<![CDATA[Academic Competency Test (TKA) results encompass multiple dimensions of student ability that need to be analyzed simultaneously to provide a more comprehensive picture of academic achievement. Reliance solely on a single aggregate mean score may obscure differences in students’ strengths and weaknesses across competency domains. This study aimed to classify the ability profiles of vocational high school students based on the 2025 Academic Competency Test (TKA) results. The study employed an exploratory quantitative approach using the official collective test results of SMKN Palang. All 98 test participants were included through total sampling. The clustering variables were Indonesian, Mathematics, English, and Creative Projects and Entrepreneurship scores. The data were standardized into z-scores and analyzed using the K-Means algorithm. The number of clusters was determined by comparing the silhouette coefficient, inertia, Davies-Bouldin Index, and cluster-size balance for k = 2 to k = 6. The results indicated that a three-cluster solution was the most appropriate, with the highest silhouette coefficient of 0.296. The first cluster included 46 students (46.94%) with relatively strong and balanced achievement. The second cluster included 35 students (35.71%) who required general academic and entrepreneurship subject support. The third cluster included 17 students (17.35%) with a marked gap in English achievement. Two principal components explained 68.79% of the total variance and produced a visual pattern consistent with the K-Means solution. The findings show that student competency profiles were not homogeneous. Schools should provide targeted enrichment, integrated literacy-numeracy support, and contextual English assistance. The clusters are exploratory profiles and should not be treated as permanent student labels.]]>
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