CHAPTER 1

Introduction

The addition of two years to secondary education, known as Senior High School (SHS), is a
significant alteration brought about by K–12 curricula. The former four-year secondary program will
now be known as Junior High School (JHS), which runs from Grades 7 through Grade 10, and Senior
High School, which runs from Grade 11 through Grade 12. With the additional two years of SHS, high
school graduates would be more prepared for whichever path they decide to take and would
graduate at the legal age (18 years old) to engage in lawful employment.

The country has been increasing unemployment and unemployment rate annually. The possible
reason could be either that the produced course of graduates does not suit the demand of the
present economy. The wrong choice of course taken by the most of the college students brought
about by decision making in choosing career course preference.

The decision of good career choice sometimes depends on how the way deceived the world and
their future. The grade 12 student are troubled to which career course they will consider and
encounter some factors. For example, the students consider their friends chosen course instead of
following the course suited to their SHS track.

The quality of life that students in Granby, Naic who are in Grade 12 will often consider as well. The
decision may be influenced by factors including career desire, academic ability, familiarity, financial
stability, and influential people. Adolescence may be incredibly isolating. It is common to feel as
though there is no one to turn to when challenges arise. At this point in their lives, significant
decisions and pressing issues have a significant impact. Most teenagers feel intense pressure to
perform and succeed, which causes them to feel extremely stressed out when they don't live up to
these expectations.

Deciding college course to take is the most important decision of a students. When choosing a
college course, one has to decide if the course is suitable for him and if he is ready to learn
everything about the course.

Choosing a career course for college is one of the most common challenges students have in their
senior year. Most of the time, they are unsure of what path they want to take in tertiary education.
Various factors influence them in decision making, which is the main subject that will be addressed
in this study. Literally, a career is a chosen pursuit, and life is a journey. Labor or achievement in
one's career throughout one's life
Over time, this may create prospects for advancement. It is important in society not only because it
determines the pattern of income and economic progress, but also because. It has an impact on
everyone's personality, well-being, and future. In life, perspective is important. Others define it as a
metaphorical journey obtained through education, work, and experience.

Students in high school are particularly relevant to this topic because they are in the pre-college
period. They are getting introduced to the college-style of teaching at this level. The college courses
you can enroll in depend on the track you choose.

There are many causes why a student's preferences for courses may change. The researcher's goal
is to comprehend the factors influencing the course preferences of Granby, Naic particularly those in
Grade 12 who choose the STEM strand.

Graduating senior high students having a hard time choosing their courses. Choosing course is very
important nowadays. There are factors that affect the students in choosing a course. These factors
include the course chosen by the parents, peer influence, and personal choice.

Our research aims to identify the factors influencing course preference among SHS students at
Granby Colleges of Science and Technology, which will assist students in understanding the
significance of a course on their own. The interdependence of these factors such as age, gender, the
economic situation of their family affected by family or relatives, peers, and interest, makes it
possible for grade 12 students to identify their efficiencies as far as your choices are concerned. The
college course they choose should fit with the focus they choose in high school, and they should
have enough time to consider and prepare before making their choice. As the study's researchers,
they must recognize and determine the factors influencing the course preferences of the Granby,
Naic, Grade 12 STEM students and must emphasize the importance of the study.

In general, the job route that students choose will have an impact the manner they'll live the
remainder of their lives. Identifying the appropriate path to choose is essential, but it is not easy.
The researchers conducted the study in order to assist Senior High School Students by finding
characteristics they can consider when picking a subject.

Background of the Study

Choosing your course is the first step on your journey to a good career. When you enter a
university, your course preference will always be asked. In choosing a career, they need to know
what they want to take in college and what suits their interest. Students should know what degree
they will take in college, first of all they have to make sure that they really want and purely
interested in their course and it should also be compatible with their capability and abilities so that it
will not be difficult in taking the course throughout their college.
 This study examines a particular factors that may have a significant impact on a person's choice of
college course. One aspect is academic stress at school because STEM students are always under
pressure to achieve excellent marks. At some point, some students struggle to catch up in some of
their classes, which adds to their stress.

The interdependence of these factors such as age, gender, the economic situation of their family
affected by family or relatives, peers, and interest, makes it possible for grade 12 students to identify
their efficiencies as far as your choices are concerned.

The college course they choose should fit with the focus they choose in high school, and they
should have enough time to consider and prepare before making their choice. As the study's
researchers, they must recognize and determine the factors influencing the course preferences of
the Granby, Naic, Grade 12 STEM students and must emphasize the importance of the study.

These factors, economic demand, parents preference, peer pressure, and personal choice serve as
students' preferences when selecting a college course. Additionally, the researchers want to learn
how to reduce incidents. Researchers would be able to offer ideas that would benefit students now
by carrying out this research.

The course chosen by the parents is also one of the factors that affect their child's choice of the
course to be taken for college. Other parents force their children to follow their chosen course.
Another reason for parents to choose the course is the high salary. It affected the student because
they had a hard time deciding what to choose. Usually other students don't like the course their
parents chose; it's not what they want.

The other factor is the peer's influence. Having friends is part of growing up. In college, the student
doesn't want to be separated from their friend, so whatever course their friend chooses is what they
will take, even if they don't like it.

The last factor affecting the course preference is the personal choice. Most of the graduating senior
high students choose a course that is related to the strand they chose in senior high. Their reason is
that they can enjoy the course that will be taken in college.

Research Question
 This study aims to find out if the students are aware and prepared of some possible factors that
affect their course preference.

These are the following statements that formulated for acceptance or rejection of study:

1. How does different factors affect the course students want to take?

2. How will they change their preferences if their chosen college does not have the course they want
to take?

Research Objectives

This study aims to find out if the students are aware and prepared of some possible factors that
affect their course preference.

These are the following statements that formulated for acceptance or rejection of study:

1. To identify how does different factors affect the course students wants to take

2. To identify How will they change their preferences if their chosen college does not have the
course they want to take?

Research Assumption

H0: Factors affecting the decision of the students have no significant value in choosing course for
tertiary education

H1: Factors affecting the decision of the students have significant value in choosing course for
tertiary education.

The researchers assumed that the said school offers Senior High School Program with multiple
strand or track and open for male and female students when conducting research on factors
affecting the grade 12 students of Granby Colleges Science and Technology in choosing course for
tertiary education. The population was expected to be a bona fide student of Granby colleges and
had taken a National Career Assessment Examination during their studies. They should have had
parents or a guardian. They were exposed to all of the elements that could influence their choice of
postsecondary education degrees. That students have views on which environmental factors are
considered in the decision. These students.

Significance of the Study

This study conducted can be beneficial to the following:

To the Students - This is mainly significant of the study that will be given information in selecting
their appropriate college course and develops the awareness of them.

To the Parents - By means of advising and give knowledge to the students on how to choose wisely
the right course suited to them.

To the Teacher - They may be able to guide their children to the decision on the finding the course
they want to take in college.

To the Future Researcher - Make this study as basis for further researchers and may take this also as
advantage on the suggestions and recommendations of the researcher.

Conceptual Framework
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of factors affecting course preference

The figure 1 shows the conceptual framework on factors affecting the course preference. The
respondents characteristics is included which consist of name, age, sex. The process outlined the
research question that respondents would have to answer questioned. And the outcome that the
researchers are attempting to discover by employing this research is the “Factors affecting the
course preference of g12 students of Granby Colleges Science and Technology.

Scope Limitation and Delimitation of the Study

This study only includes senior high school students. The overall goal of this study is to identify the
factors that influence course selection among grade 12 students. This research included the main
course, which is the time spent in preparation and the systematic process of collecting, organizing,
analyzing, and interpreting data to find the answers to your questions.

This estimated time in the observation from data collection to final outcome ranges in many days
along with the process. This study will be conducted at Granby College of Science and Technology
and will be limited to career preparation. This study takes into account every aspect of the student's
personal information that influences their course preference. Each respondent will be given the
same questionnaire to complete. And this research focuses on current senior high school students in
the 2022-2023 school year.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following words will help the readers clearly understand the research:

Career- A field for pursuing consistently improving success, particularly in public, professional, or
business life. The application of education in this field of study consists of all knowledge that was
previously acquired.

Job Opportunity- It refers to the majority of current profession, for which many businesses have a
demand.

Interest- to encourage or convince oneself to feel motivated and to take the desired course of
action.

Preference- the term "care about your preference" refers to the factors that influence a student's
decision to enroll in a course, including self-determination, influenced by parents, peer influence,
and job opportunities.

Senior high school - covers the last two years of the K-12 program namely grade 11 and Grade 12.

Senior high school track - refers to the general categories that each different field of study belongs
to which is Academic track, Technical Vocational
Livelihood (TVL) track, Arts and Design track and Sports track. Factors - in this study this refers to the
circumstances, person, condition, or influence that brings about a certain affect.

Senior high school strand - these are the specialized subjects included in the tracks that focus on
the topics that should be studied and will be required in the chosen college course.
 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies in local and foreign
pertaining to the topic under study the researchers went through unpublished research,
publications, and other related references to support the present study.

In 2007, a study called “Choosing a faculty: social conditioning or rationality” approached this
subject, but in a different manner. The purpose of the survey was to reveal the importance high
school students pay to education and to present sources of information when deciding a particular
college. The social analysis determined the fact that higher education is correlated with
economic status of their families and with the level of education of their parents. The
teenagers chose something between what suited them and what had good prospects, according
to what their families, friends or teachers suggested, in the absence of professional
counseling programs. In order to determine the decision-making process, the ‘funnel of causality’
model was used. Our paper goes a little further than the other one and tries to capture people’s
preferences regarding to faculty choices. We tried to determine how tertiary education is
perceived and we made delimitation between private universities and public ones, because we
wanted to make a comparison.

Related Foreign Studies

According to the study conducted by Garcez (2007), it was found out that by increasing career
development activities, which includes setting career goals, students had higher self-esteem. Maybe
even more important, however, is that students were more satisfied about the education the
education they were receiving. This will, in turn, hopefully lead to students having deeper desire and
commitment to succeed in their education. Another outcome of a higher self-esteem, Is that those
students chose more difficult foals that students with low self-esteem.

She noted that excellent detailed plan for teaching parents and teachers how to teach young
students to set career goals. The plan requires a total community effort through educators, parents,
and businesses. Students must be given an opportunity to identify and explore their desired careers.

They can accomplish this through the “School to Work Transition” or “Job Shadowing Program.”
Through the cooperative efforts of the entire community, students can identify career choices, set
career goals, and have higher self-esteems at an early age. Ultimately, they will further their
education and have a better chance of succeeding in the “do or die” world in which we live.
Related Local Literature

According to Elmer (1989), career planning is life goal-setting. Without such plan, it is like making a
journey to an unfamiliar destination without a map. He proposed a Career Planning Guide that will
help the students in choosing their appropriate course from planning career, goal-setting and self-
understanding.

Also, it reveals that guidance and counseling is intervention of unemployment individuals and
career preparedness must be initiated.

Related Local Studies

According to the study conducted by Siguan Jr. (1994), it was found out that the student’s self-
concept showed no significant influence on their career preferences.

The academic achievements of students proved to be significant related to their career preferences.
The school were students came from had no influence on their choice of career. He recommends
that a more improved and functional guidance provided in school to help students make sound
career choices. The guidance services in school must be collaborative of the administrator, guidance
counselors, and teachers.

Classroom teachers are encourage to do their best in improving teaching learning process,
considering that academic achievement of student influences their career preferences.

Related Literature

According to Cat Reynolds (2018), Heading off to college provides the opportunity to
experience independence freedom. Rather assigned a set schedule, you will get to make
decisions about what you study and when you do it. Take advantage of special advising offered to
new students and do your research. After the first semester, you will begin to make more
informed and independent course choices. Is it Hard or Easy? You may be tempted to schedule
courses that you have heard or easy. Be aware that this may actually be a symptom of laziness or
fear. Don't shy away from a challenge. College is designed to stretch you in new and exciting ways.
You can offset challenging classes by taking some that may be easier. If you are using subsidized
or unsubsidized loans to pay for college, be certain that you meet the load
requirements to satisfy financial aid requirements. Who's the Professor? Check around with other
students to get recommendations about the best faculty on campus. Some professors may be
identified as easy and others are more challenging. As you begin to take classes within your
major, your choices may be more limited. Talk to the faculty directly to learn more about their
research interests. If you demonstrate an interest in what they are teaching, faculty may be more
likely to tap you for special research and academic opportunities. Is it a College Requirement? Nearly
all colleges and universities have general education requirements, which cover a variety of
disciplines within the humanities, mathematics, the natural sciences and social sciences.
Students can choose from among lists of approved courses but must take at least one course or
more courses in each discipline. The idea is to give students academic breadth, as well as depth, so
that when they graduate they will have a fuller sense ofthe world and how it works. Is it a Major
Requirement? All students must fulfill their major requirements, and every major has a list of
required courses and a list of major other courses from which students may choose as long as they
complete a required number of major credits before graduation. Some schools also require that a
student choose a specialization within the major. For example, a student majoring in business
may have to choose a specialization in management or finance, so a given student will also have to
choose courses that fulfill his specialization. Is it Preparation for Graduate or Professional
School? Students who plan to attend graduate school, law school or medical school often enroll
in courses they believe will help them either on an entrance exam, such as the Law School
Admissions Test, or that will give them ahead start once they are working toward a graduate
degree. These courses may include logic, philosophy, research methodologies, advanced writing
and others.

What is the Schedule and Course Availability? Once in a while a student has to choose a course
because it fits his schedule, and it's available. This happens when a student's schedule is tightly
constrained by major requirements. For example, some courses are available only once every two
years. It also can happen when a course that a student wanted to take is filled and the student is
thus "closed out" and must make a last-minute choice that fits into a schedule of other courses.
Does it Fit My Personal Interests? At some point, many students try to fit in a course or two based
purely on personal interest. While their majors may reflect their primary interest, most people are
interested in more than one intellectual pursuit, so a biology major who has a passion for movies
might take a film course.

Foreign Study

“Senior High School Curriculum in the Philippines, USA, and Japan” a Journal of Academic
Research (2016), The study is a review of the literature on the basic education (k-12)curriculum
specifically the senior high school (SHS) of the Philippines, Japan, and the US. Results of the
review show that the SHS curriculum is intended to prepare students to enter into college/university
or to work in the industry or be an entrepreneur. The SHS program is the last level in all basic
education programs of the countries reviewed. The Philippines has a clearer model with at least
four tracks (academics, tech-voc, sports, arts & design) and at least ten strands. Japan has two
tracks in academics and tech-voc. The US basic education system varies from state to state, similar
to its SHS curriculum. There is no definite track as this is left to individual state and their school
districts to decide. There are purely academic, tech-voc and other types of schools. The majority
of those who choose academic track are students who plans to proceed to college. There is still a
stigma in selecting tech-voc and other courses as this are seen by many as the course for poor
performing/problematic students. The enrolment in tech-voc schools in the US is declining despite
the surge of demand for skilled workers. In the three countries, the availability of qualified
teachers is still an issue. This situation is very real in the Philippines as it started the SHS program
in June 2016. Other problems include the need to construct a huge number of classrooms and
facilities. All of these are currently being addressed too by the government.

Foreign Study

According to Eremie and Okwulehie (2018)'s study findings, environmental, opportunity, and
personality are the elements that can impact students' course choices. In terms of environmental
factors, it has been shown that family, socioeconomic status, and peer groups have a significant
influence on students' career choices, particularly their parents, because some parents believe that
what they suggest to their children in terms of what course to pursue is better, but they tend to
ignore what their children desire. While opportunity factors such as education and mentorship also
had an impact on career choice, some students graduated from courses they disliked. as well as
personality traits such as the pupils' interests, values, and abilities, as well as personal factors such
as their hobbies, beliefs, and skills in picking their courses, which is why others continued to follow
their intended course with trust, and they were able to graduate with high confidence.

Synthesis

Senior High School Students require Preferences in order to understand the significance of selecting
your course accuracy. Choosing a course is crucial, but being prepared for any potential issues can
help us.

According to Garcez, increased career development activities, such as identifying career objectives,
resulted in students having improved self-esteem. Perhaps more importantly, students were more
satisfied with the education they were receiving.