Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education Vol.12 No.

13 (2021), 3560-3566
Research Article
Senior High School Background and GPA of the Education Students in a State
University in the Philippines
Marvin S. Canque1, Lloyd Matthew C. Derasin2, Leila L. Pinatil3
123
College of Teacher Education and College of Technology, Cebu Technological University, Naga Extension
Campus, City of Naga, Cebu, Philippines
Article History: Received: 11 January 2021; Revised: 12 February 2021; Accepted: 27 March 2021; Published
online: 4 June 2021

Abstract: The study investigated the Senior High school Background and the GPA of Education students in a State University
in the Philippines. The study utilized the Descriptive Correlational method. The study respondents are the one hundred sixty-
three incoming third-year education students with a specialization in Mathematics, Home Economics, and General education.
Moreover, the study revealed that high school academic achievement is the most common significant variable that positively
impacts their college GPA among the three groups of education students. In addition, the study found a negative association
between the GPA of education students major in mathematics and their Senior High School Strand. It is concluded that senior
high school academic achievement is still the best indicator of college GPA. It is recommended that the college/department
admission policy emphasize and give more consideration to the student’s prior academic performance except for passing the
university/department entrance examination.

Keywords: GPA, Senior High School Background, Senior High School Strand, Academic achievement, type of school.
1. Introduction
The Philippine Educational System is like a boat sailing though not in the water but with different routes of changes
and challenges. It follows the educational fate of other countries that pass through various stages of development
and changes depicted in the various epoch of academic progression (De Guzman, 2003).
The Department of Education in the country is almost one hundred years old now. It has grown to become one of
the enormous bureaucracies, if not the largest government agency in the country. Every year, school enrollment
tremendously increases due to the growing school-age population and the high value of the Filipinos towards
education.
With this development, the department also faces many challenges and issues, such as an increase in dropped out
rate. In fact, millions of young children are no longer in school. Yet, it could not stop them from doing their
mandate to protect and promote all citizens’ rights, to provide quality education at all levels across the country,
and take appropriate steps to make such education accessible and equitable. The department continually searches
for a new paradigm that would cater everyone, mainly the less fortunate and less able students; and meet the
demands of the fast-growing and ever-changing society.
In 2011, the department of education made a significant leap in education to a new learning scheme –
implementing the K + 12 Curriculum. This program offers a decongested 12-year program that gives students
sufficient time to master skills and absorb essential competencies. It also allows the students to choose among
three tracks, i.e., Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts.
In light of these changes, most Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s), including State Universities and Colleges
(SUC), have changed their path. Senior high school strands are now included in the guidelines for the policy
admission in the college department. If their senior strands are aligned to the course, they will be enrolling.
Graduates of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are given preference to enroll in
courses related to Sciences and Mathematics. In contrast, graduates of Accountancy, Business and Management
(ABM) strand have prioritized taking up courses related to finance and other business-related courses. On the
other hand, graduates of Humanities and other Social Sciences (HUMS) are encouraged to take courses related to
education, Philosophy, Arts, and other Sciences. While those General Academic Subject (GAS) strand and
Technical, Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) strand graduates are allowed to enroll, some institutions require them
to undergo bridging program before formally proceeding to engineering courses, sciences, mathematics,
accountancy, and the like. Yet this policy, according to Tupas et al. (2019), is a waste of time, money, and efforts
for both teachers and students.
The rationale of this policy is to make sure college students will have a greater chance to succeed academically
and professionally in their chosen field. In line with this, the Department of Science and Industry (DOST) also
makes some changes. Through their scholarship program in which part of the new implementing guidelines to
avail the program is all those senior high school graduates belonging to STEM strand are automatically qualified
to take the scholarship examination while only the top five percent (5%) graduates of each of the remaining strands
may be allowed to take.

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Research Article
For quite a long, practitioners, educators, and policy-makers are interested in researching for the academic success
of the college student population (Schmitt et. al, 20007). Musthtaql et al. (2012) expressed that the student’s
academic performance has something to do in producing the best quality graduates who would become great
leaders and manpower of the country. Thus, academe and researchers have conducted an investigation in different
disciplines regarding variables affecting college student’s academic performance. But, Musthaql et al. (2012) said
most of the previous studies conducted about academic performance the variables are issues like gender difference,
teacher’s education and teaching style, school environment, economic facto,r and family background.
Additionally, Betts, Julian & Morell Darlene (1999) studies family background (family income, race), resources
of the high school that the student attended before enrolling in a university, and the demographic environment in
which the student attended high school as determinants of a general weighted average of college students. On the
other hand, Schmitt et al (2007) studies focused on the biographical data and situational judgment measures, SAT
and American College Test scores and high school grade point average as variables to predict the students’ college.
In addition, Fleming, Jacqueline (2002) also studied SAT as a predictor of academic performance. House, Daniel
& Prion Susan (1998) also examined predictors of achievement in college. The variables included are educational
background but focused more on students’ attitudes as a motivating factor for English achievement.
On the other hand, Aldin, Nayebzadeh & Heirany (2011) study about the relationship between the prior
educational success of students and the academic performance, they pointed out that there is a significant
relationship between the prior educational success of students and their educational performance. Beauvais,
Stewart, and Denisco (2013) studied the relationship between emotional intelligence, psychological
empowerment, resilience, spiritual well-being, and academic success; results show a significant relationship
between spiritual well-being, empowerment, resilience and academic success. Another study is conducted by
Garcia et. al (2015), the relationship between college academic performance and grit of the students. The results
show a direct relationship between the level of grit and college academic performance. As the higher the level of
grit, there is the tendency for the students to increase their grades. Alipio (2020) conducted a study of academic
performance of college freshman using psychological variables and expectancy value-belief to outcome-based
education findings; reveal that help-seeking, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social support have a positive influence
on the expectancy-value beliefs and academic performance. Thus, several factors that may affect college academic
performanceare already investigated.
The senior high school curriculum in the country has been sailing in the Philippine educational field since 2012.
Its first batch of students graduated last March 2018, and most of them, if not all are now entering third-year
college. Most likely, many of them are now taking a course not their dreams but related to their senior high school
strand, while others are forced to undergo a bridging program just to take up their dream courses. Thus, it is quite
interesting to investigate if the senior high school background (type of school, academic achievement, senior high
school strand) of the students has something to do with their college grade point average. Considering k +12
curriculum is designed to increase students’ competencies in different areas of discipline. The researchers believe
that this study will contribute to the new body of knowledge because the product of the Senior High School
program has just ducked into higher education institutions (HEI’s) port. Then, the senior high strand of the
incoming first college students is now part of the guidelines in the admission policy. This policy could indirectly
deprive many graduates for their opportunity to reach their dream courses and discriminatory in nature, if not
depriving their rights to education.
The study aimed to determine the relationship between senior high school background and academic
performance of third-year college education students. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following
queries:
1. What is the Senior high school profile of the respondents in terms of:
1.1 Type of school;
1.2 High school academic achievement;
1.3 Senior high school strand;
2. What is the grade point average (GPA)of the respondents in their first two years in college?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and college general weighted average?
2. Materials and Method
This chapter described the planning episode of this research study. This comprised of a thorough discussion
on the research design, research participants, sampling design and the research environment.

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Research Article
Research Design & Locale
The study used a descriptive-correlational research design to investigate the relationship between senior
high school background (type of school, academic achievement, senior high school strand) and college academic
performance of the incoming third-year education students in a State University in Cebu, Philippines.
Sampling Techniques/Sampling Frame
The purpose of sampling is to identify the best possible representation among the target population. In this case,
the profile of the entire one hundred sixty-three (163) incoming third-year education students in Cebu
Technological University, Naga extension campus for academic 2020-2021. Seventy-two (72) of them taking
Bachelor of Elementary Education, while sixty-two (62) taking up Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood
Education major in home economics and the rest are taking Bachelor of Secondary Education major in
Mathematics which is composed of twenty-nine (29) students. Their records are now archived in the office of the
university’s registrar were analyzed on this study.

Limitations of the Study

The study is limited only to the profile of the incoming third-year college education students of an extension
campus of a state university in Cebu, Philippines. Moreover, the variables in this study limit only to the types of
high school (private or public), high school academic performance (honors or none), and Senior high school strand,
and college GPA.
Instruments
The main instruments used to answer all questions in this study were the college transcript of records (TOR), and
high school form 137/138 of the one hundred sixty-three students. It is because this study used documentary
analysis, review of archival data to determine the relationship between the above -mentioned variables. These
documents are placed in the registrar’s office as keeper of the students’ official records.
Data Gathering Procedure
After securing all the necessary permits, the researchers asked the support personnel through the University
Registrar’s office that provided us the required data and documents; started the documentary analysis/review or
archival technique on the relevant information for the study.
After collating all the data, it was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using statistical
software for social science (SPSS) for quantitative analysis and after which presented findings.

3. Data Analysis
Used documentary Analysis/Review or Archival Technique to determine the significant relationship between
senior high school background and college academic performance of the education students. Frequency and
percentage were used to present the respondents’ demographic that includes type of school, high school academic
achievement, and senior high school strand. On the other than, Pearson r correlation was used to analyze the
relationship between type of school, high school academic achievement, and college academic performance of the
students.
Table 1. Profile of the Respondents

Group of Type of Senior high SHS Achievement Senior High School Strand
students School

Private Public With Non- STEM ABM HUMSS GAS TVL OTHERS
honors Honors
BSEd major 14 15 20 9 9 3 2 5 7 3
in Math

BEEd 10 62 43 29 2 4 10 38 10 8
BTLEd 16 46 33 29 1 2 8 25 21 5
major in H.E

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Research Article
Total 40 123 96 67 11 9 20 68 39 16

Legend:
STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
ABM - Accounting, Business and Management
HUMSS - Humanities and Social Sciences
GAS - General Academic Strand
TVL- Technical-Vocational-Livelihood

As shown in Table 1, most education students graduated from public high school, which comprises 75.46% of
the total respondents. It informs us that majority of the education students come from lower-income to middle-
income families. Moreover, 58.89% or ninety-six (96) of them finished their senior high as academic achievers
range from honors, with high honors or even with highest honors. On the other hand, 6.7% of students belong to
STEM strand, while 5.52% belong to ABM, 12.26% come from HUMMS, while those belonging to TVL strand
comprise 23.92%, the majority of them belongs to GAS which comprises of 41.71%. Thus, most incoming third-
year students belong to HUMSS and the smallest number of participants come from STEM. It informs us that the
likelihood of HUMSS strand graduates taking up education courses is higher than that of the other strands.

Table 2. Correlation of the profile and College GPA of Education Student major in Mathematics

Pearson’s r P value Decision Interpretation

Type of senior high school -.439 .792 Accept the null No Significant
hypothesis Relationship

Senior high school .372* .048 Reject the null Significant Relationship
academic achievement hypothesis
Senior high school strand -.366* .017 Reject the null Significant Relationship
hypothesis
*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
As presented in Table 2 above, the academic achievement and senior high school track/strand have a significant
relationship to the college GPA of the education Mathematics major students. It means that their college
performance is not due to chance but because of their background in high school in which their skills and academic
potentials are built that makes them ready to face the challenges in college education. Thus, the better their
academic achievement in senior high school, the higher the likelihood of performing better academically in
college. However, the association between senior high school strand and GPA is negative. Those students whose
background and foundation in senior high school are related to Mathematics did not perform better academically
than those students belong to other strands.
Table 3. Correlation between the profile and College GPA of BEEd education students

Pearson’s r P value Decision Interpretation

Type of senior high school -.244* .040 Reject the null Significant Relationship
hypothesis

Senior high school .312** .008 Reject the null Significant Relationship
achievement hypothesis

Senior high school strand .031 .800 Accept the null No Significant
hypothesis Relationship

*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
As shown in Table 3 above, the type of school and senior high school strand of the Bachelor of Elementary
Education students had a significant correlation to college academic performance. It means that the physical
facility condition and equipment, faculty, and school resources where they graduated and their academic
performance in senior high schools contribute to college academic performance. Thus, the better the quality of the

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Research Article
resources (physical facility conditions, equipment, faculty, etc.) of their previous school and the better their prior
academic performance, the greater the probability of performing academically well in college.
Table 4. Correlation of the profile and College GWA of Education students major in Home Economics

Pearson’s r P value Decision Interpretation

Type of senior high .072 .583 Accept the null No Significant

school hypothesis Relationship
Senior high school .387** .002 Reject the null Significant Relationship
achievement hypothesis

Senior high school .075 .567 Accept the null No Significant

strand hypothesis Relationship

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)

As displayed in Table 4 above, the senior high school academic achievement is significantly correlated/is a
substantial factor to their college GPA. It means that those achievers in high school will likely perform better
academically in college. Thus, the better their academic achievement, the greater the possibility of getting better
GWA in college.
Table 5. Correlation between the profile of the respondents and College GWA of Education students
Pearson’s r P value Decision Interpretation

Type of senior high -.043 .591 Accept the null No Significant

school hypothesis Relationship

Senior high school .372*** .000 Accept the null No Significant

achievement hypothesis Relationship

Senior high school -.043 .588 Reject the null Significant Relationship
strand hypothesis

***Correlation is significant at the 0.001 level (2-tailed)

Table 5 above displayed the correlation between the senior high background of the education students and college
grade point average (GPA). It reveals that among the factors under investigation, the students’ prior academic
achievement in high school is very strong/ has a substantial relationship to their college GPA. Thus, the better
their academic achievement background, the higher the likelihood of getting a better GPA in college.

4. Discussion
The academic institution never stops its quest to help students perform well academically in school, particularly
in college, and eventually produce quality and successful graduates. Thus, several studies were conducted to
determine and identify factors that may contribute to the college academic performance of the students so it can
be used as the base line for intervention programs and policy-making principles. The result of this study gives
some noticeable and exciting findings among the variables under investigation. It is found out that high school
academic achievement among the three groups of education students is the most common variable that
significantly gives a positive impact to their college GPA. It entails that their pre-college skills and intellectual
abilities are quite strong enough which help them face and handle the academic challenges they might be facing
in college. It implicates that the basic education institution, to some extent, helped hone their skills and intellectual
abilities, which help them cope with the academic challenges in college. This result is consistent with Byrne and
Flood (2008) findings that prior academic achievement is a very essential factor that is significantly associated
with the college academic performance of the first-year accounting students. Further, Aldin et al. (2011) described
that prior educational success of the students has a positive impact on their post-graduate studies academic
performance. Moreover, the result supports the finding of Zwick, Rebecca, and Sklar, Jeffrey (2005) and Geiser

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Research Article
and Santelices (2007) that High School GWA is a solid predictor to college grades. Likewise, Sawyer (2010) and
Bridgeman et al. (2008) articulated that performance in senior high school is a valid predictor of undergraduate
academic performance and provides an accurate prediction of future academic performance.
Yet, the study also revealed the negative association between senior high strand and the GPA of education students
major in Mathematics. It discloses student’s foundation in Mathematics as the goal in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics strand has a negative impact on their college GPA. It tells us that graduate of STEM
strand is not an assurance to have better mathematical ability than other strands. Moreover, it implies that STEM-
strand graduates are not guarantee to perform better academically in engineering and other mathematics related
courses than those of their counterparts. On the other hand, Alipio (2020) the academic adjustment of the college
student is a much better predictor of academic performance than the senior high school strand. There is only a
moderating effect of SHS strand on college cademic performance of students. This finding is also consistent with
the conclusions of Greene and Byler (2004) that high school agricultural course background has a limited impact
on college grades of agriculture students.
In like manner, the finding suggests that the basic education curriculum will have to strengthen the senior high
school curriculum through efficient and effective monitoring of the program implementation. Implement strictly
the policies for each program to obtain and acquire the desired minimum learning competencies especially in the
STEM strand whose rationale is to have a strong foundation in Mathematics and Science. Moreover, strengthen
and improve the school’s resources (both human and materials) to obtain program’s desired outcomes.
However, it should be noted that in this study, there is a limited number of participants that belong to the STEM
strand that might affect its results. Yet, the finding offers a very significant and critical insight to the policy-
makers, school officials, and academicians to consider the formulation of college department admission policy
across the country.
5. Conclusion
Policies play an important role in the institution because it serves as rules and procedures to achieve the standard
of quality for learning and safety, expectations and accountability. Yet, the study’s outcome sends a very important
message to the school authorities, policy-makers, and college department heads that high school academic
achievement of the student is still the most important indicator of college GPA. Thus, college/department
admission policy emphasize and gives more consideration to the student’s high school academic performance than
any other factors except for passing the university/department entrance examination.
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