The Impact of the Perception of K-12 Program on Emotional and Academic Readiness of First-Year College Students

A recent change in the educational system in the Philippines, known as the K-12 Program was implemented. The primary goal of this program is to provide the students with lifelong learning, skillful and experienced graduates, prepared for the next level of education – tertiary education, who have the ability to compete with other graduates and employment. Over the past years, the Philippines faced a problem of producing competitive Filipino graduates concerned with short-term education; the country sees it as a disadvantage by producing graduates that are not yet ready to compete in the job market. This study aimed to determine the respondents’ perceptions and levels of emotional and academic readiness among first-year college students of Misamis University in relation to the implementation of the K-12 Program. A population of 167 first-year college students at Misamis University who graduated from Senior High School at the same university participated in this study. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the data. The study’s findings showed a significant relationship between the emotional and academic readiness of first-year college students in relation to their perception towards K-12 program. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the students engage in different types of seminars to stay on track and know what program they are going to choose in the near future.