Critical thinking (CT) in the new nursing graduate continues to be a topic of concern in the academic and acute care settings. While research studies have analyzed critical thinking skills (CTS) at the beginning and end of nursing programs, few have focused on early program evaluation of CT. In this non-experimental, explanatory, quantitative study, a critical thinking test was employed for the pre and posttest to determine if a significant transformation in the level of CTS occurred within the first semester. The instrument utilized to measure CT was the Kaplan Critical Thinking Integrated Test. All first semester students at four Midwestern associate degree nursing programs were invited to participate. A sample of 42, male and female participants completed the pretest within the first three weeks of the beginning of classes. Posttests were given after course finals. The mean age was 31.9 years (SD = 7.8 years), with a range from 18 years to 53 years. A significant transformation in the level of CT from the beginning to the end of the first semester associate degree nursing student occurred. The estimated change in critical thinking test scores was 2.04, with 95% confidence. The confidence was between 0.15 and 3.94 and represented a difference in critical thinking scores for first semester associate degree nursing students. Implications for practice include early measurement of CTS in nursing programs, which can promote adjustment of curriculum, teaching methodology, and meeting the learning needs of students. Recommendations for future study would be the comparison and definition of the expectation of CTS for the new graduate. An additional recommendation is to examine the effect of various learning strategies on the development of CTS among nursing students. [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.]