<![CDATA[Students' attitudes toward the Indonesian Language course constitute an important factor influencing learning success and the development of academic communication competencies in higher education. However, previous studies have predominantly treated attitudes as factors influencing learning outcomes, whereas research examining knowledge as a predictor of students' attitudes remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the levels of knowledge and attitudes of Guidance and Counseling students at Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika toward the Indonesian Language course, as well as to evaluate the contribution of knowledge in predicting students' attitudes. This study employed a quantitative approach using a predictive cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 75 respondents through an objective knowledge test and an attitude questionnaire. The data were analyzed using simple linear regression to test the research hypotheses. The results reveal an academic paradox in which the students' knowledge level has a significant but negative influence on their attitudes toward the course. This indicates that higher mastery of language knowledge correlates with a decrease in students' affective attitudes due to academic burnout and a sense of over-familiarity with repetitive materials. The knowledge variable contributed only 11.5% to the formation of attitudes, suggesting that 88.5% of other factors, such as pedagogical competence and curriculum relevance, play a more dominant role. These findings recommend the necessity of curriculum revitalization through adaptive approaches, such as digital media-based Project-Based Learning (PjBL), to transform negative attitudes into participatory ones. The implications of this research emphasize that higher education needs to shift its focus from merely transferring linguistic rules toward developing professional skills that are both applicable and challenging for students.]]>
