DID UIN STUDENTS CHOOSE THE WRONG MAJOR? EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING SERVICES IN STUDENTS' DECISION-MAKING WHEN CHOOSING UNIVERSITY STUDY PROGRAMS: A Study of State Islamic Senior High Schools in Jambi Province

Abstract

A preliminary survey of 25 prospective students at Universitas Islam Negeri Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin (UIN STS) Jambi revealed that 76% did not have a comprehensive understanding of the academic content or professional competencies associated with the study programs they selected during the admission process. This study aims to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of guidance and counseling (GC) services in State Islamic Senior High Schools (Madrasah Aliyah Negeri—MAN) across Jambi Province in identifying students' interests and talents and guiding them toward university study programs that align with their potential. This research employed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The evaluation of GC service effectiveness was based on the standards established by the Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Regulation No. 111 of 2014 and the Indonesian Guidance and Counseling Association (ABKIN). Data were collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis of relevant records. The findings indicate that most MANs in Jambi Province do not employ guidance and counseling teachers with formal academic qualifications in guidance and counseling. Instead, many schools assign subject teachers—predominantly honorary teachers—to perform counseling duties. Although most counselors possess comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Service Implementation Plans (Rencana Pelaksanaan Layanan Bimbingan dan Konseling—RPL-BK), these documents are largely adapted from online sources and are rarely implemented in actual counseling practices. Consequently, guidance and counseling services have not been effective or efficient in assisting students with selecting appropriate university study programs. Students' decisions are generally not informed by assessments of their interests and abilities generated through counseling services. Instead, they tend to rely on heuristic judgment and intuitive decision-making when choosing their study programs.