Abstract. The college programs that SHS students choose influence their lives as young adults. It defines their future careers and significantly changes the course of their lives. With this in mind, many factors influence the decision-making process of incoming first-years. With the implementation of the K-12 Program in the Philippines, costs needed for education have further soared. Apart from this, parental and familial relationships could also influence most students’ education, as they serve as children’s pillars of support, meaning parents, finance, and many other elusive factors could potentially inhibit SHS students’ choices when entering college. Therefore, to provide even more insight into the career decision-making process of incoming college students, it is necessary to solidify an understanding of how exactly different factors affect graduating STEM students’ choices. To explore this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants using ten (10) general, parent-related, and finance-related questions. The thematic analysis was used to find the results. It had been divided into six (6) themes: parental and familial factors, financial factors, environmental factors, capabilities and interests, perspectives on the STEM strand, and confidence/belief in choosing the right field. The results highlighted that familial and financial influence were the most prevalent factors. Students’ environment, skills, and preferences also played a significant role. Additionally, the interviewees’ positive views on STEM and their confidence that they have thoroughly analyzed all other factors have also played a role in their college program decision-making process.

Keywords: Parental relationships; Financial status; STEM students; Career; College