- By Rusalie Baldeverona, Leny Rose Mucho, and Mary O’ T. Penetrante
ABSTRACT
The study sought to determine the predictive ability of the college admission criteria such as High School Grade Average (HSGA), NSAT rating, English Placement Examination Score (EPES) and math Placement Score (MPES) on the academic performance of the target population consisting of 1,122 freshen students entering the College of Commerce at Central Philippine University in school year 1997-98. The sample size was composed of 286 freshmen enrolled in Introductory Accounting, which represent 26% of the total population. The descriptive research design with the aid of documentary analysis techniques in data gathering was used. The data were encoded and analyzed using Statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), statistical computer application software. Descriptive statistics were generated on sex, type of high school graduate from, School location and major field of study to describe profile of the respondents. Likewise descriptive statistics were generated on HSGA, NSAT rating and EPES, MPES and final grade in IA to describe the scholastic profile of the respondent. Means and standard deviations were used to measure central tendencies and dispersions of data. To determine differences between means, z-test and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used. Inter-correlation matrix were calculated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients to determine extent of relationship between HSGA, NSAT Rating, EPES, MPES and final grade in IA variables and were interpreted using Garrett’s (1961) interpretation. Regression analysis was used to explain variances in students’ final grade in IA. Step-wise discriminant analysis was performed to build a predictive model of independent variables that could determine whether a linear combination of HSGA, NSAT rating, EPES and MPES could be used to predict academic performance in Introductory Accounting. An alpha level of 0.05 was established as priority. Majority of the freshmen students obtained average grades in secondary school and in their basic accounting subject. Moreover, majority of them obtained just above the passing score in English and Math placement examinations. HSGA of freshmen students vary significantly when they were grouped according to sex, type of high school graduated from, high school location and major field of study. Female students majoring in Accountancy program, who graduated from public high school located outside the city proper exhibit the tendency to perform better in high school compared to their male peers. Meanwhile, their NSAT rating do not differ significantly when they were grouped according to sex, type of high school graduated from and high school location but vary significantly when grouped according to the major field of study. Freshmen students majoring in Accountancy tended to perform better in NSAT than the rest of their peers. Freshmen students EPES vary significantly except when grouped according to high school location. Again, female majoring in Accountancy and who graduated from private high school tended to perform better in English Placement Examination as compared to their male counterpart. Their MPES vary significantly except when grouped by type of high school. Male students majoring in Accountancy program and who graduated from high school outside the city proper performed better in the Math Placement Examination as compared to their counterparts. Freshmen students’ academic performance in Introductory Accounting course do not significantly vary by sex, type of school graduated from and high school location but significantly vary by major field of study. Students majoring in Accountancy program performed better in this course as compared to those who chose to major in other business course. A linear combination of all four independent variables was found to be the best predictor of academic performance of freshmen students in Introductory Accounting course. Among the four independent variables however, HSGA was found to be the strongest and EPES was found to be the least predictor.