Çorum LGS and YKS averages are slightly above the Turkish average. What do exam figures tell us, and what not? A psychological look for students and parents.
Every summer, when the results of the LGS and YKS (Turkey's national high-school and university entrance exams) are announced, the same question comes up again in the local press: "How did Çorum do this year?" The top students in the province, those who achieved full marks and those who made it into the top thousands appear in the news; families compare their own children's results with this picture. According to local press reports citing a statement by the Provincial Directorate of National Education, in 2025 the Çorum LGS/YKS averages were slightly above the Turkish average. So what do these figures mean for a student, a family or a school? In this article I will look first at the available data, then at the limits of this data, and finally at the psychological impact of exam results on children and families.
What Do the Figures Say? Çorum LGS/YKS Averages
The main data we have on Çorum's exam performance are as follows:
- TYT average (2025 YKS): According to local press reports citing the statement of the Provincial Director of National Education, 44.01 in Çorum and 42.68 in Turkey. (TYT is the basic proficiency test, the first stage of the YKS.)
- LGS average (2025): According to the same statement, 38.30 in Çorum and 38.00 in Turkey.
- Full marks in the LGS: According to the Ministry of National Education's (MEB) 2025 LGS statistics, 719 students across Turkey achieved the full score of 500; 4 of them were from Çorum. This is 0.56% of the total.
- Top rankings in the YKS (2026): According to local press reports citing data from the Provincial Directorate of National Education, 12 students from Çorum entered the top 1,000 in the national ranking, 59 the top 5,000, 125 the top 10,000 and 526 the top 50,000.
It is also helpful to consider these figures together with conditions in schools. According to MEB's 2024/'25 Formal Education Statistics:
- In Çorum there are 18–19 pupils per class in primary and lower secondary school; in Turkey, 22.
- The number of pupils per teacher is 15 in primary school (Turkey: 18), 11 in lower secondary school (Turkey: 13) and 9 in upper secondary education (Turkey: 11).
- The adjusted net enrolment rate in upper secondary education is 92.63%; in Turkey it is 87.88%.
The proportion of 17-year-olds in school is 76.16% in Çorum; this is higher than in the neighbouring provinces of Samsun (70.52%), Tokat (66.53%) and Amasya (73.47%). In other words, most young people in Çorum who are of final-year high-school age are still within the education system and preparing for the university entrance exam.
According to local press reports citing data from TÜİK's (the Turkish Statistical Institute's) Samsun Regional Directorate, the expected number of years a child in Çorum will spend in education was 17.2 years in 2025; in Turkey it was 16.8 years.
The limits of the data
This picture needs to be approached with caution. The TYT and LGS averages could not be verified against official provincial tables published by ÖSYM (the national exam agency) or MEB; the statement does not specify what the "average" refers to (net correct answers or score). ÖSYM and MEB do not publish a current provincial achievement ranking. The numbers of students entering the top thousands also cannot be interpreted without knowing the size of the province's population and the number of students taking the exam. In short, the figures suggest that Çorum is "slightly above" the national average; but they show neither a marked leap nor a decline.
A Sociological Reading: What Do Çorum LGS/YKS Averages Reflect?
Exam performance cannot be explained by a single factor. To understand Çorum's picture, several possible factors need to be considered together.
Smaller classes. The fact that the number of pupils per class and per teacher is below the Turkish average may be an advantage in that teachers can pay closer attention to each pupil. However, this situation also partly reflects the shrinking child population and the small schools in rural areas; it therefore does not explain performance on its own.
High enrolment. The fact that most young people of high-school age are in school means that the students sitting the exam represent a broader section of the population. This can affect the average both upwards and downwards.
Socio-economic structure. Academic studies show that socio-economic development at provincial level is related in particular to mathematics performance. However, there is no study specifically examining the relationship between exam performance and socio-economic structure in Çorum.
Girls and boys. According to MEB data, the enrolment rate of girls in upper secondary education in Çorum (93.86%) is slightly higher than that of boys (91.46%). Women (17.6 years) are also ahead of men (16.9 years) in expected years of education. This suggests that girls have a strong tendency to stay in education. These small differences in enrolment can also affect which students sit the exam, and therefore whom the averages cover.
The gap between the average and the top tier. Although access indicators are strong, the numbers of students achieving full marks and reaching the top rankings are limited. This may point to a picture that is above average but not concentrated at the very top of the distribution.
A Psychological Reading: The Provincial Average and the Child's Reality
A province's exam average does not tell the story of any single child in that province. However, these figures can have unexpected psychological effects on families and students.
The shadow of "top of the province" news
After exam results are announced, photographs of the province's top students and of those who achieved full marks are shared in newspapers and on social media. These achievements certainly deserve to be celebrated. However, the same news can also lead thousands of other students to see their own results as "not good enough". Let us say a student who achieved a good score in the LGS but missed out on their target high school by a few points hears relatives say at dinner, "The neighbour's son got full marks." This single sentence can make months of the student's effort invisible and feed the feeling that "Whatever I do, it's never enough."
The comparison trap
In small and medium-sized cities, families know one another; news of whose child has got into which school spreads quickly. This closeness can make parental comparison easier. A child who is compared is often not motivated; on the contrary, they may experience shame, anger and withdrawal. A young person who begins to equate their own worth with their exam score may struggle with fear of failure and perfectionism in later years.
Exam anxiety and the weight of expectations
Living in a province that is above average can, in some families, turn into pressure along the lines of "we should at least be above average too". This expectation can increase exam anxiety in the student: sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, stomach aches, the mind going blank during the exam. Anxiety up to a certain level spurs a person into action; but when it becomes intense, it prevents the use of knowledge that has been learned.
An exam result shows what your child was able to do on that day; it does not show who they are, what they can achieve or how valuable they are.
When results fall short of expectations
For a young person whose LGS or YKS result falls short of expectations, the first days can be hard. Disappointment, shame, anger and worry about the future may all be experienced at once. These reactions are natural. What matters is that the young person is not left alone with these feelings and does not come to believe that a single exam will determine their whole life. I discuss what can be done when the LGS result is disappointing in a separate article.
The invisible pressure on high-achieving students
Students who reach the top rankings also carry their own burdens. Pressure to maintain this position can build up on a young person who is "always first". While family, school and community see them as a "success story", the young person may find it hard to voice their own wishes, tiredness or indecision. Anxiety, burnout and identity confusion can also be seen in successful students.
The role of the school and the guidance service
Provincial-level figures such as Çorum LGS/YKS averages can also create pressure on schools and teachers. When schools begin to be known by their success lists, students' emotional needs can be pushed into the background. Yet school guidance services are the closest resource for noticing exam anxiety early, giving students study skills and building cooperation with families. A teacher saying to a student, "This mock exam didn't go well, but you've made a lot of progress in this subject since last month", can change how the young person sees themselves. Families keeping in regular contact with the guidance teacher also allows observations from home and school to be brought together. Seeing exam success not as dependent solely on the student's individual effort, but as a process carried out jointly by the family, the school and the student, spreads the burden more evenly.
Stay or go?
The YKS is not just a score; it is often a decision about relocating. For many young people in Çorum, the university entrance exam means the possibility of leaving home and the city for the first time. Some young people see going to a big city as liberation, while others fear moving away from their family and being alone in a new city. Families, too, may waver between "Let them choose somewhere nearby" and "Whatever city it is, let them go to the course they want". If these feelings are not openly discussed during the period of choosing university preferences, the young person may end up carrying both the pressure of the score and the anxiety of separation alone. Considering preferences not only in terms of scores and course rankings but also together with the young person's interests, personality and capacity to adjust to a new city reduces later regrets.
Practical Suggestions for Students and Families
For families:
- Talk about the process, not the result. Asking "What have you learned to do better this term?" instead of "How many did you get right?" makes your child's effort visible.
- Avoid comparisons. Do not compare your child with a sibling, a cousin or the neighbour's child. Every child has their own pace and their own strengths.
- See the provincial average as information, not a target. Assess your child's progress against their own past performance, not against other students.
- Protect life outside exams. Sleep, nutrition, physical activity and social relationships are as important as studying. Cutting them out completely in an exam year lowers productivity.
- Stand by your child against comments from relatives and neighbours. Saying "We're proud of them" is the most powerful way to balance outside voices.
For students:
- Do not compare yourself with the top students in the news. Those stories show only a small fraction of thousands of students.
- Recognise your anxiety rather than suppressing it. A racing heart, stomach ache or sleeplessness are your body's stress signals. Breathing exercises and short breaks can help.
- Break your goals into small steps. Weekly and daily targets make a big and uncertain exam more manageable.
- Talk to an adult. Your guidance teacher, your family or an adult you trust can offer support in difficult moments.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
A certain amount of tension during the exam period is natural. However, it may be helpful to seek support from a professional in the following situations:
- If sleep, appetite and day-to-day functioning have been disrupted for weeks because of exam anxiety,
- If the student frequently says that they cannot answer even questions they know in the exam, and that their mind goes completely blank,
- If, after the results are announced, low mood, withdrawal and hopelessness last for weeks,
- If the student does not want to go to school, is pulling away from friends or says they feel worthless,
- If there are constant arguments in the family because of exams.
If a young person says things like "I don't want to live" or shows signs of self-harm, never dismiss it. In an emergency call 112 (emergency services) or go to the nearest emergency department.
How Are Exam Anxiety and Pressure to Succeed Addressed in Therapy?
Adolescent counselling allows young people going through the exam process to talk about their anxieties, expectations and self-perception in a safe setting. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the approaches frequently used for exam anxiety. Sessions can work on the following areas:
- Noticing catastrophising thoughts: Recognising thoughts such as "If I don't pass this exam my life is over" and developing more realistic alternatives.
- Managing physical anxiety: Reducing the physical symptoms of anxiety with breathing and relaxation techniques.
- Study routines and procrastination: Making realistic plans and understanding the anxiety beneath procrastination.
- Self-worth: Helping the young person separate their worth from their exam score.
Where necessary, sessions are also held with parents to discuss the family's expectations, ways of communicating and how they can support the young person. Disappointment after the exam, indecision about university preferences or adjusting to a new school can also be subjects of therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Çorum above the Turkish average in the LGS and YKS?
According to local press reports citing the Provincial Directorate of National Education, in 2025 Çorum's TYT average was 44.01 (Turkey: 42.68) and its LGS average was 38.30 (Turkey: 38.00). Since these values could not be verified against official provincial tables, it is more accurate to interpret them as "slightly above".
Is there an official provincial achievement ranking?
No. ÖSYM and MEB do not publish a current provincial achievement ranking. The rankings mentioned in the news are usually based on secondary sources or different criteria; they should therefore be treated with care.
My child scored below the provincial average; should I be worried?
The provincial average is a summary of thousands of students' results and does not show the potential of a single child. It is more meaningful to look at your child's own development, strengths and areas of difficulty. If there is intense unhappiness that continues after the result, you might consider seeking support.
Does relatives constantly asking about the result affect my child?
Yes, it can. Being constantly questioned and compared can create shame and anxiety in a child. As a parent, closing the subject with a short and positive answer helps you protect your child from this pressure.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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