Message from TÜRGEV President Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz to YKS Candidates

We asked our Chairperson of the Board, Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz:

If you were a young person making your YKS preference choices today, what would you say to yourself?

Here is what I would say to Hatice making her YKS choices today:

Life cannot be confined to a single exam or a single score. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly and with integrity.

There Is No Score for Being a Good Person – Life Is Measured on the Scale of the Heart
You have worked for months, even years. On the morning of the exam, you felt excited, your heart was racing. The YKS exam is now behind you, and you are at the beginning of a new path, the preference stage. Everyone around you is talking about scores while you wait with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, wondering which department to choose, if your score will be enough, if your dream will come true.

But never forget this truth. Life cannot be confined to a single exam or a single score. Whatever university, city, or profession you choose, if you have done your best, your path is valuable and meaningful. YKS is a step but not the whole journey of life. Choices will be made, results will be announced, but the real matter is that whatever profession you choose, you should strive to be a good, fair, conscientious, and beneficial person.

Do Not Judge Yourself – Every Path Has Value
People may give you big advice like “Study this, it has a future” or “This department is great.” But the real treasure lies at the beginning of the road, deep within your own heart. The best choice comes from knowing yourself and choosing the profession you will do best.

Life Is Not a Race – Everyone’s Journey Is Different
Life is not a competition. Do not measure success with someone else’s compass. Do not compare yourself to others and do not belittle anyone. Everyone’s path, means, and story are different. Write your own story with effort, dedication, and virtue. Focus not on the destination but on the journey.

Set Out on the Journey of the Heart with All Your Heart
Life is not all about grades and exams. There is no score for being a good person, it is measured on the scale of the heart. Great successes start with small steps. Holding a friend’s hand, mending someone’s heart—these are the most precious successes in life. A small act of kindness, a smile, can sometimes change entire worlds. Every step taken with good intentions and every word that touches a heart leaves a lasting mark.

Think, Pray, and Take the First Step
When making your choices, think carefully, consult with others, and pray. May God grant you what is best. Remember, life is not a single choice but the path created by all your choices. Continue with your heart, your effort, and your hope. The real reward lies in being human and adding value to humanity.

Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz
Chairperson of the Board, TÜRGEV