Cohort study on scholars of Central Philippine University: Basis for scholarship program enhancement

Abstract

This tracer study aimed to determine the status of the college entrance scholars of Central Philippine University that will serve as a basis for the scholarship enhancement program. The major findings of the study were: majority of the scholars were young with mean age of 17.45 years old, females, enrolled in the College of Business and Accountancy, graduated from a public senior high school, had STEM as a strand in senior high school, came from the towns, graduated with high honors, and availed the 1/3 Free Tuition entrance scholarships; the cohorts’ status of scholarship through the years until their graduation for the 2 school years were diminishing; the analysis of variance between the two proportions of respondents according to their personal and academic characteristics have either significant or not significant results at 5 % level. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: the analysis of variance between the two proportions of respondents who were either young or old, males or females, either graduated with highest honors or with honors during SHS, enrolled in the colleges of CBA and other colleges who have maintained their scholarship is significant for those who started their scholarship during SY 2018 -2019 and also between the two proportions of respondents who were either graduates of public or private SHS and those who came from the city or towns is significant for those who started during SY 2019 - 2020. Stringent grade retention policy and the challenge of online learning due to poor internet connectivity were most of their issues while family-related and financial factors are some of their challenges. They believed that studying hard and maintaining open communication with teachers and family members can answer these issues and challenges. To lower the over-all maintaining grade point average and cut-off grade per subject per semester were their major recommendations to improve the scholarship program of the university.