Costs rise in university preferences: Higher education tuition exceeds 3 million TL

After a long wait, the eyes of university candidates have turned once again to the preference period. According to the calendar announced by the Measurement, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM), YKS preferences will be made between July 29 and August 10. During the application process, candidates will be able to choose a maximum of 24 university programs electronically.

While quotas in both state and foundation universities have decreased by approximately 6 percent this year, the increase in list prices at private higher education institutions is noteworthy. The average undergraduate program fee at foundation universities has risen by 34 percent, reaching 573 thousand TL. In fields such as medicine, engineering, and dentistry in particular, fees can reach millions of TL. In fact, prices at some medical schools have exceeded 3 million TL.

DECLINE IN QUOTAS AND TUITION DIFFERENCES

According to information provided by education expert Salim Ünsal, approximately 47 thousand fewer quotas were allocated this year, and the total higher education quota has fallen to 747 thousand. The quota reduction in foundation universities mainly affected programs that accept students with lower success rankings.

On the pricing side, a large gap is noticeable. While list prices at medical schools rise up to 3 million 740 thousand TL, actual payments can vary with scholarships and discounts. Among the foundation universities with the highest annual fees, Koç and Sabancı stand out; some programs at these institutions exceed 2 million TL.

On the other hand, a total of 176 thousand students are planned to be placed in foundation universities this year. If all quotas are filled and no extra scholarships are provided, it is estimated that the total revenue of the universities could reach approximately 80 billion TL.

PREVALENCE OF SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND DISCOUNTS

Looking at student distributions in foundation universities, 14 percent of candidates were allocated full scholarships, and 68 percent were allocated 50 percent discounted quotas. The rate of full-paying students hovers around 13 percent. Salim Ünsal states that universities have set a large portion of their quotas as 50 percent discounted in order to reduce costs:

"The real price of foundation universities is actually whatever their 50 percent fee is."

In addition to this, various supports such as preference and success scholarships, and sibling discounts also play a role in reducing university costs for students.

The worsening economic conditions in recent years have increased the tendency of students to stay in the city where they live. Families living in metropolises like Istanbul compare the cost of going to a state university in a different city with the discounted fees of foundation universities in their own city. According to Ünsal's statement, approximately 76 percent of candidates in Istanbul do not leave the city for university education.

The fact that KYK dormitories cannot fully solve the housing problem and the lack of infrastructure in newly opened universities are effective in limiting student mobility to other cities. Family structure, socioeconomic reasons, and special quota applications for earthquake zones also cause preferences to concentrate in the city of residence.

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, 74 percent of four-year undergraduate graduates work in a registered job, and the average time to start their first job is 14 months. The fields with the highest employment rates are listed as medicine, teaching, and some engineering programs. There can be significant differences in employment data depending on the department preference and the number of graduates.

Furthermore, only 57 percent of graduates step into a profession directly related to the education they received. While the highest compatibility rate is recorded in the field of health and welfare, this rate drops to 20 percent in social sciences and journalism.

WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN MAKING PREFERENCES?

Education expert Salim Ünsal points out that university candidates should not focus only on success ranking and the popularity of the program during the preference process. Ünsal underscores the necessity of asking questions such as, "Is this department suitable for my personality traits, interests, and abilities?", "What kind of career can I build in this field?" and "What will the need for this profession be in the future?"

Pointing out that candidates sometimes turn to departments they do not want just to avoid being left without a placement, which can lead to unhappiness in their education life and careers, Ünsal emphasizes the importance of considering psychological and pedagogical factors in preferences.

Ünsal also states that visiting universities in person, examining course contents in detail, and researching the employment opportunities of graduates would be an effective method to prevent possible regrets.

According to experts, preferences made without holistically evaluating economic conditions, education and living costs, scholarship and housing opportunities, and post-graduation employment data can lead to unexpected problems for both candidates and their families in the long run.

News Source: 12punto