How to Choose the Perfect SHS Track and Strand for You


HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (SHS) STRAND

The K-12 Senior High School (SHS) Program is composed of five different tracks which are Academic, Arts and Design, Sports, Technical, and Vocational. These tracks prepare students for college, universities, or even real workplaces by providing them with the necessary skills they must possess.

Choosing a track is critical for a student to become highly skilled in the field in which his or her chosen track is related, especially if the student wishes to work immediately after graduation from SHS. Always choose the track that you want when selecting your senior high strand. It is critical for us SHS students to gain additional knowledge and to proceed directly to our dream course before graduating from SHS.
Every student in Senior High School should choose among the given tracks, namely Academic Track, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track, Sports Track, and Arts & Design Track. The academic track includes four strands: ABM, HUMSS, STEM, and GAS.

In selecting your strand in senior high, it's critical to think about what subjects or topics you excel at. Knowing what areas you are proficient in can help you make the best decision. If you're good at communicating, HUMMS might be a good fit for you. If you're good with numbers, ABM or STEM are the right paths for you to pursue to further your numerical abilities.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL TRACKS AND STRANDS

(This will help you decide which track is best for you.)


1. ACADEMIC TRACK

The Academic Track is one of the four tracks offered in the Senior High School program of the Philippine’s K-12 Basic Education Curriculum. It is intended for students who want to pursue higher education after they graduate in senior high. There are four Academic Track strands, namely Accountancy Business and Management (ABM), General Academic Strand (GAS), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strands.

You have four strands to choose from: 

WHAT IS ABM?

ABM stands for Accountancy, Business and Management strand. (ABM) strand focuses on the basic concepts of financial management, business management, corporate operations, and all things that are accounted for. The ABM Strand is for those who plan to take up business-related courses in higher education or engage in business, entrepreneurship, and other business-related careers.The Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) strand would focus on the basic concepts of financial management, business management, corporate operations, and all things that are accounted for. ABM can also lead you to careers on management and accounting which could be sales manager, human resources, marketing director, project officer, bookkeeper, accounting clerk, internal auditor, and a lot more.

WHAT IS STEM?


STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand. Through the STEM strand, senior high school students are exposed to complex mathematical and science theories and concepts which will serve as a foundation for their college courses. 

WHAT IS HUMSS?



Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS). The HUMSS strand in senior high school is designed to effectively prepare students who seek to pursue a college degree in liberal education. HUMSS courses cover a variety of subjects, looking at the world and its people from various points of view. The learning activities are directed towards the development of critical thinking.

WHAT IS GAS?


General Academic Strand (GAS). General Academic Strand caters students who are not yet sure of what course or degree they want to take in college. This strand was designed so that indecisive learners can proceed with any college program. This strand contains courses that are connected to the other strands. As a result, you'll have the opportunity to pursue a variety of interests. Social Sciences, Disaster Preparedness, Humanities, and other areas are among the GAS strand courses and subjects. It is designed for students who are undecided about what course or degree they wish to pursue in college.


2. TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL-LIVELIHOOD

The Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track gives you the TESDA National Certificate once you finished any of the strands under it. If you wish to work after graduating from high school, this strand will undoubtedly provide you with a pathway to skilled employment. Even if you do not plan to attend college, the TVL route will provide you with job-ready abilities. 
You'll obtain a TESDA National Certificate once you've completed this track. You can utilize this to start looking for work as soon as you graduate from high school. You'll develop skills and knowledge that will help you find work even if you don't have a college diploma.

3. SPORTS

The Sports Track is designed to help you grasp the fundamental principles and strategies of physical education and recreation. It will also allow you to discuss many elements that influence social, psychological, and cognitive development in sports management and leadership. If you believe you can excel in the field of sports and use it as a source of income in the future, then enroll in the Sports Track to improve your talents. This track is for people who desire to work as a player, coach, PE teacher, game officials, gym instructor, sports trainer, or in any other position that involves officiating sports activities.

4. ARTS AND DESIGN

The Arts and Design Track aims to educate students about the various art and design forms, materials, media, and production methods used in the creative professions. This track will also introduce you to a variety of influential artists and works from all across the world.






HOW DO YOU KNOW IF ABM IS THE RIGHT TRACK FOR YOU?

The Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) strand marries creativity, mathematical application, and business sense to prepare the best business professionals of tomorrow. Taking ABM subjects in senior high school will introduce students to the concepts of financial management, business management, corporate operations, and accounting. Students who select this route will be prepared for colourful careers as managers, accountants, and business owners. Students who select this route will be prepared for colorful careers as managers, accountants, and business owners. These ABM courses will equip them with the necessary industry know-how and skills to perform well in their professions and run their businesses smoothly.

Designed to prepare students who are inclined to take college degrees related to business and management programs, taking ABM in senior high school will be about the basic principles of the various functional areas of business such as marketing, finance and accounting, information and technology, and entrepreneurship. The ABM strand is the perfect combination of practical skills and application, as well as shaping senior high school students to adopt the right mindset for crisis management and problem solving on the job and behind their businesses.

These are the following college courses that are compatible with the ABM track:
  • Accountancy
  • Management Accounting
  • Banking and Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Human Resource Development Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Tourism

The Objectives of the ABM Strand 

The ABM strand curriculum was constructed to shape senior high school students that want to forge their own paths in the areas of accountancy, business, and entrepreneurship. Students enrolled in ABM for Senior High can expect to:
  • Gain valuable skills expected of their field, such as basic accounting, financial management, and commerce
  • Exude confidence in the accomplishment of their projects and assignments in their ABM strand courses, which they can carry over once they dive into their future careers
  • Engage in business simulation and be exposed to the different types of decisions business managers face regularly.
It is our goal to challenge our students through their ABM strand courses to be articulate, have strong analytical skills and build teamwork to become successful business managers or owners in the future. 

Advantages of the ABM Strand

The ABM strand equips senior high school students with the necessary skills and knowledge from the converging subject matter of Accounting, Business, and Management to maximize their business-mindedness and set them up for success. Enrolling in the ABM Strand yields the following benefits:


  • Builds up the confidence of senior high school students when communicating their ideas, allowing them to have more faith in their concepts and ingenuity during their projects in their ABM courses
  • Instills values of honesty and good business practice that are necessary for a field that deals with finances and business relations, while adopting a mindset that actively seeks solutions for any crisis that comes their way
  • Hones their math skills for quick and transparent computations that will allow them to make sound business decisions and perform accounting duties with attention to detail and accuracy down the line when entering their careers

Possible Career Paths with ABM Strand

Students enrolled in the ABM strand in senior high school can lead successful and highly competitive careers in the following professions:
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Advertising Professionals
  • Marketing or Sales Representatives
  • Accountants
  • Account Managers
  • Bank Tellers
  • Restaurateurs
  • Corporate Managers
  • Retail Managers
  • Financial Advisers
  • Economists

The Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM)


The ABM strand curriculum was especially crafted to equip students with the necessary skills like communication and socialization that will set them apart as world-class professionals in a highly competitive industry, as well as the business savvy, mathematical, and financial know-how needed for resource management and day to day operations. Finally, ABM graduates will also be given a variety of major subjects dealing with Accountancy, Statistics, and Business Mathematics for industry standard expertise. Enroll into the ABM strand to hone your business-mindedness and equip yourself with the necessary skills to set yourself up for success.


A JOURNEY OF AN ABM STUDENT

Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) was recognized as one of the most difficult strands in Senior High School, according to them. Some children are concerned that they may be confronted with a math challenge. Also, some of them are hesitant to take this strand because they believe it is exclusively for intellectual kids who are familiar with math.

I consider this perception is misleading because, like you, I am not particularly gifted in mathematics, but I am enrolled in this stream. In actuality, this strand requires more analytical skills, and you must know how to perform basic operations such as addition, subtraction, and so on in order to balance financial statements. I gained a lot of fresh knowledge and experiences as a result of it. Being an ABM student has taught me patience and responsibility, particularly when it comes to the activities and performance tasks that I must do. It motivates me to study harder because our subjects are difficult and take a lot of effort to pass.

In my current Grade 11 senior high school life, I also found the people that completely made my journey more memorable. They proved to me that even if we have different personalities, perception and dreams in life, we worked together and we do our task more better.

As an ABM student, it is not easy. All you need is a lot of patience and efforts but behind of this, you can achieve the unforgettable memories, learnings and experience. Behind of this hard working and efforts that I made on being an ABM student, I became one of the honors of Senior High School and it makes me completely happy.