The Nurse Entrance Test (NET): an early predictor of academic success.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a relationship exists between beginning nursing students' Nurse Entrance Test (NET) scores and their academic success within the first year of professional study. The major goal is to identify predictors of academic success so that supportive academic strategies could be implemented for the at-risk student. A statistically significant relationship is found between NET reading comprehension, math and composite scores and nursing grades during the first semester. Test-taking skills, social stressors and learning styles were also significantly related to course performance. Successful students had significantly higher reading, math, and composite scores and lower family and social stress scores than unsuccessful students. NET scores were also predictive of nursing grades, accounting for 10-33% of the variance when entered into a multiple regression equation.