Şeref Topçuoğlu, a 62-year-old retired teacher living in Bafra district of Samsun, has taken the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) for the 45th time this year. Topçuoğlu said he has taken the university entrance exam every year without interruption since graduating from Bafra High School in 1980.
Graduate of Five Universities Aims for a Sixth
Topçuoğlu, who has so far graduated from Anadolu University Open Education Faculty with degrees in public administration, business management and organization, tourism and hospitality, and theology, as well as from Dumlupınar University Kütahya Social Sciences Vocational School Transportation Services Program, stated he wants to study local government this year. "From 1980 to 2026, I will have taken the YKS 45 times. I have graduated from five universities. This year, I plan to graduate from a sixth university," he said.
Advice for Students and Guinness Goal
Topçuoğlu advised students not to give up, saying, "My advice to students is, if they don't succeed this year, they will next year, or the year after." One of the retired teacher's biggest goals is to enter the Guinness World Records.
Topçuoğlu explained, "One of my biggest goals is to enter the Guinness World Records. For this, I will request a document proving I took the exam. After documenting these, I will apply to the Turkish representative of Guinness."
Will Take the Exam with His Niece
Topçuoğlu said his niece, Halenur Tokur, came to support him during the exam for moral support, sharing the family's educational motivation: "My niece took the LGS exam last week. In four years, we will take the YKS together, God willing."
Before retirement, Şeref Topçuoğlu worked for 10 years as a substitute classroom teacher, 13 years as a substitute English teacher, and 4 years as a driving instructor at private driving courses.
