SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT TEST AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF FIRST YEAR BSIT STUDENTS Ariel T.

Sumagaysay, MSCS, MAEd Donalyn G. Lastima, MAEd West Negros University, Bacolod City, Philippines

ABSTRACT This descriptive study investigated the relationship between the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and the academic performance of 83 first year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) students of the College of Information and Communications Technology (CICT), West Negros University (WNU). Findings revealed that 20.5% of the students were Above Average; (72.3%) were Average; and (7.2%) were Below Average. In the academic performance, the students were classified as High (3.6%), Above Average (12 %), Average (69.9 %), Below Average (13.3%), and Low (1.2 %). The study showed that academic performance of the students did not show any significant difference when grouped according to sex. It also showed a positive correlation between the SAT and academic performance. The study, therefore, recommends the implementation of sectioning of the students, opportunities for remedial and tutorial classes, shortterm courses and enhancement training for teacher on dealing with low scorers, underachieving and slow learners. Keywords: academic performance, achievement test, BSIT Students, entrance test, Graded Weighted Average (GWA), Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT)

INTRODUCTION

A test is a series of questions, problems, or practical tasks to gauge somebody's knowledge, ability, or experience (American Heritage Dictionary, 2011). It is also a basis for evaluating or judging. Tests, such as entrance tests, are administered to graduates of tertiary education, transferees and foreign students who are interested to enrol in college or university. SAT and OLSAT are designed to measure the academic aptitude of students from varying social backgrounds and different educational experience. Most colleges and universities require these tests as part of the application process for admission to tertiary education. The scores of these tests are used to assess

students performance in the different areas of higher education. West Negros University (WNU) utilizes SAT and OLSAT for admission in all undergraduate degree programs particularly in the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) offered in the College of Information and Communications Technology (CICT). The tests measure what students have learned from previous academic level. The indicator for the effort of those pursuing the degree program is judged further in their academic performance measured through Grade Weighted Average (GWA) computed every end of the semester.

Research Objectives

This study aims to determine the relationship between the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and academic performance of First Year BSIT students of the College of Information and Communications Tech nology. Specifically, it seeks to: 1. Ascertain the academic performance of the First Year BSIT students 2. Find the significant difference in the academic performance when grouped according to sex 3. Find the significant relationship between SAT results and the academic performance.
Null Hypotheses

include the subjects that were marked dropped and left in the students report cards and information from WNU Schoolautomate system. Finally, the study was bounded by the descriptive research method, the purposive sampling technique used in gathering data and the statistical concepts like Frequency, Simple Mean, Point Biserial (rpb) Correlation and Pearson Product Moment (PPM) Correlation.
METHODOLOGY Research Design

In this study, the descriptive method of research was used. It is the research design most appropriate for studies which aim to find out what prevail in the present conditions, held opinions and beliefs, processes and effects, and developing trends (Ardales, 2008). The specific technique of descriptive method utilized in the study is the status survey since the researchers aim to organize, analyze and interpret data on the relation between the entrance test and academic performance of first year BSIT students of the College of Information and Communications Technology, West Negros University.
The Respondents of the Study

The following formulated:

null

hypotheses

were

1. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex. 2. There is no significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students.
Delimitation of the Study

This study focused on the use of Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) only and does not include Otis Lennon Scholastic Achievement Test (OLSAT). Another limitation is that other degree programs offered in CICT such as BSCS were excluded in the study. Likewise, this study focused only on the first year BSIT students using the BSIT curriculum year 2010 2011. The grades of these first year BSIT students were taken from the second semester of the curriculum year 2010 2011 and the study does not

The respondents of this study are the first year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) students of the new curriculum year 2010 2011 based on CHED memorandum number 53 (CMO 53) series of 2006. The total number of first year BSIT students from the College of Information and Communications Technology (CICT) is 175 enrolled in the Second Semester of School Year 20102011. Using selection criteria, the sample size of BSIT students is eightythree (83).

Table 1. The Summary of CICT Enrollment Statistics of First Year Students, 2nd Semester, S.Y. 2010 2011.
First Year Total Enrollment BSCS Students BSIT Students Sample Size : BSIT Students 191 16 175 83

The researchers obtained the entrance results from WNU Guidance Center and Testing Center with a promise of confidentiality in the treatment of the data gathered. The on line WNU SchoolAutomate was also used to gather the data about GWA of the students. Then all the data gathered were organized, systematized and analyzed in accordance with the statistical techniques appropriate to the problem and hypothesis.

Table 3.
The Number of Items Used in the SAT per Area. Area Number of Items 30 30 30 10 100 Percentages 30 % 30 % 30 % 10 % 100 %

In describing the profile of the respondents based on the percentiles of their SAT results, 20.5 percent were above average, 72.3 percent were average and only 7.2 percent were below average.

English Math Science Abstract Reasoning TOTAL

Table 2.
The Distribution of Percentiles
VALUE FREQ.

PERCENT

VALID PERCENT

CUM. 0 7.2 79.5 100.0 0

CLASS. Low Below Average Average Above Average High

Data Analysis and Statistical Techniques The data gathered was tabulated, analyzed and treated for interpretation using the appropriate statistical tools for the descriptive method. In this study, SPSS release 16 and Microsoft Excel 2003 were used to analyze the data gathered. The following statistical tools were used: Problem 1 To determine the academic performance of the BSIT students, the grades were normalized using Z scores and Percentiles. Problem 2 To determine the significant difference in the academic performance of first year BSIT students when grouped according to sex, the Point Biserial (rpb) Correlation was used. The significant difference between the variables was determined using SPSS. Problem 3 To determine the significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students, the Pearson Product Moment (PPM) was used. The significant relationship between the variables was determined using SPSS.

1 2 3 4 5 Total

0 6 60 17 0 83

0 7.2 72.3 20.5 0 100.0

0 7.2 72.3 20.5 0 100.0

DataGathering Procedure The instrument used for the entrance test in this study was the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) administered by the Testing Center. SAT was a concerted effort of the faculty and staff of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) with the coordination of the testing services under the

WNU Guidance Services Center. The test was standardized using the normative group composing of 377 high school graduates. In this group, the calculated values for the mean X and standard deviation SD were 38.10 and 13.01 respectively.

Results of the Study

Based on the results, hereunder are the summary of the findings: 1. Majority of the students had their grades in percentiles classified as Average, which is 69.6%. About 12% as Above Average, 3.6% as High, and 13.3% as Below Average

3. There was a significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance. Students who got high in their SAT results also performed well in their academics. On the contrary, students with low SAT results who were implied to be unprepared for college work were found to have a low academic performance. Table 6. The Descriptive Statistics and Correlation etween SAT Percentiles and Grade Percentiles. SAT Grade Percentiles Percentiles
SAT Percentiles Pearson

Table 4.
The Distribution of Percentiles of Grades
VALUE 1 2 3 4 5 Total FREQ. 1 11 58 10 3 83 PERCENT 1.2 13.3 69.9 12.0 3.6 100.0 VALID PERCENT 1.2 7.2 69.9 12.0 3.6 100.0 CUM. 1.2 14.5 84.3 96.4 100.0 CLASS. Low Below Average Average Above Average High

Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N

Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N

1.000 . 83 .293** .007

83

.293** .007 83 1.000 .

83

Grade Percentiles

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

2. There was no significant difference in the

respondents academic performance when grouped according to sex. The performance of the male and female students in their academics was the same.
Table 5. Correlation Between Sex and Grade SEX SEX Pearson Correlation Sig. (2 -tailed) 1.000 . GRADE - .140 .207 83 1.000 . 83 Conclusions Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. More than half of students have an average

academic performance level and SAT result, at the same time. This means the students in this particular group are expected to understand the lessons and pass the BSIT course.

2. The academic performance of the First Year

BSIT students is the same regardless of sex which implies that any student, whether male or female would likely excel or fail in their academics due to several factors affecting the studies.

GRADE

N 83 Pearson - .140 Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) .207 N 83

3. The positive correlation between the entrance

test and the academic performance suggested that SAT could be considered as a predictive indicator of the academic performance of the students.

Interpretation

Not Significant

Recommendations Based on the findings of the study, the researchers presented the following recommendations: 1. College should implement sectioning of enrollees according to their entrance results and general average in high school.

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2. The Guidance Services Center with the

participation of the different colleges should provide learning opportunities such as remedial classes and tutorials for those students with low aptitude and for slow learners.

3. The Guidance Center with the standards set

by the different colleges has to provide career enlightenment and path for enrollees to guide them towards the appropriate degree to take based on their entrance test results, high school general average and other salient data needed for career assessment.

4. The school with the help of the different

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5. The Human Resource Development Office

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6. It is also recommended that this study should

be replicated in the other colleges of West Negros University to know the relationship of SAT to their students academic performance.

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