11 students top nationwide university exams

ANKARA

YKS (AA)

A total of 11 students secured the top spots in Türkiye’s nationwide university entrance exams, with a historic Istanbul high school producing the most champions, the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) has announced.

The YKS evaluates millions of candidates annually across basic proficiency, foreign language and advanced field-specific sessions to determine university placements. Kabataş Erkek Lisesi dominated the results by yielding four first-place finishes in various academic tracks, leaving behind thousands of schools nationwide.

Meanwhile, official data reveals female candidates recorded higher attendance rates than their male counterparts across the board. Of the 2.42 million applicants for the initial basic proficiency test, 94.21 percent of female candidates participated compared to 91.48 percent of male applicants. However, male students scored higher averages in eight of the 11 advanced field tests.

Şerif Efe Dartar, who ranked first in both the basic proficiency and advanced numerical tests for Kabataş, attributed his success to relentless practice. “I guessed I was in the top 100 after the exam finished, but I did not expect to be the champion; I can hardly find any practice tests left on the market that I haven’t solved,” Dartar said.

Tuğsem Bahar, another top scorer in the equal-weight track for Kabataş, noted her rigorous routine. “I never dropped below 10 hours of studying a day, and this went up to 14 hours in the final month,” Bahar said.

Candidates are gearing up for the official university preference period scheduled between July 29 and Aug. 10. Authorities advised students to thoroughly research their prospective departments before making final decisions.