A new question for university applications: Would students choose the same school again?

As university candidates prepare to make their choices between July 29 and August 10, experts point out that the decision-making process should not be seen as limited only to success rankings, base scores, and quotas. Evrim Kuran, Universum Turkey Leader and researcher-author, stated that the fundamental question candidates should ask themselves when choosing a university is, "Would I choose the same university again a few years from now?"

The Universum Talent Research, presented by Kuran, examined the views of 38 thousand 995 students studying at 63 universities between November 2025 and June 2026 regarding their schools, educational experiences, and career services. The research focused on students' experiences within the institutions and what they expect from them, rather than ranking universities by academic success.

“The real question that does not appear in the preference guides is this: Would the student choose the same university again a few years later?”

34 PERCENT SAY THEY WOULD CHOOSE THE SAME UNIVERSITY

One of the prominent findings of the research was that the proportion of students who say they would choose the same university if they could start their education over remained at 34 percent. 35 percent of students stated that they would want to go to another university in Turkey, while 27 percent said they would prefer a university abroad. 4 percent expressed that they would prefer to join the workforce directly instead of attending university.

In contrast, the average satisfaction level of students with their universities was measured at 6.8 out of 10. According to Kuran, this picture does not indicate a major disconnect, but rather that it is not enough for universities to win over students only during the application period; they must provide an experience that validates the student's decision throughout their educational life.

The most important factor students consider in university attractiveness was the high quality of programs, just as it was last year. In second place was the university providing a strong reference for future career or educational life. A safe campus environment, which was in seventh place last year, rose to third place this year. Diversity and inclusion were positioned in fourth place.

Kuran emphasized that the expectation for a safe campus cannot be explained solely by physical security measures. She said that students expect a university environment where they are not left alone in the face of discrimination, where they can express their ideas, and where they are not excluded due to their differences.

EXPECTATIONS IN CAREER SERVICES ARE CHANGING

According to the research, high employment rates ranked eighth among the criteria for university attractiveness. This finding revealed that students do not see university only as a gateway to their first job; they also take into account factors such as social environment, alumni network, international recognition, and campus experience.

Students were also asked which university they would choose in Turkey if they were to start their education over. ITU ranked first, followed by METU and Boğaziçi University. The fact that all of the top 10 universities are state universities was evaluated in the research as the combined effect of the reputation of established institutions, their academic tradition, alumni networks, and cost pressures.

On the career services side, 19 percent of students said they did not participate in any career development activities. 31 percent of students who do not use these services stated that they believe they are still in the early stages of their education. According to Kuran, this result carries an important signal regarding when and how career development is positioned in universities.

Among the activities students find most useful in career development, career, job, and internship fairs came first with 45 percent. Interaction with alumni ranked at 31 percent, resume and interview training at 30 percent, and career counseling and career path information at 25 percent. The rate of those who find employer presentations useful remained at 20 percent.

Kuran stated that the responsibility is often left solely on the shoulders of young people during the application period, noting that the correctness of the decision is determined over the years by the education, campus experience, and career opportunities offered by the university.