Süleyman Arı (IR/IV), a visually impaired Bilkent student, has so far been accepted to the Ph.D. programs of three American universities. Süleyman has the option to study either philosophy at the University of Southern California or the University of Chicago (with paid tuition and a teaching assistantship), or political science at the University of California at Los Angeles (with a four-year fellowship).
Süleyman , a Mersin native, comes from a family of nine children, seven of whom are currently studying at various universities in Turkey. Since he was not able to see, he prepared for the 1995 National University Entrance Exam with the help of his siblings, friends, and teachers. For the past four years Süleyman has been studying in the International Relations Department with continued support from his friends and instructors.
When he decided to pursue a Ph.D. abroad after graduating, Süleyman was a little anxious about the prospect of taking the GRE and TOEFL. He scored 600 on the TOEFL, but doing well on the GRE appeared a more formidable task. "Studying for the GRE is really difficult for visually impaired students since you need to make notes on paper to solve the problems," Süleyman says. However, thanks to his focused preparation, he scored an impressive 2210 out of a possible 2400 on the GRE: 800 on the analytical section (a perfect score, which only 1 percent of those taking the exam achieve), 760 out of 800 on the quantitative section, and 650 out of 800 on the verbal section (the highest verbal score in the last year by a Bilkent student). Nevertheless, Süleyman believes that for visually impaired students, it is very hard to prepare for such exams, and thinks that if proper facilities are provided for the students, the whole experience will be much less stressful.
Süleyman is grateful to his friends, instructors, and everyone else whose support enabled him to reach this milestone in his life and studies. He is hoping that such support will continue to be offered to other students in need. As for his future, Süleyman says, "I like delving into the theoretical and philosophical foundations of things. After I complete my studies in philosophy or political science, I hope to become an instructor and motivate others by sharing my ideas, knowledge, and experience with modesty."
