With the announcement of today’s Panhellenic Examination scores, Dimitra and Anna have been rewarded for their efforts by crossing the 19,000-point threshold. Both are aiming for the Athens Medical School through the Health Studies Orientation Group.

Dimitra Koliofoti scored 19,550 points. She scored in Language 18.9, Biology 19.3, Physics 19.7, and Chemistry 20.

“Very difficult year of preparation. Too much studying, too many hours. As much as I could, I avoided staying up late. In the day I was reading 5 or 6 hours,” he will tell protothema.gr. However, she was not particularly deprived of her social life as it helped her to maintain a balance between her gruelling hours and her peace of mind:

“I used to go out with my friends, and I think that helped to keep a balance. They were there for me, and I had support in my daily life. I needed to get away a little bit – movies, walks, board games… Luckily, other kids in my group were in the same direction and wrote well.”

On whether or not she was surprised by the results, she states: “I knew I’d done well, but because medical schools have a very high base, I couldn’t work out whether I’d get in or not, it was down to the detail. Of the courses, I had the most trouble with Biology – the last subject seemed a bit vague. That took away a few credits. But Language, too, was not particularly easy.”

“Now, I’m going to enjoy the summer with my friends and family. It is now time to rest. To enjoy the fruits of our labors,” he concludes.

Anna Avgerinopoulou scored 19,140 points and is aiming for Athens Medical School. As for her scores, she scored 16.6 in Language 16.6, 20 in Biology, 19.3 in Physics, and 19.8 in Chemistry.

Hard work, intensive preparation, and lots of ‘ups and downs’ psychologically, he says.

“Very difficult school this year. I tried to keep a consistent schedule of studying, at least 6 hours a day. Outside of school and tutoring. Sleep, minimal – no more than 5 hours. I had sacrificed my sleep. Replenishing with coffee. I tried to get about half an hour of rest in the afternoon, coming home from school. But because there was no time, I often went on a run.

When there is so much stress and so much pressure for so long, you say, ‘That’s it, I’m tired. ‘ It’s a good thing I had my family by my side to support me, as well as my friends. But also my teachers – as soon as they saw me ‘down’, they would come straight over to support me. And that helped me a lot,” stresses Annetta.

As she points out, she had to deprive herself of a lot for her success: “Hobbies, nothing this year. After high school, I gave up sports – I used to swim before that.

The truth is, since then, I have been fully focused on preparing for the Panhellenic exams, and I have been fighting for this goal. It had been a long time since my efforts. I would wake up in the morning, and I was ‘shattered’, so I was taking multivitamins at the same time. I felt they gave me a little extra strength. Towards the end, though, I stopped taking them.”

As for the subjects she was tested in, she notes: “As the most ‘fuzzy’ part of the exam, I had Language in my mind. But of all the subjects, the one that gave me the most trouble was Biology – when I came out, I was on pins and needles.”

And now? “Now, it’s the holidays next. First with my girlfriends, then with my parents,” he says.

Residents from Anatolia College

Stella Yoltzidou was the school’s flag bearer, with a net of 20, she was awarded the 1st Achievement Award and Student Profile Award. She secured 19,100 points in the Panhellenic exams and is interested in medical school.

“My endeavour did not start in the last two years from high school. There was too much fatigue and organised studying. But the reward at the end makes you forget everything. In the essay, I got a 17.8 – you can never be sure what you’ve written… as for Biology, I got a 19.7. I found the topics passable, I don’t think there was an issue outside the syllabus – maybe because I had practiced a lot. In Chemistry, I scored 19.6 – I found the topics accessible, except D2. And in Physics, 18.7… the subjects were not that difficult, but there I was dominated by anxiety.”

About her school, Stella stresses that she received a lot of support and was given many opportunities: “Our teachers, wonderful. In addition, we had extracurricular activities, which helped us to develop every aspect of ourselves.”

Taner Hotsika was born in the village of Kentauro in Xanthi. He was an Anatolia scholar and intern with a 100% scholarship. He scored 17,000 points in the Panhellenic exams, and with the special 10% quota available for certain categories of candidates, such as the Greek Muslims of Thrace, Tanner is considering studying Medicine or Chemistry.

“I took the sixth grade exam to get into Anatolia, and I was very happy to secure a full scholarship to study here for the six years. I was a 12-year-old kid and was scared at first that I would be living away from home. But I got a lot of help from Anatolia, they supported me. Slowly, I got used to it while making friends. In first grade, I saw my family once a month when I came home. But in junior high school, I saw them every quarter or so. My mom was initially scared when I was going to leave home to go to school in Thessaloniki, but luckily everything went well.”

On his goals, Tanner will say: “As a first choice, I have Medicine. Along the way, I realized that I also really like Chemistry. So I would also be interested in Pharmacy and Chemistry. Or somehow combine the three sciences.”

Given the objective difficulties, does he feel his path has been affected?

“I feel that my origins have not stood in the way of my later path, neither from the village I am from, nor from Xanthi in general. The whole Muslim community supported me, and I faced no difficulty in this. It is all a matter of will and determination combined with the opportunities I was given.”

Athena Xystrou scored 18,420 points. She is a resident and scholar at Anatolia College. She was born in Arnea, Halkidiki, and had secured a 100% scholarship from Ellinikos Xrysos.

“My municipality was given a scholarship by ‘Ellinikos Xrysos’ – for one child from the whole municipality. I took exams, passed interviews,and  they even visited me at my home. So I won a full scholarship from the first grade and came to Anatolia to complete my schooling.”

On preparing for the Panhellenic exams, she said: “I did not follow a fixed study schedule, nor was I particularly stressed. Depending on my commitments, I also determined what I would do each day. I was trying to manage in this way. Of course, there were also very difficult periods, more studying. But on average, I read 3 to 4 hours a day. I was giving myself breaks too, hours of rest, I wanted to see my friends. No excesses.” As for her performance, she got 17.5 in Maths, 20 in Economics, 15.6 in Exposure, and 19.2 in Computer Science.

Reflecting on her feelings regarding being away from home when she found herself in boarding school, Athena admits she found it difficult: “I missed my parents, it wasn’t easy. And I had to become independent suddenly, which means that what 18-year-olds find now, I had to do at 15. But, I became stronger that way. And now, I’m not afraid of anything!”

Her goal is to pursue the IT industry: “I like programming and I plan to pursue a second degree because I love both Math and Physics. Because I’m interested in research, I would like to progress either in a lab or in a company – I don’t know yet,” he concludes.

In Heraklion, Crete, many of the top students

According to neakriti.gr, there were many distinctions and high scores at the 3rd High School of Heraklion, with students making it to their first choice.

Nikos Paraskakis scored 19,500 points.

Dimitra Vrontaki, with 19,200 points, achieved her goal, Medicine.

Yiannis Vrettakis, with 19,150 points, achieved his goal and passed to the Law School.

Aristomenis Lagovardos, with 19,200 points, achieved his goal and entered Medicine.

Iro Savvopoulou and Ira Stefanaki, two friends from the 3rd High School, who were taking their Panhellenic exams for the second time, passed the schools they wanted, Law and Architecture.

“There is great value in not giving up on your goal. When you persevere and want to succeed, it is achieved,” said the successful candidates of the Panhellenic Examinations, noting that after this effort, the most beautiful summer holidays are next!”

Christos Mastorodimos from the 2nd High School with 19,400 points passed to the NTUA and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

He scored an impressive performance, scoring 20 in Physics, 19.8 in Mathematics, 19.2 in Chemistry, and 18.1 in Composition.

Christos is among the top performers in this year’s Panhellenic Exams, with a score that ranks him among the protagonists not only of his school, but also of the wider student map of the year.

Behind this great success lies not only his diligence but also his mental stamina, maturity, and ethos.

“From the moment I entered high school, my goal was not just ato  school. I wanted to get as high as I could. To write as well as I could,” the young man says.

NTU was his first preference, and as he states, “I feel like it chose me, too.”

His success did not come through exhaustive reading, but was built on solid foundations, built with consistency and a love of knowledge. As he admits:

“Two hours a day was enough. The important thing is to have worked properly from the previous years.”

On the morning of the announcement, he was at his school to receive his diploma. There, among classmates, friends, and teachers, he learned the results just before the official text message arrived.
“They hugged me, congratulated me, and announced my grades. I was touched. It was the reward of a three-year journey.”

With touching gratitude, he speaks of those who have supported him: his teachers at school and in tutoring, his family and friends.
“The school had a very good atmosphere. We helped each other a lot. That stays.”

The next day finds him packing his bags for Athens.

“I’m going to enjoy the holidays first and then the house hunting begins,” he said enthusiastically.

In Volos, two twin sisters passed on their first choice

Twins Ioanna and Vasiliki Malindretou are being admitted to the schools of their choice.

According to gegonota.news, two twin students of the 5th High School of Volos, Ioanna and Vasiliki, are admitted to the university schools of their choice.

The two sisters seem to be moving to Ioannina together, as Vasiliki, with 17,900 points, is going to the School of Biological Applications and Technologies of Ioannina, while her sister Ioanna, with 17,500 points, is entering the Chemistry Department of the same University.

Their twin success has filled them and their parents with joy, satisfaction, and relief.