead of following temporary trends, focus on your own competencies and sustainable skills for the future.

9. Overlooking Campus Life and Social Opportunities
A university is an ecosystem. Student clubs, laboratory facilities, libraries, and career centers are key elements that can help you stand out after graduation.

10. Ranking Choices by Score Instead of Preference
ÖSYM places candidates according to their preference order: if you cannot be placed in your first choice, it considers the next one. Therefore, you should rank your choices according to how much you want each program, from your most preferred to your least preferred, rather than simply ordering them from the highest score to the lowest.

A successful university preference process should be managed not through panic, but through realistic data and careful consideration of your personal expectations.