THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PICKING THE APPROPRIATE COURSE AMONG

GRADE 10 STUDENTS IN PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE

A Qualitative Research Proposal

Mati National Comprehensive High School

Mati City, Davao Oriental

Name of Students:

YENGYEN ADAN

MELBY ALBISO

LYKA MANURAY

ALLEN DIDAL

JAMES CABONCE

JAMES GREJALDO

DICK LLOYD ERNO

June 2023

CHAPTER 1
 INTRODUCTION

In this world, there are many courses to take and a great deal to learn. Knowing the chosen
course is one of the finest ways to live well because attending college is not easy. Here in
Mati National Comprehensive High School, can assist you in taking the courses you want to
take to get ready for college.

Background of the Study.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an operational definition of college readiness that
differs from current representations of this concept primarily in its scope. The paper suggests
that, while much has been learned about this phenomenon, particularly during the past 20
years, few systematic attempts have been made to integrate the various aspects or
components of college readiness that have been investigated in some depth during this period
of time. As a result, college readiness continues to be defined primarily in terms of high
school courses taken and grades received along with scores on national tests as its primary
metrics.

In choosing a strand it’s not easy because some students based their decision- making
on their passion or on practicality. Some students follow their parents to choose a strand for
their children. The purpose of this study was to determine passion- based and practical- based
preference a senior high school students.

When the expectations are not met, a poor career decision will waste resources and channel
all of an individual's energy in the wrong directions. It will also be frustrating. The goal of
this research project was to better understand the elements that students consider when
choosing their careers and to see if their preferences could be matched with the curriculum
and services provided by the institution.

It is often seen that parents force their children to select particular courses for higher studies.
Even though parents want the best for their kids, it is not really how a course selection should
be made. And this is how it leads students to make the wrong choice. These are one of those
decisions you need to make for yourself. Right course selection can help students fit in their
interests and learn more about a field they’re genuinely interested in studying. It is extremely
important for students to understand their passion and have clarity about the course they are
willing to pursue. Other factors to consider while course selection is institution rankings,
facilities, the scope of practical experience, cost of tuition, student services, safety, social life
and more.It is often seen that parents force their children to select particular courses for
higher studies. Even though parents want the best for their kids, it is not really how a course
selection should be made. And this is how it leads students to make the wrong choice. These
are one of those decisions you need to make for yourself. Right course selection can help
students fit in their interests and learn more about a field they’re genuinely interested in
studying. It is extremely important for students to understand their passion and have clarity
about the course they are willing to pursue. Other factors to consider while course selection is
institution rankings, facilities, the scope of practical experience, cost of tuition, student
services, safety, social life and more. (Team Leverage Edu, 2022)

As you begin to pave your career path, you will be faced with two important decisions: what
course to take and which college to attend. More often than not, how you approach these will
be a big factor in your college life and eventually, your future career. (Philstar, 2021)
Purpose of the study

High School is an important period of time in an adolescent’s life. It is the time that
students are making decisions about their course taking and future educational and career
plans. Every students carries the unique history of their past and this determines how they
view the world. In fact, one of the tasks of high school students is to explore and plan for
their post secondary career options.

This study intends to assist all students in choosing the appropriate college courses so that
they can avoid the conflict of not selecting the appropriate course that will suit them.

Statement of the problem

 The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that affect the Post high school
plans of Grade 10 in Mati National Comprehensive High school Students Specifically; this
will answer the following questions:

 What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of gender?

 Do you actually have the necessary skills for the course?
 If you enroll for the particular course, how will you get the passing grade?
 What is your desired course?
 What significant effect do academic achievement and individual interests have on
grade 10 students' post-high school plans and course preferences?
Theoretical Lens

DEVELOPMENT THEORY OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

According to Super’s(1990) Development Theory of Career Development, high school

students are at the exploration stage of career development, which involves cystallizing and
specifying their occupational preferences, while also making preliminary decisions about
their career choices. The review of the literature showed the areas of a student’s life affect the
plans, decisions, and career choice they make: Gender, Parental Influence, Peer Influence.
The study attempted to identify and differentiate to what extent these factors played varying
roles in future career choice.

For obvious reasons, this theory has something to do with choosing one’s career and the
researcher’s study has something to do with the preferred tracks of Grade 10 that they need to
know that their interested in. Choose what they really want and motivates them. They need to
assess themselves to know what their major is and explore their options and think about their
field of interests.
Significance of the Study

The results of this study will be beneficial to the following:

Grade 10 students. This study will serve as a guide to them in choosing their preferred track
for their upcoming SHS.

Teachers. This will also be beneficial to them who play a big rolein shaping students into
successful people, as this study helps them focus more in their mastery to deliver a better
learning experience to future Senior High School students.

Mati National Comprehensive High School (MNCHS). The results of the study serves
them as a guide in improving their Senior High School tracks for students to had choice in
their preferred track.

Parents. They can help their future SHS students in guiding them to the right track for their
children. Researchers themselves. They will benefit the result of this study to choose their
preferred track.
Definition Of Terms

Parental Influence- This is the affect of the parents to their students in choosing their
preffered academic tracks in senior high school to college.

Environment- The feeling of the student in his/her sorroundings which makes him/her think
of the things that he/she could help in the community.

Personality- These personality factors to be considered includes their mental abilities, special
abilities and interest if they are going to make the intelligent career plans.

Aptitude- These are the factors which defines the choice of the student based on their own
abilities, skills, talents, and specialities
Scope and Delimitation

Senior High School aims to prepare students before entering college, equipping them with the
global skills, competencies, and knowledge needed to achieve successful career paths in the
future.

For Grade 10 completers, it means embarking on a new academic journey. It may seem
intimidating at first, especially as you decide which strand to take or which school to enroll
in, but finding the right track and strand that matches your strengths and skills will surely
help ease your nerves to get you going.

Senior High School is two years (Grade 11 and Grade 12) of specialized upper secondary
education and will require you to pick among different tracks upon enrollment. Your chosen
track and strand will reflect on the subjects you will take.

These different tracks, strands, and specializations are intended for you to determine which
paths fit your strengths, passions, and skills. Choosing the right Senior High School strand
will help motivate you for your future career. Once you choose a strand you like, studying
becomes more enjoyable since the strands are designed and specialized to match your
interests. Moreover, it expands your knowledge and skills, while at the same time, exposing
you to your chosen field of study in preparation for college.
 CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

Graduating from high school is a momentous transition. Gone are the days of
compulsory learning. Now that you have a basic education, you get to decide how to build on
it. Your future is wide open! That, in and of itself, can be a stressful thought, though. With so
many options, choosing one can feel scary. Below are just a few of the many paths you can
take. Whichever you choose, be prepared to put in some effort to make your adult years as
productive, fulfilling, and comfortable as possible. (Hardcastle, 2018)

Self-monitoring is a form of metacognition, the ability to think about how one is

thinking. Examples of metacognitive skills include: awareness of one’s current level of
mastery and understanding of a subject, including key misunderstandings and blind spots; the
ability to reflect on what worked and what needed improvement in any particular academic
task; the tendency to persist when presented with a novel, difficult, orambiguous task;the
tendency to identify and systematically select among and employ a range of learning
strategies; and the capability to transfer learning and strategies from familiar settings and
situations to new ones (Bransford et al., 2000).

The most common approach is to define college readiness in terms of high school course
taking patterns, including the titles, perceived challenge level, and the number of units
required for graduation, combined with the grades students receive in those courses. What
this widely held definition assumes or presumes is that the number of courses that high
school students take, and the units and names assigned to them, are accurate, comprehensive
proxies for college-level success (Callan, Finney, Kirst, Usdan, & Venezia, 2006).

Generally, these course titles must be approved by college admissions offices, in an uneasy
but highly choreographed interplay between high schools and colleges. The net effect is to
produce course titles that appear standardized on transcripts, but that promote a lack of
“alignment between what is required to get into college vs. what’s needed to stay in college
and succeed as an adult.” (Wagner, 2006)

Academic preparation for college is grounded in two important dimensions—key cognitive

strategies and content knowledge. Understanding and mastering key content knowledge is
achieved through the exercise of broader cognitive skills embodied within the key cognitive
strategies. With this relationship in mind, it is entirely proper and worthwhile to consider
some of the general areas in which students need strong grounding in content that is
foundational to the understanding of academic disciplines. The case for the importance of
challenging content as the framework for developing thinking skills and key cognitive
strategies has been made elsewhere and will not be repeated in depth here (Bransford, Brown,
& Cocking, 2000).

Another important area of contextual awareness is knownas“collegeknowledge.”This is

information, formal and informal, stated and unstated, necessary for both gaining admission
to and navigating within the postsecondary system. College knowledge includes an
understanding of the following processes: college admissions including curricular,testing, and
application requirements; college options and choices, including the tiered nature of
postsecondary education; tuition costs and the financial aid system; placement requirements,
testing, and standards; the culture of college; and the challenge level of college courses,
including increasing expectations of higher education (Lundell et al., 2004).

Admissions requirements, and timelines in particular, are extremely complicated, and

students often do not know or understand the importance of either until it is too late. Specific
institutions have additional special requirements and exceptions that are not immediately
evident. Financial aid options are largely unknown or substantially misunderstood by many
students most in need of such support. The economically well-off are more likely to have this
knowledge than working-class families or families whose children are the first generation to
attend college (Conley, 2005; Robbins et al., 2004; Venezia et al., 2004).

Education has the ability to influence students' choices in lie. Through guidance counselors,
teachers and peers, parents, and community members, students can gain educational
aspirations, social capital, and cultural capital that might not otherwise be afforded to them at
home or in the community (Finn, 2006, Hossler, Schmit 62 Vesper, 1999; Phelan, Locke-
Davidson, &Yu, 1998).

As students progress through their educational career, they become more aware of their
environment and how this environment infiuences their decisions. Students gain an
understanding of social class and race as early and 10th grade and this knowledge
distinctively shapes a family's college planning (Heam, 1984)

The two best courses to prepare you for a complete secondary education would be
critical thinking and English composition (some kind of writing course). After that, the core
classes’ fall into place according to the degree program and what your academic advisor feels
is most appropriate. It's absolutely important that one is able to critically think through
concepts and be able to synthesize information in written form to show the instructors you
understand what has been taught. Without these two courses all other courses will be difficult
at best. (Flagg, 2015)
Career choices for the students were affected by various factors including grades, age,
personal interests, experiences, etc. and through their learning experiences that these students
decide what they would want to do in relation to their future careers (Edward & Quinter,
2011).

Furthermore, the senior high school students found out various factors that also influences
their choices such as decision-making, motivation, peer pressure, institutional considerations
and future job opportunities (Ouano, Delatorre, Japitan & Moneva, 2019).

The career success of an individual can be best realized if his guide in choosing the course is
based on the right career choice that fits his ability, personality, background and intellect
(Braza & Guillo, 2015).

Also, findings have shown that the career decision-making of the students is highly affected
by their personal factors (Su, Chang, Wu & Liao, 2016).

But findings have shown that many students make choices based on what they like rather
than what is required in the labor market (Titan, Ardelean, Manea, Boboc & Andreea, 2015).

In addition, teachers strive to demonstrate a commitment and a passion for the success of
every student (Spurr, Bally & Ferguson, 2010).

The result is that students often enter their senior year of high school believing they are ready
for college because they have completed required courses. This leads to the development of
particularly bad study habits and skills during the senior year (Conley, 2001; Kirst, 2000;
National Commission on the High School Senior Year, 2001)

While course requirements for the high school diploma have increased in a number of states,
they have yet to produce significant improvements in student performance in college
(Achieve, 2004).

Students may also tend to select popular career fields. When students aspire for a career path,
they look for fields that could lead them to employment to provide financial security and
career advancement (Wildman and Torres 2002).

A student who meets all aspects of the college readiness definition would gain in several
ways. First, the student would be comfortable in essentially any entry-level general education
course. This is an important level to attain because failure to succeed in one or more general
education courses during the first year is closely associated with failure to continue in college
(Choy, 2001; Choy, Horn, Nunez, & Chen, 2000)

Other external factors may also be considered in choosing one’s career track. Opportunities
such as scholarships, aid from various networks to pursue studies, and family with high
financial capability affect how a student decides which career path to take. Students with
these opportunities have more freedom to choose which path they want, whereas students
who do not possess these favorable circumstances have limited options (Cross and Slater
1997).
Scholarships are another source of financial aid. Similar to grants, they do not have to be
repaid and are given to students by organizations, government, or businesses based on
academics, hobbies, talents, or career aspirations. Students often apply for scholarships prior
to entering higher education (Olivkrez & Tierney, 2005).

During a child's development, the family structure and expectations are learned. Therefore,
students rely on the opinions of their family members. (Hossler, Schmit and Vesper, 1999).

Another important area of college readiness is student mastery of the study skills necessary
for college success. The underlying premise is simple: academic success requires the mastery
of key skills necessary to comprehend material and complete academic tasks successfully,
and the nature of college learning in particular requires that significant amounts of time be
devoted to learning outside of class for success Key academic behaviors consist largely of
self-monitoring and study skills. Study skills encompass a range of active learning strategies
that go far beyond reading the text and answering the homework questions. Typical study
skill behaviors include time management, preparing for and taking examinations, using
information resources, taking class notes, and communicating with teachers and advisors
(Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley, & Carlstrom, 2004).

Without the appropriate high school structure, family influence, and guidance, students will
not gain the necessary knowledge to continue onto college (Hossler, Schmit & Vesper, 1999,
McDonough, 1997).

CHAPTER 3
 Methodology

This chapter presents the methodology that will be used to answer the research questions. It
describes the research design, role of researcher, respondents, research instruments, data
collection and data analysis.

Research Design

This study uses a descriptive approach to investigate the perceived factors that influence
grade 10 students' decisions on which senior high school strand to enroll in. Descriptive
research is used to outline a population's characteristics. It gathers information that is used in
responses to a variety of what, when, and how inquiries regarding a certain population or
group.

This study aims to find out the significant differences between the career choice factors and
the gender of our respondents. In our study, we concluded four (4) major factors which was
the basis of this study, Parental Influence, Aptitude, Interests and Environmental Factors.

Role of Researcher

The researcher use descriptive approach in selecting the respondents needed to conduct the
research. The purpose of the phenomenological approach is to illuminate the specific, to
identify phenomena through how they are perceived by the actors in a situation.

Research Participants

Data Collection

Data Analysis

The data analysis involves a constant dialogue between the researcher, the participants, the
data, and the literature, in which the meanings and insights emerge and evolve. The data
analysis process involves four steps: naive reading, structural analysis, comprehensive
understanding, and critical reflection.