CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter contains the Related Review of Literature and Related Studies, Theoretical

and Conceptual Framework, Research Hypotheses, Data Gathering Procedure and Data Analysis

Procedure in relation to the college preparedness of the Grade 12 GAS students of Saint Joseph

School Foundation Inc.

Review of Related Literature and Related Studies

This study was intended to determine the college preparedness of the Grade 12 GAS

students of Saint Joseph School Foundation Inc. Several studies have been conducted and have

relationship to the said variables.

On College Preparedness

Delos Reyes (2015) stated in their study of Level of Preparedness of TLE Department of

Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School in the Implementation of the K to 12 Senior High

School Program: An Evaluation that the additional two years of senior high school will help the

junior high school students be prepared for whatever path they will choose. In addition, they are

in legal age (18 years old) when they graduate on senior high school and can be lawfully

employed. This study relates as to how the given additional two years in senior high school helps
the students in being able to choose and be prepared for whichever path they would want to take

in college.

Kinsey (2011) stated that greater than 60 percent of students believed that their high

school did a poor job in preparing them for the future. Their high school was not able to provide

a challenging curriculum and class activities that would help them prepare for college. This study

relates as to how the given additional two years would really help the graduated students from

junior high school to be able to prepare their selves in choosing their courses in the future.

Moreover, this study shows how that only having four years in high school could be a hindrance

or a problem for the student since they are not really that able to be ready for college in just a

span of 4 years. This study only shows how students are somehow aware of what they are doing

during their high school days which has a negative effect that was caused by the school they

were in which they said that did really do poor on helping them be prepared for college. Students

are very important to be prepared for life after high school but the study determines to measure if

the students might be able to achieve their desired results when they take their future job. This

study shows that for students to be prepared on college and upon making decision on choosing

their courses, the school in which the students are enrolled in can influence the level of

preparation of each student to have the required skills and abilities on their next phase in life.

In a research study by Kless et al (2013) of Analyzing Evidence of College Readiness: A

Tri-Level Empirical & Conceptual Framework showed that there is a distinction between a

student that is college eligible but is not college ready and a student that is college ready but is

not college eligible. This study describes how students can graduate and have the credibility to
go to college but still lack the academic skills, study habits and college knowledge to succeed. It

is essential to distinguish if the student is both eligible and ready to be on college. For this to

happen, both the student and the teacher must consider a lot of factors that may impact the

college eligibility and readiness of the student. In this study, it showed that there are outgrowing

numbers of college dropouts, mostly because of the incapability to stay and not shift from one

course to another (Choy et al, 2000 & 2009). Academic preparedness refers to academic

knowledge and skills that the students need to succeed in doing college level work and that is to

be ‘college ready’. This study also shows variety of factors that impacts the college readiness of

a student. Via standardized test participant & scores, courses taken and course performance,

factors were identified into different levels—individual level, setting and system levels and

societal level. The different factors were 1) intelligence mindsets and long-term goals; 2)

financial status; 3) self-regulation and control and 4) social belonging and connectedness. In

intelligence mindsets and long-term goals, when students see that their intelligence mindsets are

fixed, they were likely to prioritize doing well which also meant avoiding doing poorly while if

the student sees low performance and is being perceived unintelligent, the students oftentimes

select and chooses paths that avoids challenging coursework. According to research, in return,

teachers can influence the students by the goal-setting process which for instance, when a teacher

praises their students for doing well in their work, this could often lead to students who strives to

enhance their learning. Meanwhile, in financial status, research shows how in particular, students

rely on the financial aid that support systems can give to guide them through the process. In

addition, most students don’t even plan about their college payment due to poor financial status.

Moreover, in self-regulation and control, the study shows that students who exhibit higher self-

regulation skills are more skilled in achieving long-term goals rather than those who are not.
Also, low-self-control has emerged as a significant risk factor for a variety of personal and

interpersonal problems (Tangney et al, 2004). Lastly, social belonging and connectedness, the

study showed how students’ sense of social belonging contributes to their academic tenacity and

predicts academic success. Students often thinks that they will stick with people whom they feel

included and respected which effects on their decision making for the future college course.

Hence, this study implies how the four identified factors can affect the college readiness and

college eligibility of a student in choosing their future career paths and distinguishes the

distinction between a students’ capability in going to college and a student level of preparedness

to enjoy being on it.

In a study conducted by Penedilla and Rosaldo entitled Factors Affecting Career

Preferences among Senior High School Students in Tacloban City (2017), there are various

factors that affect the career preferences of the senior high school students such as personal

attributes, academic background and socio-economic factors. These can either directly or

indirectly affect the decision of the students. The participants were asked to answer a survey

about their preferred course in college. However, there are some inconsistencies with the

student’s responses on the survey especially in choosing their college courses for such reason

that the track they got in the senior high school is not inclined and the subjects can’t help them

with their preferred college degree. The study also revealed that executive function and self-

regulation skills are one important factor of student’s decision-making process. It was said that

these skills enables people to plan and filter distractions, prioritize task and build a healthy and

positive mindset. In connection to this study, the grade 12 GAS students might neither developed

nor did not developed these skills that affect their decision in choosing what path they would
take in college. If the students of grade 12 GAS enhanced these kinds of skills, they might be

able to plan and focus on what degree to choose clearly and if they enable to achieve these skills,

they could get lifelong benefits and allows having healthy choices for themselves and for their

families as well.

On Decision-Making

Lampero et al. (2005) entitled The Career Choice of the Senior High School Students of

Western Mindanao State University School Year 2004-2005, in choosing a course to take in

college; the students must have a lot of choices to pick. If the respondents have a lot of choices,

it would be a lot easier for them to pick the right course that they’re fit into. But one factor also

that the respondents must consider in choosing the courses that they should include in their

choice is that they are all capable and interested in each of the courses. It would be hard for the

respondents to study on the field that they didn’t even know anything. In the case of the

respondents of the study, the Grade 12 GAS students determine if they have the skills in the

every choice they have. Also, it will be a big factor to the respondents that they are physically fit

to perform their chosen course. One of the examples is if the respondents’ choice mostly is

Education, they should have the capability to teach and interested in taking up the course.

College is not easy and it would be hard for the respondents to study if they’ll choose the course

that they didn’t even have knowledge about it. The respondents must also open in every aspect of

questions that might be thrown to them such as family backgrounds and many more. Some

universities here in the Philippines tend to ask personal backgrounds about the students who

wanted to enroll in their school. The study also stated that respondents should consider a lot of
factors in each of the courses such as if the respondents have the talent to do the job. One factor

also is the availability of the job. If the future job description of this course is in-demand then it

would be a lot easier and faster for the students to be successful in their fields.

Tahil (2018) stated in his study entitled Factors Affecting College Degree Preferences of

SHS STEM students of the College of Engineering and Technology of Western Mindanao State

University that the students consider their interests as the most influential factors in choosing

their careers for college followed by the personal and opportunity factors as the influential,

family factors as the somewhat influential and peer factors as the less influential. The study also

revealed that if students engage in programs that integrate actual workplace activities, it would

motivate them more to pursue on that particular career they are engaged with. This study states

how these factors can impact the decision making of the students in choosing their career course

in college. The factors mentioned above highly influence students as to how or what will they

take in college and that the grade 12 GAS students must engage themselves in a firsthand actual

workplace activities that are most likely relevant to their interests and through that, they may

choose the course that is best suited with their interests.

Lladones et al. (2003) entitled Factors that Influence the Career Choice among Freshmen

College Students in Western Mindanao State University explained that most of the students use

their freewill in taking up their present course, considering their parents income, the peer group

and other significant people in their lives can or have influenced them in choosing their course or

their desired in life. These people only serve as motivating factors to come up with critical

thinking on the consequences that will or may not happen upon taking their course which might
really occur to the grade 12 GAS students in future as they choose which path they would take.

The study also revealed that respondents that came from the senior high students of Western

Mindanao University wherein majority of them want to take up the courses such as BS

Mathematics, Navigation Courses, BS Psychology, BS Home Economics and BS Engineering

are the courses that chosen most of the male respondents because of the stereotyping of the

nature of the work which requires masculinity to perform the job. In this study, it revealed that

upon taking up courses in the future there are factors that can influence and impact one’s

decision on choosing which course to take in college.

Buenafe (2011) stated in her research study entitled Motivating Factors Influencing

Graduating High School Students on Career Choice Implications to Career Guidance that in

general, there are two divided motivating factors that influence the students in deciding their

career choices; Psychological and Sociological Factors. In this study, in general, there were two

divided factors but in order to get those two major factors, they had conducted series of surveys

in different aspects like gender and type of school. The two major divisions of factors were

drawn from these two different aspects gathering percent’s of division that makes the two major

divided factors different from each other. The study shows how when the data was gathered

according to gender, the most influencing factors included self-concept and family factors while

the less influencing factors were the aptitude and trend. In addition, results from the t-observed

resulted that factors according to gender had no significant difference but when the data was

gathered through t-test, the respondents showed a significant difference on their expressed

interest and self-concept on psychological factors and trend, relatives and peers on sociological

factors. Meanwhile, when data was gathered according to the type of school, the results show
how there is a moderate influence in all the respondents on their self-concept and family factors

while least influence on their aptitude and trend. Using the t-observed, it showed no significant

difference between the respondents but when t-test was used, expressed interest, relatives and

peers showed a significant difference to the respondents. Hence, the respondents of the study

showed a compromised division according to the factors. Among female respondents and public

schools respondents, the motivating factors were family factors ranked most while in male

respondents and private schools, self-concept ranked first. In family factors, family socio-

economic status of the financial status had the most influence among the respondents. In general,

the study showed that aptitude, trend, relatives and peers ranked the least while family factors

and self-concept ranked the most. Thus, the motivating factors that influence the graduating

students on choosing their career choice were divided into two; Psychological and Sociological

Factors wherein Psychological Factors consists of the expressed interest, aptitude and self-

concept while Sociological Factors upholds the family factors, trend, relatives, peers and

Guidance Counselor. This study only shows how these two divided factors could be the one that

pushes the students to be undecided on their decision making on choosing their college course.

Pascual (2016) explained that graduating students in high school choose courses based

from the availability of work that it offers. The students think practically by taking up courses

that offers a high salary that they could benefit of. Most of the students as well prefer to take

scientific or popular courses that other Filipinos are taking. This study shows how graduating

students from high school often tend to choose courses that have a greater chance or possibility

of job opportunities after college. They prefer to choose courses that could give them jobs right

after college. Moreover, this study also shows how students take courses that are popular or most
commonly known as ‘bandwagons’. Many students tend to choose these courses because most of

the students took it up too. Best example is many students took up Nursing because of the job

opportunities that it could offer after college. This only show that peer and trend factors impacts

the decision making of the students in choosing their college course. They didn’t choose the

course the course that they took up because they like it but because they wanted to be practical in

terms of the availability of the opportunities that it could offer after they will graduate. This is

also one of the factors that the researchers in this study considered about the decision of the

students upon choosing their courses. Some of the student’s decision about taking the course is

through the influence of their friends and family and not by their own decision mainly because

the family knows that there is greater opportunity that would knock on their doors if their

students will take that course.

Kissaie et al. (2016) on their study The Effects of Parental Interference among Freshmen

of College of Liberal Arts Towards Their Course Choices explained that students, in choosing

their course choices were being interfered by their parents. The study showed how a few percent

of the respondents claimed that upon choosing and deciding for their course interest, they were

being either guided, supported or suggested by their parents. While the majority percent of the

respondents states that they chose their course on their own. Furthermore, the study also shows

the result of not being able to be ready and decided for college which leads some of the students

to shift to other colleges because they wanted to study the course they wanted. However, the

study pointed out how guidance and the opinion of the parents can help best for the students

since they were the one who financially supported and helped the students. Hence, this study
relates as to how parental interference shows a significant role of being one of the factors for the

students in choosing their college courses.

In a study by Aca-ac et al. (2005) of Preferred College Courses of Senior High School

Students of Zamboanga National High School West and Factors Affecting their Choices

explained that there is no significant difference between the two genders’ preference of college

courses either it is according to intellectual capacity, parental influence or socio-economic status.

This study also shows how among all the students, their most preferred college course was B.S

Nursing. It was proposed that this was due to immediate job opportunities the students might

have after college which could also be one of the factors influencing them in deciding for their

college course. In addition, though almost all of the students belong to a family with a monthly

income of 1,000-5,000, they did not pay consideration to this since opportunities like scholarship

grants could have helped them in succeeding for the course they prefer. In conclusion, this study

correlates as to how students might rely to the number of organizations that might help them

while they choose the course they prefer and the future jobs that might demand college graduates

which could lead the students to choose what course might get them to work immediately.

Hence, these two outcomes mentioned in the study could be the factors that influence the college

course preference or the decision making of the students in choosing their future course.

Eravci (2017) on his study Factors Influencing Senior High School Students’ Career

Decision Making: Its Implication to Career Guidance Program stated that the students of

Western Mindanao State University showed a moderate influence on the career decision making

in terms of peer, socio-economic, gender, parental and school factors. In addition, these five
mentioned factors were divided into two, classifying them into the factors that highly influence

the students and the factors that moderately influence the students. The two factors that showed

high influence were the school factors and gender factors while the factors that showed a

moderate influence were the parental factor, socio-economic factor and peer factor. Furthermore,

the study also showed that there is no significant difference between the choice of tracks and

current tracks that the students enrolled in and their career preferences. Hence, it is the school

and gender factors that showed significant influence on the decision-making of the senior high

school students which correlates as to how these could possibly be one of the factors affecting

the course preference of the Grade 12 GAS students.

Burnaby et al. (2010), the results showed that the interest of the students on that

particular subject is the most important factor for the incoming freshmen. As for women, the

most influential factor is the aptitude in the subject or simply the capability in learning the

subject. However, men were more influenced by the career and job opportunities that the field

can give them. In this study the factors that could influence the students were generalized in vary

on their gender. This relates as to how these different factors could affect the decision making of

the students in choosing their courses wherein in women, girls would tend to choose courses that

are easy for them to take while men would tend to choose those courses that have more job

opportunities after college. It stated here that the men and women have different line of work in

terms of their difficulties that fall into one of the factors. Thus, the influence of the career and the

job opportunities are just one of the factors that the students can encounter as they decide on the

course they will pursue in the near future.

that influence the career choice and college course decision making of the Grade 11 GAS

students. The study had drawn seven different influential factors from the respondents consisting

of 36 or 48.6% males and 38 or 51.4% females for the school year 2016-2017 of the Francisco

Osorio National High School. This study also showed how the tender level of the age of the

respondents made a big impact in their decision making since the Grade 11 GAS students are

still on the age of 16-17 where they are fond of soliciting advices from their parents, teachers,

friends, peers or idolized figure which makes them incapable, confused and they cannot be able

to finalize their decision. In addition, the study also made a point that the respondents were still

on the age where undecidability is a common problem in terms of choosing a career. For most

students, it is really difficult because there are varieties of factors that they have to consider

especially that the students these days are still on the first and fifth batch of the K-12 program.

Moreover, the study also considered the benefits that both the students and teachers can get if

this study has been proven effective. The study could help provide students a career guide in

choosing their career paths while necessary adjustments can be made possible for the teachers. In

conclusion, the study showed numbers of factors that affects and impacts the decision making

and undecidability of the Grade 11 GAS students. The following difficulties encountered by the

respondents were ranked consequently; 1) they like the career they have chosen; 2) they have

difficulty in choosing that they might shift someday; 3) they have chosen a career but it is

difficult to see themselves enjoying in that profession; 4) there is a conflict with what they want

and what their parents want; 5) they fear that they might be rejected in the course they are going

to take; 6) they don’t have a clear vision of what’s going to be their future career; 7) they can’t

think of other reason why it’s difficult for them to make decisions in choosing their career; 8)
they just go with the flow of the recent demand of profession in the society; 9) they don’t know

their interests; 10) they think they are still young to make their own decision especially for their

career and 11) they perceived that they don’t have talents. Meanwhile, the following factors of

undecidability of the Grade 11 GAS students in choosing their career were arranged according to

their rank: 1) financial problem; 2) immaturity to make decision; 3) the right school to choose is

too limited; 4) peer pressure; 5) parental conflict; 6) no new friends or acquaintances and 7) the

school is not credited by the Commission on Higher Educated (CHED). To sum it all up

considering the different factors of undecidability and problems encountered by the Grade 11

GA students, this study shows that there are 7 problems that the students of General Academic

Strands encounter. These are 1) they are still confused of what career path to take; 2) they need

to follow their parent’s decisions; 3) financial problem; 4) other schools does not offer the course

they want; 5) they do not see their future career; 6) they feel sick that they cannot see the right

career and lastly 7) being away with friends. These 7 problems are the possible factors as to why

students of General Academic Strand are often not prepared to proceed in college. The results of

this study show how students in the General Academic Strand face more problem than the other

strands offered in the K12 program. Furthermore, this study relates as to the given seven

influential factors that could affect and impact the decision making of the participants of this

study in choosing their college courses in the near future.

Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on the following theories:

In a study conducted by the University of Minnesota (2019), they have introduced the

THEORY OF ACTION which is prior to the independent variable of the study, college

preparedness. The Theory of Action in the study of the University of Minnesota refers to a

school wide college and career readiness program that is designed to help students from grades 6

to 12 to become prepared for post-secondary education. In this program based on the theory of

action, students engage in instructional and meaningful conversations about college and career

readiness so that the students can visualize what they learn in life, plan in life and assess the

progress they exhibit. In addition, the theory of action puts teachers at the center of any

education research initiative which provides a mechanism for teachers to demonstrate what they

have learned and how it impacts the students (Keane, 2016). In connection, the theory of action

relates as to how the readiness of the students is based on the ‘advisors’ or teachers that exhibits

classroom activities for the students learning, preparing them for whatever they might want to

take in college. The strategies and techniques of the teachers measure the level of preparedness

the students develop while in practice of those strategies implied by the teachers. Thus, the

theory of action correlates with the independent variable college preparedness in a way where the

readiness of the Grade 12 GAS students of Saint Joseph School Foundation Inc. for college relies

or depends on the actions done and made by the teachers during their classroom activities may it

be either towards their skills or learning.

Lewin and Locke (1960) on GOAL THEORY prior to the dependent variable decision-

making explain that goal theory is the overall approach to motivation that emphasizes the

necessity to establish goals. Goal theory determines how students set their goals for the want of

successful achievement in the future. This theory describes how the college courses are

determined by the students based on the goals they had set for themselves. PREFERENCE

THEORY studies the fundamental aspects of individual choice behavior considering a set of

alternatives to construct appropriate preference representation functions for decision making

(Dyer et al, 2013). The Preference Theory supports how students chooses their possible college

courses based on the goals they had set (goal theory) that relies on their preference that varies

from their interests, peer interactions, family commands and many other factors that impact their

decision making in choosing which college course to take. Hence, if the Grade 12 GAS students

of Saint Joseph School Foundation Inc. would start to exhibit this two supporting theories of goal

and preference, it can consider several of possible positive outcomes.

Conceptual Framework

This study discusses the interrelationship of independent and dependent variables.

College Preparedness
 College Preparedness is the independent variable that is posited to determine the percent

of the level of preparedness among the grade 12 GA students for college and in choosing their

college courses. This variable is chosen to provide help to the students and guide them on being

aware of their own self- awareness on being ready for college. According to a study conducted

by Achieve Inc., being ready for college means that a high school graduate has the knowledge

and skills necessary to qualify for and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses

without the need for remedial coursework which shows that if a student is ready for college,

he/she will then possess the necessary skills needed to succeed in a particular course. Moreover,

study shows that only 32% of high school graduates are college ready (Greene, 2003). This only

means that most students after high school are not equipped and ready enough to take college.

Hence, college preparedness helps determine the level of readiness of the students which can

make them aware of the possible problems they might face if they enter college without being

ready for it and also, it can help them be able to start changing their ways and adjust to the

factors that might affect their decision making in choosing their college courses.

Decision-Making

Decision-making is the dependent variable of the study that determines the decision

making of the grade 12 GAS students in choosing which college course to take after high school.

It is the study’s dependent variable because it is part of what the study would want to determine.

According Charles H. Lundquist, decision implies the end of reflection and the beginning of

action (2006), which explains that as the students encounter the additional two years in the K-12

program, they somehow end their contemplation or thinking of what course to take in college
and starts to be decided and firm on the course they prefer or chose. Hence, decision-making is

the dependent variable of the study since the college preparedness of the students relies on how

decided or firm are the students in choosing their college course.

The paradigm of this study is summarized in Figure 2.0.

Conceptual Paradigm

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

COLLEGE
DECISION-MAKING
PREPAREDNESS

GRADE 12 GAS
STUDENTS OF THE SAINT
JOSEPH SCHOOL
FOUNDATION INC.

Respondents
Figure 2.0 Interplay of Variables