The 'obligatory' and 'recommended' aspects of university preferences

Let me first write about the 'obligatory' (farz) aspects of this process, which should be a lesson for all.

“Do not despair because you were left at the bottom, do not boast because you reached the top; this arena is the arena of the brave.”

Do not be sad if your exam score is low, and do not rejoice if it is high.

You never know what life will bring, who it will put at the bottom, or who it will bring to the top. 

Millions of students have reached the preference stage following the university entrance exam.

Friends and acquaintances are calling and asking.

What kind of preference strategy should we follow so that the child can stand on their own two feet?

Mothers and fathers are excited.

They are looking for which university and department to choose so that their child can start earning a living early and the burden on their backs can be lightened.

While it is understandable that they do not want to finance their children for a lifetime, the main reason is to prevent them from being hungry, homeless, and miserable in a useless way.

Then let us come to the 'obligatory' (vajib) aspects of university preferences.

First of all, parents should know that a university is not a vocational training course.

It is merely a campus that produces a valid document to qualify for practicing a profession.

More importantly, it is a center for acquiring a philosophy of life and managing the evolutionary process.

No one can become a doctor just by finishing medical school, just as one cannot become an engineer just by finishing civil engineering.

Becoming a good engineer requires at least 20 years.

Let us return to our topic.

To the 'obligatory' aspects of preferences.

Except for a few universities, university diplomas no longer hold much importance.

If you are not a graduate of a university that accepts students from the top fifty thousand, such as METU (ODTÜ) or ITU, your diploma does not carry much weight.

Therefore, do not hesitate to make your preferences without focusing solely on the diploma.

Because the Education Model has changed.

Knowledge is no longer accessed only in university lecture halls.

Or knowledge is not only reached by those who enter the top fifty thousand.

A virtual model called self-education is dominating the new world.

Therefore, not being able to get into a high-score university like METU or ITU is not the end of the world.

Of course, those who win start the race one step ahead, but winning at the finish line is something else entirely.

This is a marathon.

It is possible to close the gap with the self-education model and reach the finish line sooner.

You might even be luckier when it comes to finding a job.

Institutions refrain from hiring graduates of such universities because they demand high salaries.  

The first of the 'obligatory' aspects is to learn to focus.

Being scattered is like chasing several rabbits at the same time.

Do not be deceived by last year's scores due to the congestion and crowding in the system; add places with lower scores to your preference list as well.

Never question the adequacy of the universities' academic staff.

If it is in the catalog, it is sufficient.

Otherwise, they would not be able to get permission from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to accept students.

Do not get too hung up on the accreditation of departments; it is not something that concerns you or relates to quality.

Let us come to the 'recommended' (sunnah) aspects of university preferences and, more importantly, what needs to be done after becoming a student.

Try to study for free.

Do not spend money on education.

Or study somewhere close to your home by spending very little money.

Integrate into the Second University system without exams.

Take a look at the programs of Istanbul University and Anadolu University.

As you near graduation, you will penetrate a different economic and social order.

Do not skip the second university model without exams to increase your chances of success in life.

Whether you graduate from the best or the worst university, use Work and Travel, Erasmus, and Erasmus internship programs to the fullest.

The difference between you and those who do not use them will be felt in a very short time.

Whether you study in Istanbul or Şırnak, take an active role in student club activities.

Do your internships for real, not just on paper, so that not only the folds of theory but also the folds of reality form in your mind.

Stay very close to your professors.

Try to take part in your professor's research projects.

At the very least, write their papers, make their photocopies, or make their coffee.

Do it even if it is menial work.

If necessary, carry them on your back, not just their bag.

Do not refrain from serving your professor so that you can facilitate the interaction of mind transfer more easily.

Finally, choose the philosophy of 'lifelong learning' as your role model so that you are constantly updated.

I wish you all the best of luck in advance and wish you lifelong success.