Sci.Int.(Lahore),34(4),355-358,2022 ISSN 1013-5316;CODEN: SINTE 8 355 July-August SERVICE QUALITY AND SATISFACTION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS OF J.H. CERILLES STATE COLLEGE Servillana M. Del Mundo School of Teacher Education J. H. Cerilles State College, Philippines Mati, San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur Author Tel#: 09092176622, Email: servillana.delmundo@jhcsc.edu.ph ABSTRACT: The study aimed to assess the service quality and graduate students’ satisfaction with the J.H. Cerilles State College Graduate School. A correlational research design was utilized to investigate the relationships of the variables and to analyze further which service quality factors significantly affect the graduate student's satisfaction. The study surveyed 104 graduate students across the programs offered in the graduate school. Results revealed high measures of service quality of the graduate school and high satisfaction of the graduate students. The service quality domains, reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness, showed strong and significant correlations toward students’ satisfaction. Furthermore, regression analysis has only reported significant effects on assurance, empathy, and responsiveness toward students’ satisfaction. The college administration, faculty, and stakeholder s may utilize this study's empirical evidence to improve the graduate school's quality of services. The report may also serve as a benchmark for improving the graduate school programs' teaching strategies, policies, and standards. Keywords: Graduate school, Service Quality, Satisfaction, Correlation, Regression Analysis 1. INTRODUCTION Service quality is a valuable asset in the business world, as the quality performance of any organization is directly affected. Higher education institutions (HEIs), although they may not be considered business organizations, also rely on the standard of service that is thought to be an equally significant factor in providing services to individuals and others clients. In the past, student satisfaction has been a minor issue. But currently, it has gained critical recognition since the success and sustainability of institutions highly depend on students’ enrollment, of which satisfaction is a determining factor [1]. As a result, effective schools regularly assess the quality of their services and try to meet the demands of their students. Students are recognized as the most crucial asset of every successful higher education institution [2]. These initiatives would help institutions recognize ways to increase standards and develop student loyalty. Service quality and satisfaction are strong predictors of student retention [3]. This implies that institutions must continuously work to provide service quality to attract and enable students to enroll and stay in school until graduation. Hence, creating educational value to inspire higher confidence in students by delivering value-laden perks, tailored treatment, and responding to their requirements would boost loyalty and minimize attrition by reducing defection and dropouts [4]. To meet the standards of services and course offerings for students, HEIs would thrive in attracting, keeping, and grabbing a good reputation. Dissatisfied students are more likely to transfer to other schools that would offer the best possible opportunity for them when resources are available to meet student needs. Hence, constructing strategies to motivate students and creating an effective and efficient learning environment is part of the institution's plan to link academic success to concepts such as retention and recruitment. Institutions can gain students’ satisfaction by delivering excellent service values, which is integral to securing a sustainable competitive advantage in today’s international market [5]. Higher Educational Institutions face a multifarious challenge to contend with a need to be of service quality and maintain and gain competitive advent age from the different institutions [6]. Understanding student satisfaction is critical as this provides inputs to develop better tools to teach the students. However, understanding and addressing the vital sources of student satisfaction is a challenge for many higher educational institutions [7]. As viewed, service quality is an antecedent to satisfaction. Thus, a proper understanding of the antecedents and determinants of customer satisfaction can be seen as having an extraordinarily high value for service organizations, especially in a competitive environment. In this way, the association between service quality and customer satisfaction has emerged as a significant and strategic concern. Recently, relevant to education, service quality among Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) has caught the attention of the general public, more commonly to the student clients, due to rapid modifications to meet educational standards for global developments [8]. Additionally, to consider the growing competitive academic settings where students enjoy various options, the factors that enable the school to attract and retain students must be reviewed and given favorable consideration. In line with the context, some schools are not meeting student satisfaction with their quality service. Several studies reported that campus facilities and digital libraries are difficult to access, and the quality of the lecturers is far below expectations. In the Philippines, several studies justified that the current state of service quality among higher education institutions lags compared to other countries. For illustration, many university students were dissatisfied with their school’s clinic and supply office [9]. Reports examined students’ satisfaction, among other components measured, such as academic counseling, administrative support services, campus life, individual welfare, service excellence, and instructional effectiveness, all of which had fair satisfaction ratings. Service quality measures the following indicators: reliability,