Admission Profiles as Predictors of Academic Performance

A state university-operated secondary school in Cebu City, Philippines requires a minimum grade to qualify to take the high school admission test (HSAT). However, despite the grade requirement, only the HSAT scores are used as a basis in the final selection of students for admission. This study aims to establish the relationship between the admission criteria used in the selection of candidates for admission and the academic performance of students during their first year in high school. The predictive ability of the HSAT and pre-entry grades to the academic performance of 164 students were examined. A multiple regression analysis was used to identify which among the variables (pre-entry grades and admission test scores in Math, Science, APFil, English, and OLSAT) can predict the overall academic performance of students. The result showed a statistically significant positive relationship between the following: pre-entry grades; admission test scores in Math, English, and APFil; and the final grades of the students in Grade 7. Among the variables considered in the study, the pre-entry grade was the greatest predictor of academic performance, while the admission test score in APFil was the least. Moreover, admission test scores in Science and OLSAT have no substantial impact on the student’s academic performance. Hence, the suggested model recommends that the pre-entry grades of the applicants are to be included in evaluating and ranking the candidates for admission and ascribing numerical weights must also be ascribed to the test scores in Math, English, APFil, and Science. This will help improve the school’s admission process and overall academic outcomes. Furthermore, the study also suggests that the analysis of the relationship of pre-entry criteria and academic performance will include the grades of students in higher year level to strengthen the argument that prior ability is a strong predictor of school success in high school. The inclusion of non-cognitive factors affecting the academic performance of high student in future investigations is also strongly suggested to provide a comprehensive understanding of predictors of learning outcomes in secondary level.

Keywords –academic performance, academic success, HSAT, OLSAT, pre-entry grades, predictor models