Predictors of Nursing Graduate School Success

Abstract Several factors influence success in nursing graduate school. This study collected retrospective data from students in a nursing graduate program to determine which factors predict success. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis to predict success (i.e., graduation grade point average [GPA]) from student characteristics. The predictors were nursing course GPA, undergraduate science GPA, GPA upon admission to nursing graduate school, experience in a specialty, and the duration of that experience. Results indicate that admission, nursing, and undergraduate science GPA are more important for predicting success than previous experience. The predictors account for approximately 80 percent of the variance (R2 = .80).