Prof. Dr. Özkara enters physics department with a net score of minus 1.75: Statement from YÖK follows

Prof. Dr. Behçet Yalın Özkara took the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) to highlight flaws in the exam system. Özkara placed into a physics department after achieving a net score of minus 1.75 in physics on the exam.

Sharing a screenshot of his placement results from his account named AkademikLink on the social media platform X, Özkara stated, “I placed into the Physics department with my minus 1.75 physics net score, I achieved my goal. How are things with you?”

'IT IS NOT POSSIBLE' STATEMENT FROM YÖK

YÖK issued a written statement regarding this post by Prof. Dr. Özkara. Stating that it is not possible to place into a university with a net score of minus 1.75, the statement said, "The individual in question has a net score of 5.50 in AYT Mathematics and Science, 35.25 in TYT Turkish and Social Sciences, and 15 in AYT Turkish Language and Literature, History and Geography, meaning a total of 55.75 net scores are used in the calculation of their score."

The statement, which noted that the total net score the candidate achieved to place into the relevant department was 55.75, recorded the following:

"When calculating a candidate's score, 40 percent of the TYT and 60 percent of the AYT are taken into account. This candidate benefits from both TYT and AYT scores to be placed. It should not be forgotten that a candidate who is not successful in physics can be successful by solving other areas of the numerical field such as mathematics, chemistry, or biology. This system is not a new system; it is a system that has been applied for many years. Any candidate with these net scores can place not only into a physics department but also into mathematics, biology, or verbal programs. The net scores you collect are not collected for any specific program; applications can be made to any programs that accept students in that score type."

The statement, which noted that the candidate's numerical score was calculated because they had 3.75 net scores in the AYT Mathematics test and 0.5 in Physics and 1.25 in Biology in the Science test, recorded the following:

"Even if all of the Physics questions the candidate marked were wrong, the Biology and Mathematics net scores would be effective in the calculation of the SAY (numerical) score. The candidate has a sufficient SAY score to be placed in the aforementioned Physics Program.

In order for the candidate's SAY score to be calculated, they must have a raw score of 0.5 or higher in at least one of the 'Turkish' test or 'Basic Mathematics' test in the TYT, and a raw score of 0.5 or higher in at least one of the Mathematics test or Science test in the AYT. In accordance with the explanations above regarding YKS score calculation, it is seen that Behçet Yalın Özkara placed into the Kafkas University Faculty of Science and Letters Physics program with a numerical score of 233.72123. Looking at the 2024 YKS base scores published by ÖSYM, it is seen that the numerical score of the last candidate who placed into the mentioned program is 232.72688. Furthermore, it is seen that if Behçet Yalın Özkara had made his preferences with his numerical score, he could have placed into 64 more programs at state universities. He could have placed into programs such as Animal Production Technologies at Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University.

As stated above, scores can also be calculated for the SAY score type with only Mathematics test net scores. Score types are calculated generally as numerical, verbal, and equal weight, not program-specific. A candidate whose SÖZ (verbal) score is calculated can prefer a Turkish Language and Literature program with the net score obtained from the Social Sciences-2 test without having a net score from the Turkish Language and Literature-Social Sciences 1 test, just as they can prefer a Journalism program. For this reason, for those who have a raw score of 0.5 and above, the calculated score should be taken into account without looking at the number of correct or incorrect answers in the fields of the score types."