Academic track preferences of grade 10 students at Marciano M. Patricio National High School

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the academic track preferences of Grade 10 students in choosing a track to proceed to senior high school. Survey questionnaire was used to gathered data from 100 randomly selected Grade 10 students enrolled in Marciano M. Patricio High School. Data were analyzed using frequency, ranking and percentage. Results imply that students choice of track is directly influenced by both external and internal factors. Thus, it can be concluded that students would put much considerations on the availability of work in the future and family economic capability rather than considering their innate abilities and interest. Thus giving them career options which may have adverse effect in the future. From these results, it is recommended teachers should guide and help their students in choosing the right and appropriate track for them and keep their thoughts and arms open for students who intend to approach them in times of doubts and difficulty in decision-making. Career guidance may be given intensively and be implemented in school through the mandate of the school head. It is also important to strengthen guidance and counseling program to assist students in making informed choices. The majority of students preferred track to take in senior high school is the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMMS). This is followed by Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), General Academic Strand (GAS), Accounting Business and Management (ABM) and Technical Vocational Livelihood Track (TVL). Choosing a strand is one of the most life-altering decisions that an individual can make, and choosing the right strand is a stressful process for upcoming Senior High School students. It can be a task, which needs decision to be made or a difficult situation involving several issues for decision making. “Making a decision implies that there are alternatives choices to be considered, and in such a case we want not only to identify as many of these alternatives as possible but to choose the one that best fits with our goals, objectives, desired, values, and so on.