CHAPTER 2
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
In this study, the researchers gathered theories, other researcher’s studies and literature
related to the factors Influencing the Decision of Grade 12 Accountancy Business and
Management (ABM) Students of Caniogan High School to Enroll in College for S.Y. 2024-2025
Relevant Theories
According to the Holand’s Theory of Student Success (1985) individuals are drawn to
work environments in which they can present their interests in the theory of vocational
personality types. The theory was developed to understand and predict the individual's choice
including fields of study, occupations, or jobs (Holland, 1997). The choice of Holland’s theory to
guide this project resulted from its capacity to help resolve several crucial problems inherent in
contemporary efforts to understand college student success. While initially proposed as a theory
of careers to assist individuals in their selection of occupations in which they have the greatest
likelihood of success, Holland has consistently and repeatedly noted that the hypotheses about
educational behaviors in his theory are identical to those for vocational behavior. Holland’s
theory thus focuses specifically on either vocational or educational success.
In addition to the appropriateness of the theory to study student success, Holland and his
colleagues have developed psychometrically sound instruments for the measurement of
constructs in the theory. Finally, Holland’s theory places equal emphasis on attributes of
individuals and academic environments in efforts to understand student success in postsecondary
education. This aspect of the theory responds to our concern about the imbalance that exists in
many contemporary efforts in which attention to psychological considerations far surpasses
attention to sociological considerations.
The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) formulated by Lent,
Brown, and Hackett's in 1994 is a model of career development that
delineates how person inputs, contextual affordances, and social cognitive
variables affect the formation of vocational interests, career goals, and
actions.
Furthermore, in the article made by Melinda M Gibbons and Marie F
Shoffner entitled Prospective first-generation college students: Meeting their
needs through social cognitive career theory revealed that First-generation
students, or students whose parents did not attend college, represent 27% of
M graduating high school students. They have unique needs that separate
them from other students and that must be addressed in counseling. This
article examines how schools and career counselors can help these students
with Social Cognitive Career Theory. This theory and its focus on self-
efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goals can help with career and
academic decision-making. A case example working with a high school junior
is provided us with an example of how this theory can assist this population.
Implications for future research and counseling strategies are suggested as
well.
The Simon Decision Making Theory (1947) is a descriptive theory
that gives a clear picture of the world in which decisions are significant.
Here, decisions will decide the outputs or prices. Simon says in the theory
that the decisions are the choice of selecting an option among the different
possibilities of options. Moreover, In decision theory and game theory, Wald's
maximin model is a non-probabilistic decision-making model according to
which decisions are ranked on the basis of their worst-case outcomes – the
optimal decision is one with the least bad worst outcome. This proves that
the decision that the students of the grade 12 ABM weigh a variety of options
and depends on different factors that may influence the decision that they
will make.
Related Literature
The book Don't Go to College, A Case for Revolution by Timothy Gordon and Michael
Robillard (2022) focuses on examination of how America's colleges have become an intellectual
hell on Earth for anyone who wishes to think rationally and seek truth and wisdom, as well as a
plan for how young citizens can claim and safeguard the learning and heritage to which they are
entitled. From safe-spaces and trigger warnings to grievance studies and neo-Marxist
indoctrination, to sexual degeneracy and hook-up culture, to student loan indentured servitude, to
useless degrees with no translatable real-world application, the modern-day American university
now functions as the complete inversion of its original purpose. This book tells us that rather
than creating civically minded, competent citizens and adults able to provide for themselves,
their families, and their society, America’s universities now function as institutional assembly
lines to produce the new 21st century global citizen-serf: atomized, infantilized, dependent, and
pacified. This book showed that there is a reason as to why students choose to continue life and
still become successful without going to college.
Why Would-Be Students Aren’t Choosing College by Sara Weissman
(2022). This study explores why students drop out of college or choose not to
enroll. The researchers draw on responses from 11 focus groups and an
online survey of 1,675 people between the ages of 18 and 30 who decided
not to go to college or stopped out of a college program. People had a
variety of reasons for not attending or completing college, including but not
limited to financial barriers. The study found that 38 percent of students
didn’t enroll because of fears about the cost of college and amassing debt,
27 percent felt college would be “too stressful” or “too much pressure,” 26
percent believed it was more important to work and earn money, and 25
percent felt uncertainty about their career trajectories and what they wanted
to study. In conclusion, this study reveals that students choose to stop out of
college and others choose not to enroll in the first place because of a range
of “psychographics,” or psychological factors, including doubts about the
financial returns of a college education and an awareness of other career
training options outside traditional degree programs. As a graduating
student, the hardest decision that we will make is what to do next? We have
so many factors that need to be considered.
According to the article (2023) from StudyQA, the top 3 factors
influencing the students' decision making in entering college are Academic
reputation and program quality. Students, regardless of their nationality, are
keen on receiving a quality education. A university's academic reputation
and the quality of its programs are pivotal in their decision-making process.
Second is financial considerations. The cost of education is a major concern
for many students. Tuition fees, living expenses, and the availability of
scholarships or financial aid programs are critical factors. Universities that
provide transparent information about costs and offer various financial
assistance options tend to attract a more diverse and financially prudent
student body. Lastly is Global exposure and career opportunities. Institutions
that have partnerships with international organizations, study abroad
programs, and robust career services tend to be more appealing. Students
want to know that their education will lead to meaningful career
opportunities, and universities that can demonstrate strong job placement
rates and alumni networks often have an advantage.
Successful People Without a Formal Education an article made by John
Michael Olonan (2023). Traditionally, formal education has aided us in
acquiring knowledge of the sciences and arts. We receive specialized training
to prepare us for our career jobs. Before we can practice our chosen
profession, whether it is teaching, law, or medicine, we must complete
certain educational requirements and obtain a license or certificate.
However, a college education does not guarantee success. According to a
survey conducted by the Do it website, 56% of college graduates remain
unemployed and unsuccessful because of limited employment opportunities,
and many careers do not pay well enough to justify the cost of a degree.
Moreover, there are also individuals who do not possess a degree but are
successful in their careers. Some are entrepreneurs, and it is a clear
indication that those without a four-year degree now, almost outnumber
those with a bachelor’s degree or higher according to CNBC/Survey Monkey
Small Business Survey, except for those 65 and older. As proof,
entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, the late Steve Jobs,
the founder of Apple, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, are among the
world’s wealthiest people without a formal education. All of them left school
earlyThese individuals are excellent examples of how you can succeed in life
without a college degree. The reality is that while a college degree is
required for many careers, it is not required for all. Having said that, you can
be successful without a college degree if your skills and abilities qualify you
for employment. For example, start-ups in the technology sector may be
more interested in your skillset and potential than in your degree.
Additionally, you can start a business in an area where you excel, such as
consulting, marketing, design, or freelance programming — all of which pay
well without a degree. While education is critical for some and has been
accepted as a social obligation, it does not guarantee success with whatever
you gain from spending so much time in educational institutions.
Perseverance and diligence are required for success. It is entirely up to your
own will and determination.
According to the businessnews titled Should You Skip College to Start a
Business? written by Skye Schooley 2023, Entrepreneurship can be a great
way to financial freedom, but building a successful business takes a lot of
time, hard work and perseverance. A college degree, on the other hand, is
not required to start a business – but it certainly helps. College not only
teaches students educational topics that can be helpful in starting a
business, but also soft skills, like how to be lifelong learners. However, any
choice comes with pros and cons. A decision as paramount as forgoing a
formal education has some notable advantages as well as drawbacks. This
news said that people don't need a degree to start a business, but that
doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one. Especially for industries that are more
technical and complex in nature, a college degree can be very beneficial –
sometimes even necessary – to your success. According to Lauren Grech,
CEO and co-founder of international event management firm LLG Events,
getting a degree – or at least some form of higher education – can be very
helpful for starting your own business. She said the college experience
teaches you skills like ownership, accountability, time management,
prioritizing and emotional maturity. Starting a business instead of going to
school is a biggest decision that you need to evaluate first before committing
your life for, you need to consider a lot of pros and cons to know what
decision is better. Although, some people have the power to do both.
Starting their business and at the same time going to school is so difficult to
do but they did with self-discipline and time management. Your life depends
on what choice you make.
Why students need to start working while studying in college, Ben
(2019) Students can gain from working while studying a lot of various
benefits. However, most students feel that having these jobs can distract
them from their studies. The truth is it indeed can get overwhelming.
Whether one has a part-time or a full-time student job or online jobs where
you offer college essay help, it is possible to do both work and school or
college. It will take extra effort to hold down the job and have excellent
grades, but it is possible, and many students are doing it. Before you choose
to work and take up that job to build your career, you need to evaluate
yourself. You must figure out whether you can handle both responsibilities. It
can help students avoid debt. When working while in college, it is an
excellent chance for one to get off debt. Learners get valuable job
experience. One of the things employers look for today is an experience.
Earn better time management skills. one of the biggest challenges that
learners face today is time management. Time wastage in college comes in
many forms. Helps improve students' grades. Getting better grades is not
just about studying all day, waking up at dawn and drowning yourself in
books.
Recognizing the Reality of Working College Students Perna, Odle
(2020) Students who do not have sufficient savings, wealth, or access to
other financial resources have few options for paying costs that are not
covered by grants: they can take on loans, get a job, or do both. While these
options pay off for many students, a higher education finance system that
requires the use of loans and paid employment disproportionately
disadvantages individuals from groups that continue to be underrepresented
in and underserved by higher education. Many undergraduates are working
more than twenty hours per week. the US Department of Education reported
that, in 2017, 43 percent of all full-time undergraduate students and 81
percent of part-time students were employed while enrolled. Working for pay
is more common among undergraduates from underserved groups. The
financial need to work while enrolled, with all its negative consequences,
disproportionately burdens students from historically underserved groups.
Working for pay while enrolled is more common at under-resourced
institutions. The rate of employment and the rate of working more than
twenty hours per week are higher among full-time students attending two-
year institutions than among those attending four-year institutions. That is
why other students are still working while studying because they benefit
from it even its so small income.
Why Is College Important? Welding Castillo (2023). The Top Reasons
According to Students The most popular reason students reported was to
pursue a passion. They also ranked quality-of-life improvements in their top
three reasons, like creating a better life for themselves or their families and
improving their income or career prospects. "Pursuing a passion" topped
students' lists of why college is important. One in five said it was their most
important reason for attending college. Nearly half (49%) ranked it among
their top three reasons for attending college. Nineteen percent of students in
our survey said college was important to create a better life for themselves
or for their families. Students ranked "improving income or career prospects"
third among the top reasons for attending college. Only 8% of students said
college was important to them to enhance their social, cultural, or economic
status. About one-quarter of students (24%) said their least important reason
for going to college is because they want to keep up with their peers. and
that’s the top 5 answer for the students why college is important to them.
Why A College Education Is Important Joe Emerson (2018) involves
more than just identifying the superficial benefits of more career
opportunities. At a deeper level, college is where you will map a path
through life that can take you to places you never expected to go. A recent
study broke the higher education benefits down even further, finding among
other things, that a bachelor’s degree now means the holder will earn 84
percent more than someone with no postsecondary education. The report
went even further, projecting lifetime earnings based on virtually all
education levels and The unemployment rates in 2017 for people in those
education categories was 1.5 percent for doctoral degree holders, 1.5
percent for professional degree holders, 2.2 percent for master’s degree
holders, 2.5 percent for bachelor’s degree holders, 3.4 percent for associate
degree holders, 4 percent for people with some college, 4.6 percent for
people with a high school diploma, and 6.5 percent for people without a high
school diploma.
In Daniel Gagnon (2023) article about the Top 7 Reasons Why College
is Important he emphasizes that College is important for many reasons,
including increased career stability and satisfaction, and the ability to make
an impact on your community. With growing numbers of careers requiring
advanced education, a college degree can be critical to your success in
today's workforce. Research indicates that earning a degree can have a
significant and expansive impact on your life. It also has the potential to help
you positively impact your family — and the world. People have the saying of
Education is the key to success. College is Important for it will increase
chances of employment. Also, if you finish college, you can earn respect
from other people and the prestige of being one can help you to become a
successful individual.
Related Study
The Study Factors Influencing Student’s Career Choice Rebecca et al.
(2016) as cited in Sharif (2017) conducted a study on 399 students in Kenya
which resulted in that there is a relationship between personality types, and
career choice. Most of the students were satisfied with the course they
selected before entering university, which indicates that suitable career
choice for students would improve satisfaction and success in their course of
study and future employment. But on the other side, when students make
changes in their course section it indicated that the choices of subject
selection did not go in line with their future career choices. Consequently, it
constructs probability of the status of the relationship between personality
types and career choice among undergraduate students in Kenya. The study
revealed that there is a significant relationship between personality types
and career choices among undergraduate students.
Failure in career planning causes problems for society. Ahmed, Sharif,
& Ahmad (2017) asserted that a wrong career choice directed efforts and
resources to a wrong direction. Misalignment with expectations exhausts
personal energy and wastes resources. Furthermore, Pascual (2014)
associated underemployment in the Philippines to the misfit of the needs of
the workforce needed in different companies to the graduates of the
different colleges and universities. Another predicament was mentioned in
the study of Anbuselvan et al. (2013) where he said that there were
problems faced by the students due to the matching of their skills and school
performance with the right career choice. Students do understand the
importance of career planning and the problems caused by failure to plan for
their careers. The study of Hiebert et al. as cited in Witko, Bernes,
Magnusson, & Bardick (2005) revealed that three (3) career-related concerns
were in the top five students’ needs.
There are several factors to be considered in choosing a college
course. Many researchers have argued over the most significant factor/s, and
in this sense, many studies have already been made. Ahmed, Sharif, &
Ahmad (2017) considered the level of social class, financial resources,
affordability, and future employability as influential factors in students’
career choice. They investigated the factors that influenced the career
selection choice of the student and create a possible alignment between
their preferences and the institutions curriculum and offerings - the former
objective being relatively replicated in this study.
Factors Affecting Grade 12 Senior High School Students in Choosing
Course for Tertiary Education by Mark Daen (2018) This study intends to
investigate the factor affecting students in choosing course for tertiary
education. There are many factors that could be considered in selecting
courses like quality education, the people from the environment, personal
choice and accessibility of the school from student`s residences. This study
utilized a descriptive type of research method with Grade 12 students in STI
College Legazpi as respondents. Students’ career success can be best
attained if proper guidance is given in choosing the right course in college,
suited to student`s personality, ability and intellect. Helping students choose
the career that suits them can be done by integrating career plan with the K-
12 curriculum so that students can make good decisions in what course to
take in college. Collaborative effort of the school administrators, teachers,
and parents should also be made to come up with better career plans for
every individual student`s. This study delves into the complex decision-
making process of Grade 12 students as they navigate the selection of
courses for their tertiary education, taking into account a multitude of factors
such as the quality of education offered by institutions, personal preferences
and aspirations, accessibility and proximity of the school, availability of
scholarships or financial aid, career prospects, and the influence of family,
peers, and societal expectations.
What influences the course major decision of accounting and non-
accounting students? Owusu (2019). The purpose of this study is to
investigate the factors that influence the course major decisions of
accounting and non-accounting students. A set of questionnaires was
developed and administered to 550 undergraduate business students from
the University of Ghana Business School. The results demonstrate that
students’ confidence in their academic strength and abilities to manage
academic work are good predictors of their course major decisions. Also,
students who major in accounting are driven more by self-interest, while
non-accounting students are largely motivated by extrinsic interest.
Moreover, students’ academic performances were found to be influential on
their course major decisions. The paper provides some useful insights into
the factors that inspire students to major in accounting. As a means of
addressing the supply deficit of accountants globally, policymakers should
find the results useful in developing the appropriate strategy that will attract
students to the accounting field. The study provides new insights into the
course major selection discourse from a developing-country perspective.
Peers influence career choice through peer interactions. It was
revealed in Uganda (Okiror & Otabong, 2015) and in Kenya (Walaba &
Kiboss, 2013) that peer interactions influence students in choosing careers.
As the students interact, they share information about careers. This is in line
with Krumboltz’ social learning theory, which emphasizes the importance of
learners interacting with one another in their environment.
Factors influencing the college choice decisions of students grade 12
Nguyen Ngoc Thi Kim Loan (2017) The purpose of this study was to identify
and assess the impact of the key factors affecting the decision to select
University of grade 12. The study used a binary logistic model to process of
data, the results show that there are four factors that affect the decision to
select University of grade 12 include: the capacity opportunity, admissions
consulting, communication efforts and fixed features of the University. From
the results, the study suggested some recommendations to help admissions
consulting work of Lac Hong University more effective in the future.
Ahmed (2014) and AlMiskry, Bakar, and Mohamed (2009) in their
research gave great importance to the interest of students in making choice
of their career. They noted that interest in a career is according to the
pattern of likes and dislikes of students. The indifference in activities related
to career and occupation predicts the career choice among students. Tekke,
Ghani, and Kurt (2015) discuss different stages in behavior change and the
manner of thinking of an individual while picking a career. A study was
conducted in Sri Lanka on personal factors influencing career choice among
business students (Anojan & Nimalathasan, 2013). The sample size was 103
students, and a survey method was used for data collection. The findings
indicated that personal factors are the greatest influential factor in
comparison to their family, professional, and market-oriented factors and
factors related to university.
The first interactions of a child with people take place within its home
among members of its family who include parents, siblings and relatives
(Bollu-steve & Sanni, 2013). A child is affected by several family-related
factors such as the marital relationship of the parents, the socio-economic
status of the family, the atmosphere of the home (whether parents are warm
or hostile), the environmental condition, occupational status of the parents
and the number of siblings in the family (Bollu-steve & Sanni, 2013). The
family dynamics therefore play a pivotal role in the career readiness of the
students. Additionally, according to Khoo, Ban, Neng, Hooi and Joan (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.
Opportunities in career choice would include academic settings,
technical schools, entry level job openings, job shadowing, vocational
guidance, job placement, and industry contacts. Super (Super, 1957) stated,
surprisingly enough, that intelligence has little to do with getting entry-level
positions; rather, maturity, as in physical size and manner, is valued more by
the employer than intelligence. An academic background that closely meets
the desired qualifications for a job is a critical factor.
Related Literature
Why Would-Be Students Aren’t Choosing College by Sara
Weissman (2022). This study explores why students drop out of college or
choose not to enroll. The researchers draw on responses from 11 focus
groups and an online survey of 1,675 people between the ages of 18 and 30
who decided not to go to college or stopped out of a college program. People
had a variety of reasons for not attending or completing college, including
but not limited to financial barriers. The study found that 38 percent of
students didn’t enroll because of fears about the cost of college and
amassing debt, 27 percent felt college would be “too stressful” or “too much
pressure,” 26 percent believed it was more important to work and earn
money, and 25 percent felt uncertainty about their career trajectories and
what they wanted to study. In conclusion, this study reveals that students
choose to stop out of college and others choose not to enroll in the first place
because of a range of “psychographics,” or psychological factors, including
doubts about the financial returns of a college education and an awareness
of other career training options outside traditional degree programs. As a
graduating student, the hardest decision that we will make is what to do
next? We have so many factors that need to be considered.
Going to College: How Social, Economic, and Educational
Factors Influence the Decisions Students Make by Don Hossler, Jack
Schmit, and Nick Vesper The Johns Hopkins. Going to College examines what
may make a high schooler predisposed to attend college, how students
search for college opportunities, and what choices they ultimately make
upon graduation from high school.
