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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents a review of foreign and local literature and studies which are

directly and indirectly related to the research study.

Based on Statistics, more than 15,000 typical young people have problems about school.

Surprisingly, most students approve wholeheartedly of their schools. Despite a certain amount of

groaning and grumbling, 79 percent of those polled frankly admit that they like school. Only 6

percent dislike it so much that they would like to quit. Despite their general approval, however,

many young people complain that their problem is not knowing how to study effectively. Big

majorities mention problems that stand in the way of getting the most out of school. Here are

some of those problems: I would like to do well I my school work, but I do not know how to

study effectively; I could do better if I had more definite idea of how well I’m doing during the

semester; It is the test that worry me. Even when I “know my stuff” I get so tense and worried

that I don’t do as well as I should; I know exactly what I want to say, but putting it down on paper

is what gets me. (Robert H. Seashore (1962), Your Goals and You: A Guidance Handbook,

Science Research Associates USA) 8 Students may have all their school problems neatly solved,

but maybe questions about their plans for the future are baffling them. Perhaps they haven’t yet

chosen the career they would like to follow. They may be uncertain about their future educational

plans. (Robert H. Seashore (1962), Your Goals and You: A Guidance Handbook, Science

Research Associates USA) Getting along with others is in some ways related to the preceding

one, because the way people feel about themselves influences the way others feel. If they feel

friendly and self-confident, others are likely to look at them in the same way. Most young people

want very much to be liked and to be included in activities of the groups that interest them.
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(Robert H. Seashore (1962), Your Goals and You: A Guidance Handbook, Science Research

Associates USA) The researchers found this selection precise since most of the youth today

experience lack of self-esteem when it comes to the fact that they are pressured to do well in

college. Like what is mentioned above, some students find it hard to cope-up with exams when

they did not understand the lesson. That is why some young people are discouraged to continue

up to their college degree because of their experiences in high school. As said by Seashore, “the

way you feel about yourself influences the way others feel about you” explains that most of the

youth today are forced to be like their parents – to choose the universities that they have been to,

to choose the course that they have been or to continue what they preferred, and still, they are

pressured to do well with it. Ability of an individual as defined by an online dictionary site called,

“The Free Dictionary by Farlex” is:

(a) the quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal

power to accomplish something

(b) a natural or acquired skill or talent (c) the quality of being suitable for or receptive to a

specified treatment.

Relating the given definitions to the researchers’ subject matter, the students’ abilities

make a great impact on their decision regarding which course they will go for. High school

students must meet the required average grade of the subjects for their selection of course. For

example, a student who has a vision of being an engineer cannot take engineering courses if he

falls short on trigonometry and mathematics; and a student cannot take BS Accountancy if he is

not fond of Accountancy at all. Thus, the ability and the performance of a student distress his

decision on what course he will take. Young people’s dreams and ambitions may take many

forms and go through many phases and changes. Some are practical and realistic; some can never

go beyond wishful thinking. But among the main factors that help determine the life they will

eventually have are the kind of schooling they get and the type of work they do. Their abilities, in
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turn, help determine that they will be able to achieve in the way of education and a career.

(Excerpted from Your goals and You: A Guidance Handbook) A consideration of their profile of

abilities can help them avoid mistakes, too. If they are very high in physical ability and manual

dexterity, but below average in mechanical comprehension, reasoning, and space ability, it

probably would be unrealistic for them to look forward to a career in engineering, and more

practical to try for success as skilled sheet metal worker or in some other requiring their particular

combination of abilities. If a person’s ability does not support the course they like, they need to

think for alternatives that would suit it. It is better to go for a course in which the student is

interested and which his abilities go well rather than going for a course in which the abilities of

the student are not compatible which can results to failure. Choosing a course is a really tough

decision to make. As students, they are more aware of their abilities and the courses they can

cope with. From that point, after assessing their limits, they can already anticipate if they can

qualify to that particular course. The decision can be done based on what field the student’s excel.

It is one of the bases that can be implied. If a student prefers a course that is not suitable for him,

he may not meet the Grade Point Average that in either way may result to failure or even

disqualification. The suggestion of the researchers is it will be best if the students identify their

abilities which they can utilize for the future. It will also be coherent if they pursue the course

they are comfortable with, which holds their interest and with what can meet the arrangement of

their abilities. The constitution allows parents to bring up their children according to their own

values and beliefs. Parental responsibility includes: Providing a home for their children and;

Choosing and providing for their child’s education. Parents have the rights to make decisions

about their child’s upbringing without interference. Parenting involves providing a safe

environment for their child’s growth, providing for their basic needs, allowing them to develop

their own identity, nurturing their self-esteem, respecting them, educating them, spending time

with them etc. Parents have a duty to protect their children from abuse and neglect. Having

parental responsibility basically means that as a parent they have the right to make important
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decisions. Parents are the ones who nurture and raise a child. Being a parent is not that easy, they

have their duties and responsibilities not only to themselves but also to their children. As their

children grow up they have needs that parents should provide. Parents provide them their basic

needs, teach moral values, show them what is right and help them develop their own being.

Parents should also provide their child’s education. We all know that every parent dreams for

their child to have a great future. For them, education is the best treasure they can give to their

child. That’s why sometimes they don’t even care how much money it will cost them just to put

their child in a school with high standard a school they envision to help their child embodiment

his skills and flourish it for him to be a great and successful person as he grow-up. It is also part

of their duty not to abuse their child. As we all know many parents now a day abuse their own

child. They punish them, bit them to death. As parents it is not right to commit such thing, parents

can’t just bit their child because he commit a mistake or didn’t emulate their command. Children

have the right to be protected, to be loved by their parents not to be abused. College admission

counselors need to be sure that the potential student has the ability to academically successful

while at college. The best indicators for success are the student’s grade point average (GPA) and

college entrance exams. The higher the grade point average and test score, the likelihood that the

student has gained the necessary academic skills to transfer to college level academics. The

admission committee will request class rank information on all applicants. Class rank compares

students to the rest of their class in terms of GPA. This factor assists the committee to learn if the

high school has a grade inflation issue and the competitiveness of the high school. College will

issue additional factors when considering admission status. Examples include minority status,

first generation status, recommendations, essays/statements and extenuating circumstances. It is

true that applying for college requires a lot, one must possess academic competitiveness and high

academic achievement. Sometimes applicants who failed to meet some of these requirements are

often ceded to other colleges which the applicant is suitable for. Academic competence gives the

college a higher edge in development and also provides the student a better edge in what that
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individual will face in the upcoming years, that is why academic committee of different colleges

require the applicant’s rank information in order to determine if the applicant has the potentials or

not. As one competes to survive in college, that person also learns how to struggle in the

everyday challenges one meets in life. In relation to the factors that affect a student’s decision,

higher potential allows the student to widen his or her view in choosing the right university

campus suited for his or her desired course. College institutes also seek information about the

applicant’s status, this also becomes the basis of the personage’s potentials through

recommendations from the previous school, family status, essays by the applicant and more. In

relations, the status of the student in both the previous school and in the family also becomes a

great factor. College admission counselors will review the student’s high school curriculum to

ensure proper college preparatory courses have been taken. These courses include English, social

studies, math, science, foreign languages, and fine art. Involvement in sports and clubs shows

various character qualities like leadership, honesty, respect, and teamwork. Colleges also want

students to continue to participate in college activities where the student can use these character

qualities. Service to the community is a key factor in today's admission game. Volunteering

demonstrates a commitment to bettering society through unselfish acts. Volunteering activities

need to be on the larger scale rather than multiple small ones. High School subjects (mainly

Science, English, Mathematics and others like foreign languages, arts, Social Studies) are like the

building blocks of the student’s desired course. Possessing more knowledge in these areas will

certainly be an advantage for the individual, they are more capable of gripping all the lessons they

will encounter. Students who are involved in many curriculum activities like volunteering and

active in the field of sports are more likely to show good qualities like leadership and teamwork

in their team, respect to oneself and to others, devoting oneself to his/her responsibilities and

more. Overall, colleges want students who demonstrate well roundedness and have gone the way

of holistic admission process. Students who can present themselves on various personal levels

will be more attractive to admission counselors. A well-mannered and responsible student shows
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that he or she really is. During their college life they are trained to become physically and

mentally better. If an individual decided to pursue his or her desired course, then it is more likely

that the individual will show better progress rather than pursuing a course he or she does not like.

It is true that choosing for a college course requires a lot of thinking. Besides, it involved

evaluation in its genuine and valid sense. One cannot summarize options in one listing and define

circumstances instantaneously. Moreover, if the college course is on the angle of this

predicament; then one factor can never leave this equation: financial stability. Logistic regression

is used to explore the role that peers play in the college-going decisions of a sample of low-

income urban minority public high school graduates drawn from the National Education

Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) database. Peer pressure becomes a factor in career decision

making because individuals who are closely involved with their friends tend to be involved in the

decision of their friends. Take example in career choice, if one person chooses Nursing, other will

also be forced to choose Nursing because they don’t want to be independent from them.

Sometimes peers influence others to take that certain course because they think that it is better for

them to take that particular course. As a result, the choice they made is not suited for them.

Sokatch, Education and Urban Society, (unknown place and name of publication), 2006

Advantages of deciding career on own: It makes them more independent, they are responsible for

their actions, they are more aware of the pitfalls in a particular avocation, they are prepared to

face the consequences of a wrong choice in career matters rather than blame their elders, they

choose what they like the most. Disadvantages of deciding career on own: teenagers are

immature, they are impulsive, and indecision can make them falter in their choice, rash decision,

succumb to peer pressures, know in all types. Teenagers some feel are too young to decide their

own career matters. Parents particularly are very concerned about their affairs. On the other hand

in this modern day and age, teenagers are revolting against too much parental interference and

guidance. In the past, some teenagers feel insecure about themselves and they think that they are

incapable of deciding their careers, since the parents of these individuals care for their child’s
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future, they decide for them. But as time pass by, and as modern day dawns teenagers become

more rebellious. These individuals think that they are capable of handling different situations on

their own; they tend to go against their parents’ interference and guidance. Sometimes these

revolts cause the individual to be hurt. Maturity precedes some of these individuals, they feel that

they no longer need guidance in decision making that’s why they tend to ignore school and

parent’s guidance and being affected by peer pressure. This independent action has certain

advantages, one of these are making that individual more responsible and making them aware of

the consequences of an action. Some teenagers become successful in life by being independent,

they are capable of handling different situations through the use of their mental and physical

capabilities. But all actions have consequences, one of these disadvantages is that some

individuals become too immature. Their eager desire for independence leads them to making the

wrong decision and leading them to wrong paths in life. They tend to succumb to life’s challenges

because of eagerness and unpreparedness. Today's challenging economy has been very harsh for

students who are hoping to attend higher education to further their studies and hopefully, get

better jobs upon graduating. But often, various obstacles tend to block this route and this

challenge often comes from one object: money. Pursuing your dreams after college will always

remain a possibility, with or without money said Anne Jones in her article in association to

college course decision making. Studying will not be a question for those with eagerness to earn a

college degree. However, despite all these eagerness and fervor lies the fact that not all students

can afford the course they primarily want. The problem at hand is that their financial stability

limits their choice which latter led them to a more, said practical course. As cited by Anne Jones,

“Pursuing your dreams will always remain a possibility, with or without money.” Positive

thinking, yet if the assurance will only key in the decision, then that student will prefer the one

wherein he can find the means to continue rationally. A glimpse of risks along this part where one

decides critically, describes a hesitation of why pursue that course if the chances are too low for

that student to endure anyway; regarding the expenses that are to be covered.. Students need to
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show their commitment to the cause on a larger scale. Overall, colleges want students who

demonstrate well roundedness and have gone the way of holistic admission process. Students

who can present themselves on various personal levels will be more attractive to admission

counselors. On the same level, students who can separate themselves from the mass of other

applicants are desired. If students can do this, they become attractive to college admission

committees. This is true, stating that students who present themselves are more likely be admired

by the university they are entering. Students who show determination, perseverance and has high

standards in their school have higher chance of achieving success.