Chapter 1 and 2 College Course Preference

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Months from now, senior high school students will be graduating and will be entering a new chapter of their lives—college life. In line with this, the incoming college freshmen should have decided on what program they should take in college. Unfortunately, senior students nowadays are facing a dilemma on their college course preference. This quandary made the researcher conduct a study regarding the factors that influence seniors’ decision making in their college course preference. Information Technology, Nursing, and Hotel and Room Management are the usual courses that are taken up by many students because of the popularity. Some of them are constrained by their parents’ desire while some based their choice to one’s mental capacity. Some are hindered by their family status and there are those who still pursue their dreams. Some are undecided and end up taking a course which doesn't fit them.

The seniors are loaded with a pile of school works, their theses, and basic accountancy. On weekends, some still find time to spend it with their friends in malls, computer shops, play basketball or just dillydally despite their busy schedule while some make use of these days to study their next lessons or prepare for their incoming thesis defense. These things made them forget that soon, they will be leaving this school and they need to pick a course and find a university or college. They even missed to search for courses and universities they might want to apply to but instead they arrive applying for a course they don’t even like. The researcher desires to help the seniors and the next batches in deciding on what course to take in college by determining the factors that may influence them. The researcher wanted them to have an easier way to make a choice through presenting the respondents options that will determine the factors influencing their college course preference. This may also help the guidance counselor of the school in advising the students who are experiencing dilemma regarding their college course preference.

Objectives The researcher desires to determine the factors influencing the seniors on their decision making regarding the program they will take in college. Specifically, this study aspires to accomplish the following:
1. To determine the factor that mainly influence the seniors’ decision on what course to take in college,
2. To determine the favorability of the factors to the seniors, and
3. To identify the effects of the factors to the seniors’ decision making.
Statement of the Problem This research undertaking is in intention of naming the factors that influence the decision making on college course preference of seniors. Specifically, the researcher sought to find answer to the following questions:
1. What is the factor that mainly influences the seniors regarding their decision making on what course to take in college?
2. Are the factors favorable to the seniors?
3. What are the effects of the factors to the seniors’ decision making?
Hypothesis
There are no factors that influence the decision making on college course preference of SBSN seniors.
Scope and Limitation The study focuses on determining the factors that influence the decision making on college course preference of SBSN seniors. The study was limited only to the five (5) sections of the seniors enrolled in the School Year 2011- 2012.
Significance of the Study The findings of the study would be of great help for the following reasons: First, it would determine the factors that influence the decision making on college course preference of the seniors. Second, it will determine if those factors are favorable to them. Third, it will know the effects of these factors to their decision making. Fourth, it may be used by the guidance counselor in advising the seniors regarding their college course preference. Fifth, it could be used by the students to asses themselves whether they have made a right decision in choosing a course. Sixth, through this research, the seniors and the next batches will be able to decide more efficiently regarding their college course preference. Lastly, this may be used as a reference of the next researcher whose research is related to this study.