College Preparedness of Senior High School Students toward Higher Education: A Predictor of Career Decision Making

Abstract

This study was conducted in response to growing concerns in the local senior high school context regarding students’ readiness for college and their ability to make informed career decisions amid increasing academic demands and expanding postsecondary options. Despite the implementation of college and career guidance programs, many students continue to experience uncertainty during the transition to higher education, underscoring the need to assess their level of preparedness and career decision-making capacity. Employing a quantitative, descriptive-correlational research design and using complete enumeration, the study involved one hundred (100) Grade 11 and Grade 12 Senior High School students as respondents. Results revealed that students demonstrated strong academic motivation, goal clarity, and confidence in their career choices, as reflected in their favorable levels of college preparedness (M = 4.07, SD = 0.71) and career decision making (M = 4.28, SD = 0.85). Correlation analysis showed a strong positive relationship between college preparedness and career decision making (r = .69, p < .001), while significant differences were observed between Grade 11 and Grade 12 students in both constructs, with Grade 12 students exhibiting greater preparedness and decision-making confidence. Linear regression analysis further confirmed that college preparedness significantly predicted career decision making (B = .67, p < .001), accounting for 48% of the variance. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening students’ academic, personal, and emotional readiness to support informed and confident career decisions. However, the study is limited by its cross-sectional design and single-school sample, which may affect the generalizability of the results. Future research should include more diverse populations, explore additional psychosocial factors, and adopt longitudinal designs to better understand the progression from preparedness to long-term academic and career success.