Relationship of age, American College Testing scores, grade point average, and State Board Examination scores.

The relationships between age and American College Testing (ACT) scores to college grade point average (GPA), and State Board scores were studied. The sample consisted of 787 persons admitted by two different procedures to an associate degree nursing program over a 10-year period. An age bias was found with significant negative correlations for each ACT score and age. The proportion of older students who graduated and passed the State Board examinations was significantly higher than the proportion of younger students. The two admission procedures resulted in similar rates for graduation and State Board passage. Age and ACT scores were not correlated with the GPA. Age and ACT scores, with the exception of mathematics, were positively correlated with the State Board scores.