Student Selection and Placement System

ÖSS is the University Entrance Exam in Turkey. It abbreviates "Ogrenci Secme Sinavi", which means "Student Selection Exam". In Turkey, the only way to enter the university is this exam. It's system had recently changed; starting to be applied in 2006. It's said that ÖSS is the exam which has the highest number of enterers; each year nearly 1.7 million students enter it and in 2006 it's to increase to 2 million. Before, only 9th Grade topics were tested in the exam, there were 180 questions, and the duration was 180 minutes. Not every students had to do every question, they did the questions according to their tracks. (see: Turkish education system) Now, the exam lasts 3,5 hours, and has two parts; ÖSS-1 and ÖSS-2. In the first part which has 120 questions, 9th grade material is tested. Every students has to do every question. In the second part, which has 90 questions, students do questions according to their tracks. The new system made entrance to universities a bit fairer and much harder. The ÖSS score consists of the score which is done in the exam and the success in the High School. According to their GPA, students get another point out of 100 which is added to their test score. If a student is to make a preference in his-her own track, the score is multiplied with 0,8 and if a student is to do a preference out of his-her own track the score is multiplied with 0,3. The exam is adminstrated in the third Sunday of June. In the third week of July, the results and scores are announced. Until mid-August, students do their university preferences according to their scores. In early-September, the results arrive to students. ÖSS system in Turkey is very unfair, since it only determines the entrance to the universities with a 3,5 hour exam only, not anything else. In other countries, the system of acceptance is applied, which evaluates all the works of student throughout his-her high school carrier. The system of ÖSS is a big subject of debate among students and parents as well as the politicians.