ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify the effect of admission type on college adaptation and academic achievement in one nursing school in order to refine the entrance selection system. METHODS: Subjects were 405 nursing students (female : male = 385 : 20, first grade = 155, second grade = 138, third grade = 112). They were given the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) purchased from Western Psychological Service. SACQ is composed of 67 questions and subdivided into 4 subcategories: academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, and attachment. Student college adaptation scores and academic achievements were analyzed with reference to the entrance selection system (rolling admission vs. regular admission) by SPSS 22.0. The rolling admission system recruited students based on high school records only while the regular admission system was based on both high school records and the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). RESULTS: Total College adaptation score, personal-emotional adjustment score, and academic achievement were higher in regular-admission students than in those admitted through rolling admission. Academic achievement for first-grade students was higher in regular-admission students than for those admitted through rolling admission, But the difference in academic achievement became null as students were promoted to the second and third grades. CONCLUSION: Students recruited using both high school records and the CSAT showed better college adaptation and higher academic achievement.