FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE STUDENTS’ DECISION IN CHOOSING

THEIR COLLEGE COURSES

INTRODUCTION

Choosing the right career path is becoming more and more important for young
students today’ students have to take into account many things when choosing a career
and college major. Many factors can influence a student’s decision. Including parents,
coaches, religious figures, or any role models in a student’s life.

Young students have diverse dreams and interest in life .There is an old adage
which inspires people to succeed: “if there is a will, there is a way.” In choosing a
career, suitability to the interest of the students is given importance. Students must
know on what degree to pursue in college, one that interests them and must also fit their
abilities so that it will not be hard for them to choose the right career path. Being one
turn to when problems arise. This is the stage where major decisions and deep
concerns affects the courses of their uses. Most adolescents are pressured to perform
and succeed, which experience severe stress in meeting this expectations
(psychology.com 2017). Senior high school students need a lot of professional advice
especially when it comes in choosing their careers. It is in this period, where students
are advised to prepare for their future worthwhile occupations. Choosing the perfect
career that will fit is one of the most important and crucial decision that every person
has to make. This can be one of the measures whether an individual will be successful
in the future or not. At this stage self-realization, role try-outs, occupational explorations
in schools, and finding the first job is the tentative step. It is this stage when teenager
needs guidance in the proper selection of their desired career. 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). The purpose of this study is to seek more thoughts about
the factors that affect the students’ decision in choosing their college courses.

STATEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM

This study seeks to answer the following questions:

1) What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age
1.2 Gender
1.3 Track
1.4 Economic status: of poverty: employed, unemployed, self-employed
2) What college courses do the students have in mind?
3) What are the factors that affect the students decision in choosing their college
courses?

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The study is limited to determine the factors that may affect the students’
decision in choosing their college courses. This study includes the grade 12
students of Scandinavian national high school. This study was conducted during
the first semester of 2019-2020 academic year. Certain variables were included
by the researchers to determine the factors that affect the students’ family
income, place in the family and reasons that made the students choose their
college courses.

Definitions of terms
The following major keywords used in this study were defined in the purpose
of better understanding and clarity in the context of the research.

Ability
Refers to the students’ competence in an activity or occupation because of
one’s skill training, or other qualifications, (www.dictionary.com)

Academic progress
It is the measure of an individual’s academic advancement when it comes to
his commitment at school.

Bandwagon
A cause or party that attracts increasing numbers of adherents
(www.dictionary.com)

College course decision-making

Refers to the critical state in which young individuals decide with path are they
in to.

Finance stability
The capacity of which each household has a monetary balance
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to determine the factors that affect students ‘decision
in choosing their college courses. The study also consists of some ideas in order to
satisfy the aim of this research. The researchers believe that this study will benefit the
following:

Administration

This study would serve as a reading that will enable them to work with the teachers
in helping a student choose the career path they are about to take. It will also help them
in conducting workshops and seminars in alignment with decision making.

Teachers

The information gathered dis close the possibilities that the teacher would be able
to give appropriate recommendations regarding the students’ abilities. They also
become one of the important factors in the realization of a students’ goal and vision.
This may help them understand the significance of knowing on how to motivate students
in picking a goal cause for a better future.

Guidance counselors

As part of guidance counselors’ expertise regarding orientation, this study would

help them assess the students with this study would have wider reviews and ideas on
how to handle or counsel students’ who needs guidance about what course fits their
interests and God-given talents and abilities.

Parents

The research aims to help the parents understand their child’s endeavor. They would
be also innovated to work and support the teacher in giving assistance to their children.
Moreover, they will be informed the great role they will play in fostering decision making
towards the students future and in setting their goal.

Students

Particularly graduating senior high school student’s. The object of learning and direct
benefactors of the advantages of the study. They would be more aware of their interests
and more certain of they want to become in the near future.