Factors that Influence Program Selection and Its Relationship with Students’ Achievement in Pre-University Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to recognize the influencing factors in program selection in pre-university level and its relationship with student's achievement. Competition among school leavers to further their studies at a higher level institution is getting tougher; making choosing a program offered by universities becomes a real challenge. After completing secondary school studies, most universities require students to complete a minimum of 1-2 years of post-secondary education before enrolment. Pre-university program is one of the options of post-secondary education. Since the curriculum of pre-university program is very comprehensive, students attending this program have to undergo various challenges throughout their academic sessions. Therefore, students are expected to have their own targets and focus prior to attending any of these studies. In this study, the researchers use a survey to investigate and analyze factors that influence students' decisions in choosing a pre-university program and also the relationship between their decisions making with their academic achievements. The study reveals that all the factors listed significantly influence the students' decision making in choosing a pre-university program. However, not all of these factors are taken into consideration in choosing a program that has a significant relationship with their achievement. Therefore, knowledge derived from this study is beneficial to the Ministry of Higher Education and any higher learning institutions which offer pre-university programs including the policy makers. The knowledge also allows policy makers to plan preemptive action to improve student's performance.