Turkey's YDT Russian top scorer Ela Demirel aims to study engineering

Ela Demirel, who ranked first in Turkey in the Russian section of the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) Foreign Language Test (YDT), also placed in the top 12,000 in the numerical score type. Growing up immersed in Russian thanks to her Tatar Turkish mother, Demirel now aims to study engineering and take part in projects beneficial to her country.

Scraper SystemJuly 24, 2026, 09:00 AM

Turkey's YDT Russian top scorer Ela Demirel aims to study engineering

Ela Demirel achieved a double success by securing first place in Turkey in the Russian language session of the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS) Foreign Language Test (YDT) while also ranking among the top 12,000 in the numerical score category.

Demirel attributed her connection with Russian to her mother being a Tatar Turk. She noted that she grew up immersed in the language from childhood, and continues to use Russian in her daily life and improve her vocabulary by reading many books.

Regular study and balanced life

Emphasizing that she avoided excessive pressure during her exam preparation, Demirel said, "I didn't study too much at first; I increased gradually. I focused on regular study. Toward the last months, I increased my study hours, but I never changed it to the point of disrupting my sleep schedule."

Demirel explained that she did not withdraw from her social life, did not restrict her phone use, and paid attention to her sleep schedule. She noted that the exam-oriented environment at her school enabled her to study regularly with friends.

Unexpected top rank

Demirel stated that her family always supported her and never pressured her, which helped her avoid excessive stress during the exam. She learned about her top rank from friends. "In the morning, my friends woke me up asking, 'Ela, is this you?' I was very happy. The exam went well, but I wasn't expecting to rank first—it was a nice surprise," she said.

Engineering goal

Noting that she also achieved a better-than-expected result in the numerical section, Demirel said, "I want to work in engineering; I have just started researching universities. I am not yet sure which university I will attend. With my education, I want to take part in projects that will benefit my country and be a person who contributes to society. That is my primary goal."

Demirel noted that after the High School Transition System (LGS) exam, she listed Ahmet Keleşoğlu Science High School as her first choice. She said she had four peaceful and wonderful years there, thanking her teachers and the school administration.

Offering advice to future exam candidates, Demirel said, "I believe what matters is studying regularly every day and having self-confidence. If candidates aim for the departments they want, I think they will be more successful. Pressure causes stress, so they need to be given comfort and freedom."

School's success

İbrahim Özbey, Vice Principal of Ahmet Keleşoğlu Science High School, expressed pride in the achievements, even though the school is only now producing its first graduates. Özbey said, "Our school was actually designed with the concept of a private school, with all kinds of facilities. Rather than the conventional science high school approach, we carry out all activities to ensure our students' academic and social development."

Özbey noted that across the school, there are 4 students in the top 1,000, 13 in the top 5,000, 18 in the top 10,000, 35 in the top 20,000, and 50 in the top 30,000, emphasizing that this is a major success for an institution producing its first graduates. Vice Principal Özbey added that next year's goal is to produce Turkey's top students in four different fields.

Turkey's YDT Russian top scorer Ela Demirel aims to study engineering