Predictive Role of Senior High School Performance and College Admission Test Scores on the Academic Performance of Freshman Students in State Universities

Abstract. Student academic achievement is widely recognized as a key indicator of educational quality and institutional effectiveness. This study examined the predictive role of Senior High School (SHS) performance and College Admission Test (CAT) scores on the academic performance of first-year students at Isabela State University. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 173 freshmen from the College of Education, selected through proportionate sampling. Secondary data were collected from institutional records, including SHS general weighted averages, college admission test (CAT) scores, and first-semester academic performance. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that students generally demonstrated strong SHS and CAT performance, alongside satisfactory academic outcomes during their first semester. No significant differences were observed in SHS and CAT performance when grouped by sex; however, significant variations in academic performance were found across the academic programs. Correlation analysis indicated that both SHS performance and CAT scores were significantly associated with students’ academic performance, suggesting that prior academic achievement and cognitive readiness contribute to success in college. The regression results further showed that SHS performance was a stronger predictor, while CAT scores provided additional explanatory power, thereby improving the overall predictive accuracy of the model. The combined model explained 28.5% of the variance in academic performance and demonstrated a high predictive capability. These findings underscore the importance of using both SHS performance and CAT scores as complementary indicators in admission decisions and academic planning to better support students’ success.. Keywords: Senior High School Performance; College Admission Test (CAT); Academic Performance; Predictive Analysis; Freshman Students