Choices, Challenges, and Considerations: Exploring College Application Experiences of De La Salle University Manila Senior High School Students to the Big Four Universities

Proponent/s Name/s (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Samantha Elise F. Bago, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Argie Joseph F. Geronimo, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Zenaida Victoria Alejandra M. Ilao, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Kimberly Cassandra G. Jose, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow

Document Types

Paper Presentation

School Name

De La Salle University, Manila

Track or Strand

Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Gonzales, April Rose C.

Start Date

25-6-2025 1:00 PM

End Date

25-6-2025 2:30 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

https://zoom.us/j/97863912335?pwd=BKJm0WyfODOIZXivBFrrpyFh41m6ef.1 Meeting ID: 978 6391 2335 Passcode: 207029

Abstract/Executive Summary

College applications in the Philippines is a pivotal pursuit among senior high school students, reflecting the high value that Filipino families place on higher education as a means of social mobility and personal success, making admission to top-tier institutions—collectively known as the Big Four Universities: the University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), and University of Santo Tomas (UST)—a highly competitive and deeply aspirational endeavor. For senior high school students, the application process poses numerous challenges, including balancing academic demands, navigating entrance exam stress, and managing familial and peer expectations. Yet, the nuanced experiences behind these efforts are often overlooked, reduced to the binary outcome of acceptance or rejection. This study explores the experiences, challenges, and considered external factors of DLSU Manila Senior High School students who applied to the Big Four Universities, aiming to foreground the personal and emotional dimensions of this critical academic transition. Using a phenomenological approach, the study employed online semi-structured interviews to identify recurring themes in students’ narratives. Preliminary findings reveal themes of positivity, perseverance, and acceptance, as students described coping with pressure, relying on support networks, and negotiating between passion and pragmatism in course and school choices. The many roles of the self also emerged as a key factor in how students navigated the process. The study proposes a framework that maps the interplay of internal and external influences during the college application journey, emphasizing the centrality of the self in decision-making and resilience.

Keywords

college applications; Big Four Universities; lived experiences; phenomenology; thematic analysis

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Gender, Human Development, and the Individual (GHI)

Initial Consent for Publication

yes

Statement of Originality

yes