Professional Documents
Culture Documents
STUDENTS
Introduction
The Senior year is one of the most crucial parts of being a student. Besides the pressure
and stress brought about the different activities, examinations, and projects they are
undergoing this is where the turning point of their future will be decided. They will have
to decide on what course they will enroll in the tertiary level which will eventually
become their career in the future. It is the stage when teenagers need some guidance in
the proper selection of their desired careers. Where, they will arrive at the right decision
considering their innate capacities, educational privilege offered to the students and other
resources that society makes available for them to be more efficient and effective
(DepEd,2017)
Course Preference
(2011), believed that students looking to be hired immediately upon graduation should
steer away from courses like nursing, criminology, and education. Instead, they would do
well to go into fields like: Optometry, nutrition and dietetics, guidance counseling, social
work, medical technology, pharmacy, library science, psychology and dentistry. Based on
their findings, there was an oversupply of licensed professionals buying for jobs in the
all graduates took up business administration and related courses. Medical related courses
are the next most popular category, with about 110,000, or 20 percent. The other popular
courses are information technology (IT), education or teacher training, and engineering.
CHEd data over the past decade showed the same popular courses among college
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 2
graduates. On the other hand, the least popular courses based on the number of graduates
Santos (2009), found that the students consider more carefully economic factors in times
worldwide in the past two years, people begin to realized that some jobs are more
Every year, graduating high school students are faced with the problem of having to
decide on future career paths. The decision whether or not to continue with post-
secondary education and the choice of an institution to attend are two critical decisions
that students make at this time in their lives (Johnson & Chapman, 1979). Before, we are
free to do what job we want to do for living since life is simple. As the world changes,
life becomes together that in order to be successful in life, we must consider what profit
According to Hewitt (2010), factors influencing course preference can either be intrinsic
or extrinsic or both. He further stated that most people are influenced by courses that the
parents favor. Some however, choose to follow their passion regardless of how
insufficient their income in it would, while others choose the career that would give them
high income.
Smith (2010) suggested that some factors students can consider in decision making. First
factor is knowing you natural talents. In this case we should choose a course that fits your
talents, a course that you can work on easily. Next is work style, this means that you
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 3
should examine yourself about how you work or study. He said that in choosing a career
does not necessarily mean you have to re-evaluate down the line based on your long-term
objectives.
intelligent decisions and adjustments in life. According to Gary Kelly, as cited by Cinco
(2008), making a course preference as a phase of the educative process consists of the
appraisal of the abilities, interests and needs of individual pupils and students in order to
formulate plans for realizing their capacities and the adjustments which will promote
Course preference has become a complex science with the advent of information
technology and the emergence of post industrialization resolution and job competition.
Industrialization and post industrialization have made it possible for a common person to
be richer than the intellectual, as long as he or she has acquired the necessary knowledge,
Most students in secondary schools nowadays do not have the necessary and accurate
role model, social support and available resources, such as information and financial
assistance. Bandura, et al. (2001) states that the process of course preference is also
influenced by several factors including the context in which one lives. These are personal
Career Preference
Limpahan (2014), emphasized that college is all about preparing for the real world, and
choosing the right college course is the best preparation one can have. Why make a big
thing of a college course? Well, most students go to school to secure a bright future for
themselves and their families at the same time, a college course can predetermine the
Verona (2009), claimed that picking a career is the most important decision the average
student makes. It should involve a self-critical analysis: Where does my talent lie, what is
the reality of earning a living by using it. Prepare yourself for a career that is based on the
Hanson (2011), coined that a career choice is a decision that affects the rest of a student’s
life. Career choices are pivotal points in adolescents’ life. So no matter if they are headed
for work or for college, there are factors that affect their career decisions. Role models,
peers, grades, economics, location, and time orientation are some of the factors a student
should consider.
Melone (2014), claimed that choosing the right career path is one of the most important
things you can do for yourself and your family. Whether you are choosing your first
career or embarking on a second or third, finding something that you enjoy and excel at
can do wonders to improve your whole life. While no job is ever perfect, there are some
factors that you should consider to help ensure you get into the right career for you.
Interest, career opportunities, and education and training, these are the factors that
Ogowewo (2010), explained that the choice of career was gender biased and the factors
that influenced the students’ choice of career were: interest, life ambition, challenging
nature of the career, prestige attached to profession, intellectual ability, high salary
potential, and prospects of job opportunity. He also said that school counselors should
employ their expertise to determine the aptitude and interest of students in the career
choice.
Several studies have identified some factors related to the choices of students regarding
the college course to pursue. Green (2010), reviewed that many factors influence your
concerns such as salary, job outlook for the field, career stability and opportunities for
advancement. Other people choose their careers based on a desire to help others, solve a
achievement and in course preferences. Several forces of social structure are considered
major determinants of vocational choice. The family and the social class in which the
individual is nurtured and reared will help him determine his future vocation. It includes
the parents’ educational attainment, family income, the occupational prestige and the
cultural orientation of the family. Parents’ aspirations include the father’s and mother’s
Parents also sustain their child’s progress along courses with encouragement and praise,
by providing material assistance such as books, equipment and tutoring and by allocating
Academic Grades
The learners’ academic grade is very important to both their personal and professional
life in many significant ways. The level of their academic performance is often related to
The learners are more motivated to go to school when their parents give them also moral
studies. The learners also perform better in their classes when they are given more
encouragement, inspiring advice and great affection daily. These can enhance their
Personality Traits
Personality is the sum total of an individual’s characteristics and ways of behaving which
affects his unique adjustment to his environment. It is the product of many factors and
conditions which have been inherited and which exists in the environment. No two
persons have the same heredity and no two persons react in the same way to their
Study Habits
The students’ study habits can either help or hinder them to accomplish their tasks. The
way they do the assigned task / activity in school can prolong or shorten the time they
spend in learning their lessons. Even the time they choose to study can already produce
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 7
poor, satisfactory or very satisfactory results on their performances. If one has poor study
habits, he needs to improve on it. An improved study habit can help him to learn
effectively and finish his work efficiently in school which leads him to achieve a high
Multiple Intelligence
can be defined in several ways. This definition led to the conceptualization of the Theory
of Multiple Intelligences (MI theory). In his milestone work, “Frames of Mind” Gardner
defined intelligence as the ability to solve problems, or to create products that are valued
within one or more cultural settings. When this theory is applied to learners, they are
either word smart, number/reasoning smart, picture smart, body smart, musical smart,
people smart, self-smart, nature smart, wondering smart and spiritual smart. These
intelligences can help teachers and parents alike, to assist students select courses that are
Another theory that may affect the course preference of senior high school students is the
Capability Approach (Clark, 2005) which claims that the freedom to achieve well-being
capabilities to do what they value. The theory recognizes the freedom of individuals to
achieve well-being and this is a matter of what they are able to do and to be, and thus
Rationale/Synthesis
This research, in contrast to other related researches, is exclusively intended for Senior
High School students. As we all know, the previous curriculum was Basic Education
Curriculum which has only 4 years of high school. That, in our perspective added to a
large number of course-shift among college students. The newly implemented K-12
curriculum added 2 years to the existing 4 years of high school. That may give the
students more time to examine themselves and reduce the possibility of them changing
their chosen course in the future. That would make the Senior High School students more
reliable respondents than those who had graduated in the Basic Education Curriculum.
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 9
Theoretical Framework
This research will be guided by two theories, namely: the Multiple Intelligence Theory,
identifies ten separate kinds of intelligences. He believes that each individual is equipped
with a unique blend of intellectual potentials which he can mobilize, expand or connect
according to his inclinations and intentions. The different multiple intelligences are: a)
spiritual.
tool to find out the innate talents and potentials and their lines of interest and it could be a
Another theory that was utilized as framework in this research is the Capability
Approach Theory (Clark, 2005) which claims that the freedom to achieve well-being is of
do what they value. The theory recognizes the freedom of individuals to achieve well-
being and this is a matter of what they are able to do and to be, and thus attain the kind of
When applied to course preferences, students can succeed more if they pursue a course
within their capability and which is of value to them. When the innate talents and
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 10
capabilities of students are identified using a multiple intelligence test, they would be
guided to pursue a course that is attuned to their capabilities, thus increasing their
Generally, this study will determine the factors that affects the course preference of
senior high school students. Specifically, this study will aim to; 1) Describe the
characteristics of senior high school students in terms of; 1.1) sex; 1.2) educational
attainment; 1.3) occupation; 1.4) income; 1.5) academic grades; 1.6) study habits; 2) How
may the multiple intelligence of the respondents be described in terms of; 2.1) Verbal-
Conceptual Framework
In this research, a three-part questionnaire will be used to determine the college course
preference of the senior high school students. After the administration of the test, the
Conceptual Paradigm
Intelligences
Academic
or
Performance
Inclination
College Course
Socio-
Preference of Senior Study Habits
Demographic
High School Students
Characteristic
Socio- Personality
Economic or
Status Traits
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 13
Hypothesis
Methodology
This chapter will deal with the research method that the researchers will use in
conducting the study, which includes the research design, locale of the study, research
instrument, data collection the statistical treatment of the data that the researchers have
gathered.
Research Design
This study will employ the descriptive method of research to determine the factors
affecting the course preference of the senior high school students. As a descriptive study,
it described the characteristics of fourth year students in terms of sex, religion, socio-
economic, academic grades, personality traits, study habits, and the talent and abilities of
The respondents in this study will be grade senior high school student. The researchers
will be using the total enumeration of the students in Grades 11 and 12. The researchers
will ask the respondents to properly and honestly answer the given instrument.
The researchers will use a questionnaire to determine the college course preference of
senior high school students. The questionnaire is divided into three major parts. The first
part will focus on the respondent socio-demographic profile and their personal traits and
habits. The second part will be about their intelligences and inclination and the third and
last part is about their preferred college course at the time of intervention and their reason
Procedure
The researchers will provide a letter for the senior high school department principal and
the teachers asking for authorization to conduct this study. Upon the approval, the
researchers will start to administer the survey questionnaires to the targeted respondents.
QUESTIONNAIRE
COLLEGE COURSE PREFERENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
A. Personal Profile
Address___________________________ Religion__________________________
General Average:___________
D. Personality Traits
Direction: Below are pairs of contrasting traits with seven points between the
opposite traits. The middle space indicates midpoint (0) of the opposite adjectives
whether the trait applies to you very high indication or slight indication. The higher the
number to be checked at each space the higher indication is the trait that describes you.
Put a checkmark on the space that you feel most likely describes you.
3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3
Prompt ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Not prompt
E. Study Habits
Below are some ways of studying. Rate yourself according to the scale provided
by checking the column that best describes how you study your lessons.
how well the statement describes you following the rating scale below:
Legend:
1 = Statement does not describe you at all 4 = Statement describes you much
_______I can hear the words in my head before I read, speak or write them down.
_______I show an aptitude for word games like Scrabble, Anagrams and Word
Factory.
rhymes or puns.
_______Other people ask me to explain the meaning of the words I use in writing
or speaking.
_______English, Social Studies and History were easier for me in school than
or heard.
_______I have written something I’m proud of and received recognition from others.
B. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
_______I enjoy playing games or solving brain teasers that require logical thinking.
_______I like to set up little “what if” patterns, regularities, or logical sequences in
things.
_______I find logical mistakes that people say and do at home and at work.
_______I feel more comfortable when something has been measured, categorized,
C. Musical-Rhythmic Intelligence
_______I sometimes catch myself walking down the street with a jingle or tune in my
mind.
_______I can easily keep in time a piece of music with simple instrument.
_______If I hear a selection once or twice, I am usually able to sing it back well.
_______I often make tapping sounds or sing little melodies while working or studying.
D. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
_______My best ideas often come to me when I am out for a walk or a jog or
_______I frequently use hand gestures or other body language when conversing
with people.
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 21
experiences.
_______I need to practice new skill rather than simply reading about it or seeing a
E. Visual-Spatial Intelligence
_______I frequently use a camera or camcorder to record what I see around me.
_______I easily remember places and streets I’ve gone before and can orient
F. Interpersonal Intelligence
_______I am the sort of person whom my classmates come to for advice and
counsel.
_______I prefer group sports like badminton, volleyball or softball rather than
individual sports.
_______I would rather spend my evenings at lively gatherings than stay at home
alone.
G. Intrapersonal Intelligence
_______I have a special hobby or interest that I keep pretty much to myself.
_______I have some important goals for my life that I think about on a regular
basis.
_______I would prefer to spend a weekend alone in a cabin in the wood rather
_______I keep a personal diary or journal to record the events of my inner life
own business.
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 24
H. Naturalist Intelligence
_______I am delighted in the sounds of nature, like the chirping birds and the
_______I get excited about biological museum tours and fieldtrips to beautiful
tourist spots.
I. Existential Intelligence
_______I wonder what the real mission of humans in this world is.
_______I believe that I can achieve all my dreams even if I don’t believe in God.
J. Spiritual Intelligence
_______I believe that God saved us from our sinfulness by dying on the cross.
Now add the points and record your total score for each category. Put the results on
RESULTS
Analyze your scores. In which intelligence did you get the highest points and the lowest
points? How would you then describe yourself in terms of multiple intelligences.
COLLEGE COURSE PREFENCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 27
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Below are courses listed. Please check the course you would like to pursue in college.
_______Law
_______Engineering
_______Medicine
_______Priesthood
_______Computer
_______Electrical
_______Electronics
_______Radio mechanic
Development Management
Restaurant Technology
_______BS Criminology
_______BS in Theology
_______BS Accountancy
_______Midwifery
________________________________________________________________________
https://www.scribd.com/document/250648671/Factors-Affecting-the-Course-Preferences-of-
Fourth-Year-Students-Nincandra-Milagros-Bobiles