CHAPTER II
Review of Literature
Academic Performance
Academic performance is an important factor in choosing college courses. It
shows a student’s strengths, skills, and readiness for specific fields of study. It also
affects eligibility for certain programs, guiding students toward courses where they
are more likely to do well. Gong, Li, Yeung, and Zhang (2024) looked into the link
between course selection and overall academic performance among university
students while considering the impact of grade leniency. Their results show that
students with better academic performance usually take more courses early in their
university experience, even when they have heavy workloads. They also observed
differences in elective course choices based on performance levels. Elective choices
that matched higher academic performance were seen as more likely to satisfy
external motivation but less likely to satisfy internal motivation. The study suggests
that we can understand the connection between college course selection and academic
performance from a psychological angle, especially regarding how motivation affects
academic choices. Additionally, it is important to note that academic performance,
along with other noteable factors, are significant and is influential in the college
course selection of undergraduate students (Koech et al., 2016; Agrey & Lampadan,
2014; Aljohani, O., 2017.
On the contrary, there is no significant relationship between academic
performance and career decision-making (Zaini, Rami, Arsad & Anuar, 2021; Akter
& Siraj, 2018; Kim, 2023). Their correlation analysis reports r = 0.007, p = 0.926
between academic achievement and career decision-making, thus concluding that
there is very little to no significance between academic performance and college
course selection in different locales. This can happen if their chosen college course
has been heavily influenced by other factors already, leaving academic performance
insignificant.
Personal Interests
Personal interest is a determining factor in the educational and career life of an
individual, because if their career decisions align with what one truly enjoys doing
and finds meaningful, then they are more likely to be motivated in the long run, more
resistant in the face of challenges, and more fulfilling in the career selected
(Humayon, Raza, Khan, and Ansari, 2018). Statistical testing verified that personal
interest played a strong and positive role in career selection. This is an evidence that
personal interest is as serious a consideration as other factors like family expectation.
The interest-based motivation role is also addressed in further detail in the theoretical
writing of Harackiewicz, Smith, and Priniski (2016), who developed the four-phase
model of interest development. The model suggests that interest will start out as
situational curiosity—elicited by novelty, unexpected news, or self-relevance to the
student's life—but, through repeated experience with meaningful activity, can develop
into a strong and lasting personal interest. Once personal interest matures, it becomes
a reliable source of motivation that propels people through career or scholarly
hardships and pushes them toward their areas.
Additionally, other evidence for the role of individual interest in the choice of
a career comes from South African Grade 12 students' studies by Ajayi (2023). The
study found a statistically significant correlation between vocational choice
decisiveness and career interest. Students who chose career paths that aligned closely
with their personal interests were more confident in their decisions, more motivated to
pursue higher education or specialized training, and more optimistic about their future
careers. Ajayi’s findings suggest that personal interest functions as a consistent and
reliable factor in vocational decision-making across different educational systems and
cultural backgrounds. Moreover, interest factors had the strongest influence on
college degree preferences according to a study of Tahil (2021) on graduating SHS
STEM students. Therefore, proving the significance of personal interest on the college
course selection of senior high school students.
On the other hand, a study at Cebu Technological University revealed that
only student characteristics significantly influenced the intention to enroll in a BS
Biology program, while other elements such as marketing, institutional image, and
perceived career opportunities showed no significant effect (Cebu Technological
University, 2023). Therefore, there are times that personal interests serve little to no
significance in terms of choosing a college course program. Additionaly, Niu (2016)
highlighted that students' choice of program is frequently made more by forces
outside their control like job opportunities and parents' influence than by personal
choice, leading to instances where interest finds no strong role to play while choosing
their preferred course. In the same manner, Zaini, Rami, Arsad, and Anuar (2021) also
discovered that individual variables and personality elements can dominate individual
interests to the point where personal preference plays an insignificant role in some
cases.
In other words, parent and family involvement is arguably one of the most
significant of career choice in gender-dominated occupations (Salami, 2006). Parents
have a big influence on student’s career. Okojide et al. (2018) noted that
parents/guardians have influence on their children’s/wards’ choice of career. They
further said parents/guardians should be adequately informed the extent they should
be involved in the career choices of their wards. In a related investigation, Saleh and
Bah. (2020) revealed that parents have significant effect on students’ choice of career.
It is more likely that a student follows his or her parents’ career path because as a
learner he/she is expected to be more knowledgeable about that career from the
parents’ knowledge and experiences. This can also be linked with how parents' make
use of their time and effort in making themselves involved with their children’s
academic performance and study habits. Evidently, parental involvement is crucial
especially in the early Years for it help students positively in improving their
academic performance (Tokac and Kocayörük, 2012) thus, promoting a positive
outcome in college course selection.
This further supports that parental involvemnt is indeed influential in the
college course selection as well as career choice of students (Koech, J. et al, 2016;
Agrey, L., & Lampadan, N., 2014; Pascual, N. T., 2014)
Parental Involvement
Parental involvement can be defined as the participation of parents in regular
and meaningful communication that with their children, in a way that is influential in
the students’ academic learning experience (Epstein, 2001, p. 30). The study “Parental
Rejection and Adolescent Academic Achievement" by Phyllis Burgess Anderland
(1967) explores the relationship between parental rejection and academic performance
in adolescents. Maternal rejection was found to be related to adolescent academic
achievement, with differences observed between mothers of high-achieving and low-
achieving students. The study also investigated paternal rejection and parental
interaction, revealing differences in parental views of adolescents and discrepancy
scores. Moreover, a more recent study, Stability of Peer Acceptance and Rejection
and Their Effect on Academic Performance in Primary Education: A Longitudinal
Research" by Francisco J. Garcia Bacete et al. (2021), peer relationships and
academic performance remained stable throughout childhood. Social relationships had
a stable influence on academic performance. Acceptance and rejection had differential
effects on academic performance.
However, parental involvement can also be unrelated, negatively related even,
in choosing a college course (Niu, 2016). According to Niu (2016), parents who use
incentives such as money, gifts, or privileges, rarely results to students developing an
internal interest to certain fields or academic subjects, which, in turn, result to a
higher rate of mismatching. It may vary on the environment and cultural factors on
how the presence of parents can influence future decisions of students. Parental
involvement can sometimes have little to no significance on students in choosing a
college course. Furthermore, the parents' educational attainment has no significant
impact on the students' view in terms of how they take on their careers and higher
education (Alvarado, Adriana, Stewart Ambo, Theresa, 2020).
College Course Selection
College course selection refers to the process in which students choose an
academic program that they will study in their higher education (John Wiley & Sons,
2013). Garcia and Villar (2019) found that many students are strongly influenced by
their parents when deciding what to study. While many students may be interested in
something creative or non-traditional, they often go with more practical options that
promise financial stability after graduation. Also, Kumar and Yadav (2020) revealed
that a lot of students go into college without fully understanding the courses they
choose. This lack of knowledge can lead to disappointment or even dropping out. In a
similar Philippine study, Reyes (2018) pointed out that career counseling services in
many schools are either limited or not very effective. They might lose interest, find it
too difficult, or feel like it's not what they expected. In addition, Hernandez and
Santos (2021) discovered that nearly one-third of freshmen in their study considered
switching courses within their first year a sign that many students go into college
unprepared for the realities of their chosen field. Moreover, Castillo and Abao (2020)
found that students in rural areas often limit themselves to whatever is offered at
nearby schools. Even if they're passionate about another field, the cost of moving or
studying elsewhere is just too much. Furthermore, Robbins et al. (2004) showed that
students who pick their course based on genuine interest, rather than pressure, are
more likely to stick with it and perform well.
For many students, especially those in high school, choosing a college course
is a significant life decision. The path they select can greatly shape their future,
making it essential to carefully evaluate various influencing factors. As Jessica Brice
(2019) emphasized, it's crucial to consider these elements thoroughly before
committing to a specific field of study (p.1). However, during this critical phase,
students often face uncertainty, second-guessing, and emotional stress. Castillo et al.
(2010) define decision-making as a rational process of choosing among options to
achieve personal ease and satisfaction. They argue that strong decision-making skills
are vital not only for career success but also for effective leadership (p.5). A student’s
chosen course can significantly impact their life trajectory, which is why thoughtful
deliberation is necessary before making a final decision. Education is widely regarded
as a solution to many global socio-economic challenges. According to Oanu, Torre,
Japitan, and Moneva (2019), societies and individuals rely on education to address
issues such as poverty, ignorance, unemployment, poor governance, and inadequate
infrastructure. Therefore, making informed decisions about career paths—especially
for students preparing for college—is seen as a step toward improving quality of life
and social standing (p.421).
According to Dela and Wijaya (2022), internal environmental factors—such as
parents, peers, personality, and self-potential—account for 61.06% of the influence on
students’ decisions to choose a college major, whereas external factors like career
opportunities, social environment, and future expectations account for only 12.51%.
Similarly, to the study of Pepito, et al. (2024) found that among Grade 12 students at
Mindanao Mission Academy, practical considerations—specifically job opportunities
and financial stability—were the most significant influences on course selection,
followed closely by personal interests. In a related Philippine study, Tahil (2021)
discovered that interest factors had the strongest influence on college degree
preferences of graduating SHS STEM students, followed by opportunity and
personality factors, with minimal peer influence. Meanwhile, a study at Cebu
Technological University revealed that only student characteristics significantly
influenced the intention to enroll in a BS Biology program, while other elements such
as marketing, institutional image, and perceived career opportunities showed no
significant effect (Cebu Technological University, 2023).
Mismatching
Educational mismatching happens when the students’ education did not match
to that required of the current career path they are taking. (OECD, 2017, p. 28).
According to Caballes et al. (2022), there is a 39% rate of mismatches during SY
2017–18, and a rate of 31% mismatches during SY 2018–19. Some key causes
include family and peer pressure, access, mismatch between expectation and reality,
financial challenges, availability of slots, and many more. In fact, there are about
27.27% of ABM students who took a course that is not related with ABM strand, Batu
et al. (2018). Although it is remarkable what advantage the senior high school
curriculum offered to students, there is still a huge portion of these pupils that won't
fully benefit from this due to mismatching. ABM students that matched the course
they took in college are in a advantage for they were given credit for specialized
subjects they took. Their senior high school also helped them hone the skills that they
will use in the future once they enroll to ABM-related college courses. Unfortunately,
mismatched ABM students went through a more difficult experience in college
because of mismatching. These students most likely pursue non-ABM-related college
courses, which puts them at a disadvantage because they will not be able to apply the
specialized subjects that they took in senior high school. The students are said to have
a hard time adjusting to a new learning environment, introduced to new concepts and
focus, academically.