The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the outcome performance of second degree students in an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) and an Entry Level MSN (ELMSN) program. In addition to student demographics (ethnicity/race, age, and gender), study variables included admission and end-of-program indicators. Admission criteria included the preadmission GPA, preadmission science GPA, and Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS®) scores. End-of-program characteristics included (a) the end-of-course GPA, which was computed at the end of the prelicensure curriculum; (b) the score for the RN Comprehensive Predictor®; and (c) first-time passing of the NCLEX-RN®. The goal of this research was to determine whether students from diverse backgrounds experienced academic challenges in time-condensed nursing programs. The study examined data from 771 Accelerated BSN and 208 Entry Level MSN students in a western health sciences university from 2009 through 2011. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore the differences between student performance and ethnicity/race, gender and age. The results revealed only one statistically significant association between admission criteria and race/ethnicity, which was identified in the ABSN students. Statistically significant relationships were found in the ABSN cohort between race/ethnicity and RN Comprehensive Predictor® scores, end-of-course GPAs, and passing the NCLEX-RN®. Asian, Black, and Hispanic students had higher failure rates for the NCLEX-RN® than students in the White, Two or More Races, and Unknown groups. In the ELMSN cohort analyses of the findings revealed associations between race/ethnicity and the RN Comprehensive Predictor® and end-of-course GPA. Asian students had lower scores on the RN Comprehensive Predictor®, and Blacks had lower end-of-course GPAs. In the ABSN cohort, men had higher preadmission SGPAs and TEAS® Mathematics and Science component mean scores than women. In the ELMSN group findings indicated that men had higher mean TEAS® Reading scores than women. Women in the ABSN group had higher mean end-of-course GPAs than men. However, no association was found between gender and results of the RN Comprehensive Predictor® or passing the NCLEX-RN®. Similarly, women in the ELMSN cohort had higher mean end-of-course GPAs than men. As with the ABSN group, no relationship was found between gender and the RN Comprehensive Predictor® or passing the NCLEX-RN®. Results revealed that students aged 31-40 had higher mean preadmission GPAs and preadmission SGPAs. An association was found between age and prelicensure program outcomes in the ELMSN cohort. Correlation analysis revealed that older students had lower end-of-course GPAs than younger students. A statistically significant relationship was also found between age and the pass rate for the NCLEX-RN®. The average age of students who passed was 28.83 years; the mean age of students who failed was 32.2 years. Regression analysis revealed that the best indicators for success in passing the NCLEX-RN® were student ethnicity, the preadmission SGPA, and the end-of-course GPA for the ABSN subjects. Analyses of the ELMSN cohort revealed that only the end-of-course GPA was related to NCLEX-RN® success. Analyses of the other variables were inconclusive. Several limitations related to data collection and reporting are noteworthy. The information on race and ethnicity, which was collected by the university, was based on student self-reporting. Unavailability of some data points reduced the numbers of subject records from 1,083 to 979. Further research into second degree programs at other institutions with large diverse student populations is warranted. Similar research with a larger sample may yield more conclusive data. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]