University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Panaon | Oroquieta

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROGRAM CHOICE OF FRESHMEN STUDENTS OF

USTP OROQUIETA: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

RES20- Undergraduate Thesis| Research Paper| Research Project

Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education- Major in Home Economics

University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Guerra, Grace C.

Perez, Jomayla C.

Poliran, Rezielme J.

Saldivar, Charlyn Joy A.

Senturias, May D.

Villanueva, Kirstie Dianne M.

April 2023
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................4

Background of the Study..................................................................................................4

Statement of the Problem..................................................................................................8
Objective of the Study.......................................................................................................8
Research Questions...........................................................................................................8
Significance of the Study..................................................................................................9
Theoretical Framework....................................................................................................10
Conceptual Framework...................................................................................................10
Scope and Limitations.....................................................................................................11
Chapter II..............................................................................................................................13

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE................................................................................13

Importance of Choosing the Right Program.................................................................14

Factors Affecting Choice of College Program..............................................................19

Chapter III.............................................................................................................................24

METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................24

Research Design..............................................................................................................24

Population.........................................................................................................................24

Sample and Sampling Procedure......................................................................................24

Research Instruments......................................................................................................25

Data Analysis....................................................................................................................26

CHAPTER IV.........................................................................................................................27

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..........................................................................................27

Research Findings........................................................................................................27
Summary........................................................................................................................30
CHAPTER V..........................................................................................................................38

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................38

Summary Findings........................................................................................................38
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................38
Recommendation..........................................................................................................38
References...........................................................................................................................40
 ABSTRACT

Choosing the appropriate career path is becoming increasingly important for today’s young

students. When selecting a college program, students must consider numerous factors.

This study examined factors influencing students’ choice of program of study in USTP-

Oroquieta Campus. This study is qualitative in nature and stratified sampling technique

were used to draw a sample of 50 respondents in all program (EDUC, BFPT, IT) in USTP-

Oroquieta Campus. Data collection instruments were self-administered questionnaire.

Survey data was analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis approach. This study

discovered that students’ personal choice, financial problem and their peers and parents

are one of the reasons that influence their choice of selection of program of study at USTP-

Oroquieta City. It was recommended that parents should prepare for their children’s

education because as parents, it’s their responsibility to give them proper education and

students should think twice before making a decision.

Keywords: Program Choice, Factor

 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The majority of high school graduates perceive the possibility of attending college as

a fresh and interesting encounter. This is the first time living away from home out of the

parents’ sight. It offers the chance to socialize and make new acquaintances. It is entering a

new world while leaving the comforts of high school behind. For some students however,

the procedure can be very daunting and distressing. There are several stuffs to think about

and choosing a college program is the priority. In choosing the right career path to take it

becomes more important for young students today. College selection is one of the many

important choices students make in determining future career plans.

According to Jones (2022), there are a lot of things to consider when choosing a

career path. It’s not a decision to be made lightly, as it will likely profoundly impact your

future. That’s why it’s essential to do your research and carefully consider all of your

options before deciding. Students need to pick a career path before getting into college to

have a better idea of what they want to study. It can be challenging to figure out what

someone wants to do with their life, but it’s important to take the time to explore options and

find a career that suits them. However, there are some freshmen college students who

regretted the program they choose to enroll in college.

E. St. John said, “There is, perhaps, no college decision that is more thought-

provoking, gut wrenching and rest-of-your-life oriented—or disoriented—than the choice of

a major”. This idea illustrates how choosing a program is a choice that should be thoughtful

and guided by one's understanding of oneself, and that the consequences of making the

wrong choice can be serious. Theoretically, choosing the right program should help
students excel academically and pursue their personal, professional, and academic goals.

You have probably heard it over and over again: choosing a college program is one of the

most important decisions you will make in your life. And it's true. Where you attend college

will have a lasting impact on your personal and professional life. But the truth is, many

students select a college program based on emotion or a very limited set of criteria-

sometimes just a gut feeling. While this won't preclude you from academic success, such

an important decision should probably undergo a higher level of scrutiny (Becton Loveless,

2022).

It is common for parents to force their children to choose specific program for higher

education. Even though parents want the best for their children, this is not the best way to

choose a program. This is how it causes students to make the wrong decision. This is one

of those decisions that you must make for yourself. The right program selection can help

students fit in their interests and learn more about a field they genuinely want to study. It is

critical for students to understand their passion and be certain about the path they want to

take. Other factors to consider when choosing a program include institution rankings,

facilities, and the scope of practical experience, tuition costs, student services, safety, and

socialization. Jessica Brice (2019) explained that it’s important that before choosing a

program to study, you can weigh in the different factors involved in selecting the right

program (p.1). However, as they experience this stage of serious decision-making, they

may encounter doubts, second thoughts, and a surge of overwhelming emotions. According

to Castillo et al. (2010),” Decision-making is the logical way of setting one’s mind to choose

amidst the possibilities to satisfy man’s ease. This is true as stated that good decision-

making is an essential skill for career success generally, and effective leadership

particularly. It is true that for an individual to be successful, the person must possess good

decision-making” (p.5). The program that the student will be choosing can exert a huge
influence on the outcome of their lives. Thus, it is of the essence that students must

deliberate, before having a resolution in what program are they pursuing in college.

Choosing a program is a struggle for most. In a survey that was conducted in 2020, many

incoming students are not confident in their career path and nearly two-thirds of students

say they feel overwhelmed by the process of selecting a program. This leads students to

change their programs without understanding the ramifications–they wind up taking

unnecessary program and delaying their expected graduation, sometimes by multiple

semesters (Ascione, 2020, p.1). Nonetheless, councilors, college advisers, and other staff

can assist the students in making knowledgeable choices that can fit their distinctive

interests, personalities, and abilities.

As Falk et al., (2010) uncovered, decision making is directly linked to expected

enjoyment. Students are typically motivated to make decisions based on perceived

happiness in the outcome. In their study students were given program descriptions of

classes and asked which ones they were more likely to take. Students were asked to give

their perception on how enjoyable each program would be versus how useful each program

would be and students noted they were more likely to take a program based on the

expected enjoyment rather than usefulness. Program that ranked highly however, were

those that students perceived as both enjoyable and useful. Falk and colleagues’ study

reinforced the notion that emotion and rationality combined affect decision making. Program

selection has recently become a very complicated science, because the decision is

influenced by a variety of factors. A number of factors However, choosing the right program

is critical in ensuring that students live a fulfilling future. The journey of a dream career isn’t

a smooth one. You’ll encounter obstacles or hitches here and there, but with a career plan,

you can be assured of a smooth passage that will land you to your dream job and bring you
the fulfillment and career happiness you long for. You can never go wrong by having a

career plan that helps you know who you are, what you want and how to get there.

With these, the researchers come up to conduct a study about the factors that affect

the student’s choice of program particularly the first-year college students in USTP-

Oroquieta City. The researchers will get the students opinion, point of view and even their

reasons of why they choose the said program. Thus, this research is purposely made to

emphasize the freedom and rights of each student to give their insights and for them to be

helped in choosing their program choice. The researchers were responsible on gathering

respondents and information about the said study.

Statement of the Problem

Making a career choice is a defining phase in every student’s life. Freshmen students

nowadays face difficulties in the first year of their program choice and few of them were

uncertain. Some students took up programs of their choice, however, there are also

students who took up a program they don’t desire because of some influences. Therefore,

the researchers came up with the idea of conducting a survey through printed guide

questions specifically to the first-year college students of the University of Science and

Technology of Southern Philippines on what factors influenced them in choosing that

certain program.

Objective of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to

1. Identify the demographic profile of the first-year college students in USTP-Oroquieta

City.

1.1 Sex:

1.2 Department:
 1.3 Program:

2. Determine the factors affecting the program choice of freshmen students of USTP

Oroquieta.

Research Questions

The objective of the study will be met by answering the following research questions.

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondent in terms of:

1.1 Sex:

1.2 Department:

1.3 Program:

2. What is your first choice of program in college?

3. What factor affects your program choice?

Significance of the Study

This study will give benefits to the following individuals:

Students. The proposed study will benefit the students to further realize the factors

affecting their program choice in college. They will be helped in assessing themselves and

be aware about the possible factors they should consider in choosing a college program.

The proposed study will help them to further realize the impact that would possibly affect

them if they won’t pursue the program they desire to take.

Parents. The proposed study would like to give the parents the idea on what factors their

children consider in the program they attended. It is also beneficial in letting them be aware

of the reasons why their children chose the said program and the possible impact that could

affect their children if they are not able to choose the program they desire.
School Administrators. The proposed study will help the administrators know what factors

would highly affect the program choice of freshmen students. They will gain ideas from this

study on how to address and guide students in their decision making.

Future Researchers. The study will benefit and help the future researchers as their guide

and open the development of the study. This could be a significant reference to a parallel

study with a wider scope and setting.

Theoretical Framework

Anchored the researchers concept and theories about the study that helped the

researchers refined the research problem and develop conceptual framework of this study.

The study is all about the Factors Affecting the Program Choice of Freshmen Students in

USTP- Oroquieta City, which states that student’s decision making is a critical factor as

they choose a program to study in college. However, choosing a right career path is not

easy to those students who want to pursue college. The choice of program is a crucial

factor in how young people develop because it has been linked to both beneficial and

detrimental psychological, physical, and socioeconomic differences that last long into

adulthood (Robertson, 2014; Bubi and Ivanievi, 2016).

Career planning is essential for a number of reasons, including lowering your risk of

making rush decisions and assisting you in determining when you’re ready to explore for

new chances and learn new skills (Daniel Higginbotham, 2021). You will learn the skills that

you need to succeed in your chosen field, helping you build a better future.

Conceptual Framework

The framework shows the Input (I) and Output (O) of the study as well as the process (P) in

gathering the data. The input covers the program choice of freshmen students in University
of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines-Oroquieta City. The output covers the

factors that affect the program choice of the freshmen students.

Shown in Figure 1.0 is the input-process-output (IPO) and independent variables in

obtaining the data.

Input Output
Process

Program Choice Data gathering Factors that

of freshmen through the use affect the

students of of Printed guide program choice

USTP Oroquieta questions and of freshmen

interview. students.

FIGURE 1.0

Scope and Limitations

The scope of the study will be conducted at the University of Science and

Technology of Southern Philippines-Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental. The researchers

will conduct a survey to (50) freshmen students from Education Department, BSIT

Department and BFPT Department. This study will look into the factors that affect freshmen

students in their choice of program.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined operationally to provide a clear understanding of the study:

Affect- has an effect on; make a difference to.

Course- are time-limited in most colleges world-wide, spanning anywhere from a few

weeks to several semesters. They can be either elective or mandatory material, but an
elective is typically not necessary for all majors. In this study, course referred to the

programs or degree the students want to pursue in college.

Data Analysis- The systematic application of statistical and/or logical techniques to

describe and illustrate, condense and summarize, and evaluate data. It involves inspecting,

cleaning, transforming and modeling data with the aim of uncovering relevant information,

guiding conclusions and supporting decision-making. In this study, it refers to the process

applied in order to obtain clear data and information.

Exploratory Study- is methodology approach that explores research questions that have

not previously been studied in depth. It is often used when the issue you’re studying is new,

or the data collection process is challenging in some way.

Factor- a circumstance factor that has an impact on how something turns out.

Input – consist of the profile of the respondents and the factors connected with the

dependent and independent variables.

Output- refers to the action taken after interpreting the results of the study.

Program- An educational program is a plan created by a school or ministry of education to

determine an individual’s learning progress at all stages of formal education. In this study,

the term “educational program” refers to the alternative term for courses in college. It is the

degree of program that is offered to students in college.

Qualitative Research- are the researcher’s observation interviews, questionnaires, focus

groups, participant observation, field recordings, documents case studies and artifacts are

all used to gather.

Respondent- a person who replies to something especially one supplying information for a

survey or questionnaire or responding to an advertisement.

Stratified Sampling- Form of sampling technique in which the entire population is divided

into smaller groups or strata. The population data common traits serve as the foundation for

the stratum.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The first year of university is a period of your life like no other. It’s a melting pot of

feelings, challenges and obstacles that every single person will encounter and deal with in

their own unique way. Many freshmen students often have trouble choosing what college

program to take. It can be a really tough decision to make for students because peer or

parental pressure tends to have a huge impact on decision making. Because of these,

many college students become stuck with the program they don’t like or they are not

particularly interested in. 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. The main objective of this study is to investigate the

factors affecting the choice of program for most college students.

This chapter presents review of related literature and studies about the factors affecting

choice of college program and the significance of choosing a right career path. This chapter

also contains a discussion on the overview of the factors that affect the freshmen students

of the University of Science and Technology in Southern Philippines-Oroquieta City in their

choice of program. Lastly, this chapter includes relevant studies regarding decision making

in choosing career paths.

Importance of Choosing the Right Program

College is one’s final stop before entering the real world. You'll gain the knowledge

and skills required to succeed in your chosen field, allowing you to build a better future.

While there are numerous factors to consider, perhaps the most important is whether you

feel at ease on campus and satisfied with the program you select. Choosing a college
program is arguably one of the most important life decisions an individual can make. An

individual can create. The current study's goal was to identify the most influential factors

played a role in that decision. A literature review not only identified the influential factors in

choosing an academic field of study, but also how Individuals make decisions in general,

particularly those concerning their careers. We all struggle through our college years

because we wish for a program that is promising for us. Every student wants to achieve

success and if you are unable to get the right career opportunities, the challenges ahead

are daunting. However, with the right college selection, you can unveil endless possibilities

for yourself. It not only adds up to your personality but is a huge stepping stone for you, on

your resume. Yes, your skill and knowledge do sell but a reputable college adds up

wonderfully. Remember, the right college is not only crucial for your future. It plays a huge

role in your personality, and grooming that adds up to your career finally. With the right

mentors and knowledge, you are able to achieve a lot more in life (Abel Anderson, 2022).

The alignment of these things is to ensure students are compatible with their program

choice. They tend to choose areas of study where other students will be similar to them,

share their interests and ideas, in turn providing them with a sense of belonging in their

academic community. Feeling a lack of this belonging leads to discomfort and in turn

dissatisfaction with choice of academic major (Porter & Umbach, 2010). The program

chosen at the start of one’s college career decides more than just the coursework involved;

it decides where students will spend most of their college careers. It determines who they

will have classes with, what faculty they will interact with, and which of their interests and

opinions will be developed throughout their time. The most important factors students

consider when selecting a college for higher education are the college/reputation,

university's course details, potential job opportunities, financial support, and scholarship
programs. Additionally, students highlight the college's location, integrated facilities, hybrid

earning setups, canteen, accommodation, quiet learning zones, and so on.

In a study made by Depping & Freund (2011), they stated that other adults tend to

make more responsible decisions considering their future. For a variety of reasons,

obtaining a college degree can be an important factor in improving your life. It has the

potential to catapult your educational career to new heights. A student usually decides on

his or her own program because no one else will benefit from the decision except the

student. Skill seekers who want to up skill themselves have a difficult time deciding on the

best program and program provider for them. "In a skill seekers' journey, it is imperative to

enable career discovery to help choose skill seekers the right program which could

enhance their job prospects. Knowing what your likes and hobbies are the first steps in

determining which program you should choose. When selecting a program to pursue, you

have to think about whether your skills and experience align with it or not. Once you've

decided on the right program, it's critical to connect with the best training companies that

provide quality (Mandali R, 2013). Parents' expectations, educational levels, and social

backgrounds heavily influence college/ program choices. Furthermore, because the former

is the primary source of financial support for the latter, parents are the primary influencer of

a student's choice of college or university and program of study. Children typically seek

advice from their parents about higher education because they believe their parents have

more knowledge or experience. To help students keep up with the times, parents should

not force their children to pursue a specific course or stream, but rather encourage them to

pursue one in which they are interested (India Today Web Desk, 2022). Parents frequently

compel their children to choose specific program for higher education. Even while parents

want the best for their children, this is not the ideal way to choose a program. This is how it

causes students to make the erroneous decision.

 "Education" is unanimously accepted as the solution to the world's socioeconomic

problems. Education, among other things, is looked to by nations and individuals to provide

a remedy for poverty, ignorance, drought, excessive rains, mental inadequacy, joblessness,

terrible government, a poor communication system, starvation, and inadequate housing.

Thus, every nation in the globe strives to a high quality of life and social standing through

wise career decisions, particularly for kids going to enter college" (Oanu et al., 2019, p.

421). Choosing a college program is perhaps one of the most important life-altering

decisions a person can make. Choosing the right program is a big decision and it is

important to get it right as it can impact your future success. If you can manage to get it

right, it will help you to take the next step in your career journey into the right postgraduate

program in a few years. College life can be difficult. You are entering adulthood, which

brings with it a slew of new experiences and responsibilities. Among all of this, if you end up

choosing a program in which you are uninterested, it won't be long before you become

entirely de-motivated. If the program does not catch your interest, you will not be able to put

out the necessary effort or get the required results. Your grades will suffer as a result, which

will undoubtedly lower your emotions.

According to India Today Web Desk (2022), in order to make an informed decision

about higher education, students must obtain and integrate information from multiple

sources. At this time of their lives, it is frequently the first big decision they make about their

financial, educational, social, and career future. These life-changing decisions affect not

only an individual's future, but also the future of their families, communities, schools,

universities, and the entire economy. The most essential aspects students consider while

selecting a college for higher education are the college/reputation, university's program

information, future job possibilities, financial support, and scholarship programs.

Additionally, students highlight the college's location, integrated amenities, hybrid earning
setups, canteen, accommodation, quiet learning zones, and so on. Furthermore, students

emphasize the college campus's safety measures. According to Bukas Finance Corp

(2021), choosing a program and college is an important decision. While it is impossible to

foresee what will happen in the future, the decisions you make can influence the

experiences you will have in the next years. Here are some things to think about when

choosing a program and a college. The right program selection can help students fit in their

hobbies and learn more about a field they actually want to study. It is critical for students to

recognize their passion and be certain about the path they want to take.

Akrita (2016) stated that many students find it difficult in choosing college program. It

is a hard decision to make since the future of the students depend on the first step to

become an independent person and can contribute to their future career. In other way,

choosing a college program that will fit to the students’ interest and skills can get closer to

their professions. Another study from Samsinar (2022) stated that if college students are

given a chance to choose the program they want to study, they will be more eager to attend

classes because they love what they are doing. The challenge of selecting a future job

option is a common challenge that high school graduates face every year. The decision to

continue with post-secondary education and the institution to attend are the two key

decisions that students make at this point in their lives. Job prospects vary between

individual institutions, as well as between individual cities. In addition, it helps to know the

job market can change markedly over the 3 program of your degree. Lee (2013) stated that

Human rights proponents argue that everyone has the right to an education, which all

humans have the right to enroll in a school that provides great education for both academic

and personal success.

The value of education in reaching one's goals is seen as a never-ending door of

opportunity and a key determinant of success in life, includes having a successful career,
stable employment, the ability to meet basic needs, and a sense of ease in daily life.

"Education is the most potent weapon that can change the world," Nelson Mandela stated,

indicating that if you are literate and have completed your education, you are far more

capable of elevating yourself and even making a difference in society as a whole.

Oreopoulous & Petronijevic (2013) conclude that having a higher educational attainment

opens up a world of possibilities and boosts your chances of landing a decent job and a

position in a company you wish to work for. All of this begins with selecting the correct

professional route for your attitude, intelligence, and skills. Right program selection can help

students fit in their interest and learn more about a field they’re genuinely interested in

studying. It is extremely important for students to understand their passion and have clarity

about the program they are willing to pursue. In addition, McMahon (2017) states that

higher learning provides greater good. The worth of college education and college degree

completion gives a link of having more valuable benefits compare to non-college degree

completer. Employees not only need experiences but they must have a degree as well in

performing their jobs.

It is essential to consider each benefit of every program and identify differences in

order to figure out which would be the greatest option for securing their future. The term

indecision can be applied to a majority of situations in which an individual is in urgency to

decide, but is unable to properly grasp the appropriate response due to the inability to

choose, or is struggling to discern the differences between the available options (Fernando

et al., 2018). Moreover, college preparation is so important to have successful college life. It

is beneficial to enhance your self-discipline and independence to face the challenges you

may encounter. Early planning can help you to make the most of your performance during

your college career.

Factors Affecting Choice of College Program

The most important factor to consider when selecting a college program is identifying

yourself and the reason why you are looking to study further Team Leverage Edu (2022).

The decision you make about your career will affect how successful you are in the next

stages of your life. To many, especially first year college students, choosing a program in

college is an important real-life decision. The path that the youth will be pursuing can cause

a huge impact on their future. Therefore, further consideration of varying factors must be

implemented. Before choosing a program to study, it is important to weigh in the different

factors involved in selecting the right course. However, as they experience this stage of

serious decision-making, they may encounter doubts, second thoughts, and a surge of

overwhelming emotions. Choosing a college program is arguably one of the most important

life decisions an individual can make (Edmonds, 2012).

Thus, a person's fate can be altered by one poor choice. Making a choice about a

program is difficult for everyone. The overall economy of a country is a larger-scale

manifestation of this individual action. People who are misfits at work frequently lack

productivity and efficiency, which prevents them from accomplishing their goals. Kazi and

Akhlaq (2017), in view of the foregoing, the need to equip our students with appropriate

career decision skills becomes highly imperative through general orientation, seminars into

the world of work through the curriculum. The researchers discovered that the majority of

students lack confidence in their abilities, are undecided, and uncertain - unsure of their

decisions in selecting program in college while dealing with a variety of factors that

influence their choices. This prompted the researchers to conduct this study in order to

investigate the factors influencing students' program selection. Students' program selection

is a delicate issue that requires caution and serious consideration - factors influencing their
choices. The type of program that the youths choose can have a significant impact on their

lives. Shumba and Naong (2012) found out that the family is a significant factor in

determining children’s career choice, the ability of the learner self to identify his preferred

career choice, and teachers influence career choice of their learners. Parental education,

family income, and the occupational status of the family head were found to be positively

associated with offspring's educational achievement.

According to Rababah (2016), family members and peers have an influence in the

students’ choice of the program including personal interest, gender, career opportunity and

availability of jobs are some of the factors that affect the students’ decision making in this

matter. Khoo et al., (2015) showed that college students and non-college students who

were involved in this study agreed that parents are the most influential or important person

when choosing their choice of college or university and course of study because parents

perceive as their main source of finance and normally seek advice from them due to the

perception that parents have the relevant information or experience with regards to higher

education, and hence, parents are viewed as a credible source of advice. In addition,

Kaneez and Medha (2018) supported that parental influence have significant effect on the

program choice of their children. Al-Rfou (2013) explored that the parents have a significant

influence on the major selection, siblings and friends also consider important source to

select the major, while teachers and media are the least amongst the selected factors.

Umar (2014) showed that although parents have influence on the choice of program of their

children so also other factors such as peer group, employer and relatives. Parents have a

very strong influence to their children’s decision when it comes to choosing what program to

take in college. The Filipino people have a deep respect for elders that also explains why

parents have such a strong influence on their children's decisions. Children in a Filipino

family are financially dependent on their parents, which explains their submission to their
parents' decisions, as well as the moderate influence of others such as peers, friends, and

relatives.

Another factors were affordability of tuition, followed by scholarship. Ibrahim (2017)

revealed that family members have the highest contributions in influencing students to the

profession of medical laboratory science due to the fact that family is usually who provided

financial supports to them. Eremie and Okwulehie (2018) indicated that factors such as

environmental, opportunity and personality can influence the choice of career among

secondary school students. In terms of environmental factors, it revealed that family,

socioeconomic status and peer groups have significant influence of the students’ choice of

program. Other factors affecting their choice of college program students ranked interest in

the subject first followed by guaranteed employment, expected earnings in the field, and

prestigious career as the highest (Yazici & Yazici, 2010). Additionally peer relationships that

foster acceptance and support positively affect academic success, and the more successful

and confident a student feels about their capabilities the easier the transition into college

will be, including their certainty with their choice of major (Fass & Tubman, 2015). Students

will have the most successful outcomes if they choose a program that aligns with their own

personality, interests, beliefs, and even political views.

Hewit (2010) notes that most people are heavily influenced either by professions that

their parents favor; or the ones that their educational achievements have opened for them.

Yet, other individuals are influenced by programs that offer prospects of higher benefits

including salary, allowances and holidays. However; there are also those who choose to

follow program that they have a passion for regardless of the prospects of the benefits; for

the reason that a program is a critical element in determining an individual’s daily routine,

life activities, standard of living; and the spiritual and social aspects of life. In fact a program

affects the ordering of one’s entire life. Although there are differences among various
population groups, generally extrinsic influences on program choice decisions are mostly

influenced by parents, peers, friends, relatives, role models, and teachers especially career

counselors. This is possible through social support or interaction (Pummel et al., 2012).

However, the extent to which each of them influences program choice decisions varies from

one population to the other. Right program selection can help students fit in their interests

and learn more about a field they’re genuinely interested in studying. It is extremely

important for students to understand their passion and have clarity about the program they

are willing to pursue. College is perceived as an investment in your future, and some

believe that it’s better to be rational, rather than emotional when deciding something as

important as a field of study. If compared to how people make investment decisions college

can be viewed as a classic gain vs. loss scenario. If you make a good decision that pays off

you are happy with that choice, whereas choosing poorly may lead you to regret and

dissatisfaction (Xiao & Wang, 2011).

 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter describes the methods to be used to explore the factors affecting the program

choice of freshmen students in University of Science and Technology of Southern

Philippines Oroquieta City. It includes the research design, research setting, sample and

sampling procedure, research instruments and data analysis procedure.

Research Design

This research is qualitative in nature, determining the factors affecting the program

choice of freshmen students in USTP-Oroquieta City. It will help to examine how decisions

are made and provide further insights.

Research Setting

This study will be conducted within the University of Science and Technology of

Southern Philippines Oroquieta City. The school caters a variety of students who come

from diverse cultural, educational, linguistic, and social backgrounds.

Population

The population of this study is the freshmen students coming from the University of

Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Oroquieta City as respondents.

Sample and Sampling Procedure

The researchers will use the stratified sampling with 50 respondents. With this

method, the total population is divided into smaller groups or strata to complete the
sampling process. Every member of the population can be clearly classified into exactly one

subgroup.

Strata Layer Size Formula

Education 99 50 / 526 x 99 = 10

BFPT 128 50 / 526 x 128 = 12

Information Technology 299 50 / 526 x 28 = 28

Total: 526 50

Figure 1.1

Shown in Figure 1.1 is the procedure used to obtain the sample drawn from the 3

departments namely Education, BFPT, and IT of USTP- Oroquieta Campus. The overall

population size is 526. The researchers randomly selected 50 respondents as the size of

the entire sample divided by the total population size of the 3 departments and then

multiplied by the layer size. The result for the education department is 10 as the total

respondents, for the BFPT 12 total respondents, and for IT department 28 total

respondents.

Research Instruments

The researchers will ask permission to the school’s Campus Director of the

respondents through the use of consent form. Along with the consent form will be the

confidentiality notice to protect the information shared by the respondents. After the consent

will be permitted, the researchers will proceed to the gathering of data.

 Another instrument that will be used is the printed guide questions which will be the

tool to gather information on the factors affecting the program choice of freshmen students

in USTP-Oroquieta City. The survey questionnaire will be given personally to the

respondents. Basically, the survey will utilize two sets of questions; the first set is to gather

the profile of the respondents, while the second set will determine the factors affecting the

program choice of freshmen students in USTP-Oroquieta City.

Data Analysis

Once the data were gathered, it will then be analyzed and interpreted using thematic

analysis to obtain the factors affecting the program choice of freshmen students in USTP -

Oroquieta City.
 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the data gathered, the results of the analysis done and

interpretation of findings. These are presented in qualitative method of research following

the research problems regarding the factors affecting the program choice of freshmen

students in USTP-Oroquieta City.

Research Findings

This section summarizes the results of the printed guided questionnaire given to the

fifty students from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Oroquieta City who were chosen to participate in the study. The researchers asked

questions to the respondents that will answer the research questions of the study. The

findings are as follows:

Question 1: What is your first choice of program before you enter college?

Education Department:

EDUCATION

“Education” (ED-ICT1, ED-IA1, ED-IA2, ED-IA3)

“My first choice is education, specifically BTLEd-ICT…” (ED-ICT2)

“My first choice is actually BTLEd-HE…” (ED-HE1)

“My first choice of program is education…” (ED-HE2, ED-HE3, ED-IA4)

Accountancy

“Accountancy” (ED-ICT3)
BFPT Department

EDUCATION

“Education” (BFPT 1, BFPT 2, BFPT 3, BFPT 4, BFPT 5, BFPT 6)

“I want to take education major in Industrial Arts…” (BFPT7, BFPT8)

“I planned to take education major in Home Economics but sad to say there’s

no more slot available.” (BFPT9)

Nursing

“Nursing” (BFPT10)

HRM

“My first choice is HRM…” (BFPT11, BFPT12)

BSIT DEPARTMENT

IT

“My first choice is BSIT…” (IT1, IT2, IT3)

“My first choice is Information Technology.” (IT28)

BS Nursing

“My choice is Bachelor of Science in Nursing.” (IT4)

“Actually, I really want to take nursing course…” (IT25)

BS Tourism Management

“I’d like to take Tourism Management.” (IT5)

Education

“My choice is Education major in Biology.” (IT6)

“I want to take Education major in English.” (IT7)

“When I was in Senior High School I planned to take Education major in

Physical Education…” (IT19)

“My first choice of program is education…” (IT22)

BS Aircraft Maintenance Technology

“I want to take BS Aircraft Maintenance Technology.” (IT8, IT9, IT10)

BS Criminology

“I want to take Bachelor of Science in Criminology.” (IT11, IT12, IT13)

“BS Criminology…” (IT18)

HRM

“My first choice is HRM…” (IT26)

BS Marine Transportation

“I want to take Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation.” (IT14, IT15)

Law

“I want to be a lawyer…” (IT16)

Veterinary Medicine

“My choice is to be a veterinarian…” (IT17)

Accountancy

“Accountancy” (IT20)

“My first choice is BS Accountancy Program…” (IT23)

Electrical Engineering

“My first choice is Electrical Engineering…” (IT21)

BS Business Administration

“My first choice of program is BSBA…” (IT24)

BFPT

“My first choice is actually BFPT…” (IT27)

Summary

There are many different choice of program that students want to take when they

enter college. The researchers identified that the respondents from the Education

Department answered that they want to take Education, BS Accountancy, BS Business

Administration, Electrical Engineering, Law, Veterinary Medicine, BS Nursing, and BS

Criminology as their first choice of program.

For the BFPT Department, the respondents’ first choice of program are Education,

Nursing, HRM, BFPT and IT. Lastly, under BSIT Department, respondents’ first choice of

program are BSIT, Nursing, BS Tourism Management, Education, BS Aircraft Maintenance

Technology, BS Criminology and BS Marine Transportation. Some of the respondents were

able to pursue their first choice of program while others are not.
Question 2: What factor affects your program choice?

Education Department:

Influenced by peers

“I took this course because my cousin influenced me.” (ED-HE3)

“I was influenced by my friends.” (ED-HE3)

No choice

“I have no choice because other schools are starting to get their schedules

and starting to begin their class.” (ED-IA4)

“Actually this is not the course I want but I have no choice.” (ED-HE2, ED-

ICT2)

Financial Problem

“We are financially unstable.” (ED-IA4)

Persuaded by friends

“I hear many good feedbacks about this course particularly in this school.”

(ED-HE1, ED-IA1)

“I heard that USTP teaching style is good and average graduates of this

school passed the board exam for teachers.” (ED-IA2)

“Influenced by mates.” (ED-ICT3, ED-HE3)

Personal choice

“This is my first choice of course.” (ED-IA3, ED-HE1)

 “I chose to get the course Education because in my childhood days I always

dream to be a teacher.” (ED-IA4)

“I chose this course because I love computer.” (ED-ICT2)

Free tuition

“Free tuition” (ED-IA4, ED-IA2, ED-HE1, ED-ICT3)

Near from home

“I chose this course because it is near in our house.” (ED-IA4)

“Near from home.” (ED-IA1)

BFPT Department:

Free tuition

“Free tuition” (BFPT7, BFPT10, BFPT12, BFPT2)

“I choose this because this is a free tuition.” (BFPT1)

Run out of slot

“I run put slot…” (BFPT9, BFPT11)

“I choose this course because I run out slot.” (BFPT4, BFPT5, BFPT1)

Did not pass the entrance exam

“I did not pass the entrance exam.” BFPT3, BFPT4, BFPT5)

“I failed to pass the entrance exam.” (BFPT7, BFPT1, BFPT10)

Financial problem

“Financially unstable…” (BFPT7, BFPT9)

 “Financial problem…” (BFPT6, BFPT12, BFPT2)

No choice

“I have no choice…” (BFPT4)

“I have no other options.” (BFPT1)

“No choice” (BFPT10)

Influenced by peers

“I am influenced by my friends.” (BFPT5, BFPT12)

Personal choice

“This is my first choice of program.” (BFPT12)

“Own choice” (BFPT11)

“Personal choice” (BFPT2, BFPT8)

Near from the house

“It is near in our home.” (BFPT1)

“Near from home and I can save money.” (BFPT12, BFPT7)

Knowledgeable on the program

“I have a little background of knowledge about the program.” (BFPT11)

BSIT Department:

Influence by relatives and relatives

“I was influenced by my cousins.” (IT2)

“I was influenced by my relatives.” (IT14)

 “I am influenced by my peers.” (IT26)

Parents’ choice

“My course was choice by my parents.” (IT3)

“My mother disapproved my first choice that’s why I choose BSIT.” (IT14)

“My first choice is military, but my parents disapproved it that’s why I choose

BSIT.” (IT12)

“It’s my parents’ choice.” (IT25, IT22)

Free tuition

“I study in USTP and choose BSIT because it is free tuition.” (BSIT11)

“I choose BSIT and study in USTP because it is free tuition.” (IT12)

“USTP is free tuition and I choose BSIT.” (IT3)

“I study in USTP because it is free tuition.” (IT1, IT13, IT12)

“I choose BSIT as my second choice of program and study in USTP because

it is free tuition fee.” (IT10, IT20)

“I chose this because it offers free tuition…” (IT19, IT24, IT28)

Financial problem

“My first choice is Criminology but because of financial problem I did not

pursue it.” (IT11)

“I didn’t pursue my first choice which is astronaut or Aeronautics because no

one can provide my needs financially that’s why I decided to study in USTP
and choose BSIT.” (IT9)

“I didn’t pursue my first choice due to financially unstable and I decided to

study in USTP. (IT13)

“I didn’t pursue Aircraft Maintenance or Aircraft Mechanic due to financial

status.” (IT10)

“I didn’t pursue my first choice due to lack of financial.” (IT1)

“My first choice is Maritime (BSMT) due to lack of financial I didn’t pursue it.”

(IT15)

“Lack of financial to support my weekly expenses.” (IT2)

“My first choice is BSN but due to lack of financial unstable I didn’t pursue it.”

(IT4)

“Due to financial aspect, I didn’t pursue BSMT and decided to study in USTP.”

(IT5)

“I wanted to choose BS Biology but because of financial problem I did not

pursue it.” (IT6)

“Due to financial unstable, I didn’t pursue BSEd major in English.” (IT7)

“We are financially unstable.” (IT16)

“I like to go to other universities but we are financially unstable.” (IT17)

“Financial problem.” (IT20, IT23, IT25, IT27)

Personal choice

“I chose IT because it is my personal choice.” (IT1)

“I chose IT because it is my second choice.” (IT8, IT18)

“Own choice” (IT26)

Hobby

“I chose IT because I want to learn more in computer and to be a

programmer.” (IT13)

Near from Home

“I use to study at USTP because it is near from my family.” (IT1)

“I study in USTP because it is near from our house.” (IT8)

“USTP is near our house.” (IT13, IT11)

“I didn’t pursue Maritime because it is far that’s why I choose USTP.” (IT15)

“I did not pursue Aircraft Maintenance because I don’t want to be depart from

my family.” (IT10, IT19)

“Near from home.” (IT21, IT28, IT17)

No choice

“No choice.” (IT22)

Summary

There are so many factors that can affect the student’s choice especially in choosing

the right program when they reach college. Some factors have become a hindrance for a

student to pursue what they really want just like lack of financial capability, so students

prefer to study in public universities where they don’t have to think about the college fees.
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of the study and its findings, conclusions, and

recommendations based on the result of the survey conducted through stratified sampling

in presenting the “Factors Affecting the Program Choice of Freshmen Students in USTP-

Oroquieta City: An Exploratory Study”.

Summary Findings

This study investigated the “Factors Affecting the Program Choice of Freshmen

Students in USTP-Oroquieta City. There were fifty (50) freshmen respondents who

responded to the survey about the factors affecting their program choice. Most of them

responded that financial problem is the most common factor that greatly affects their choice

of program. Other responses include personal choice, free tuition fee, near from home and

did not pass the entrance exam of their desired program.

Conclusion

The current study explores the factors affecting the program choice of freshmen

students in USTP-Oroquieta City. The findings revealed that the factors affecting the

program choice of these freshmen students varied on the student’s family financial status.

Therefore, financial problem is the most common factor that affects their choice of program

while personal choice is the least factor.

Recommendation

In the light of the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following recommendations

offered:

1. Parents should prepare for their children’s education because as parents it’s their

responsibility to give then proper education.

2. Parents should at least consider their children’s decision in choosing what program

they want to take in college.

3. Parents should give support to their children whatever profession they want to

pursue and let them feel that they have their backs.

4. Students must consider their family’s financial stability if their parents can afford the

possible expenses.

5. Students should think about what program is aligned with their interest, strengths,

weaknesses, and evaluate their skills as well as what they are capable with. We may

have a decent idea of what we really like but we don’t know what we’re good at.

6. Students should ponder that college life sometimes turn out differently than what

they have expected. So always check and think wisely on what program to choose.

7. Students must prepare themselves for the college entrance test since it is a

requirement before you get accepted.

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