Passing school biology: a predictor of success in nursing science courses?

A correlation was found between students' SA Year 12 public examination school biology scores and subsequent success in an undergraduate nursing science course. The group of students most successful in science courses had a higher mean school biology score than the group who were least successful. Some mature age students with no background in science were able to perform as well as those who had passed publicly-examined biology at school. Hence biology should not be a prerequisite for mature age entrants.