The performance of baccalaureate nursing school graduates on the new National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) was compared to graduates' performance on the old examination, the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE). Data were gathered for 287 graduates who took the SBTPE between 1979-1981 and 175 graduates who took the NCLEX in 1982 and 1983. The passing rate of East Carolina University graduates on the NCLEX increased by almost 12 percent during 1982 and 1983. Graduates had a higher passing rate on the NCLEX compared to the SBTPE. For both licensing examinations, transfer and older graduates had higher passing rates than nontransfer and younger graduates. Compared to graduates who failed either licensing examination, graduates who passed the examinations had: higher mean raw scores on six National League for Nursing Achievement Tests, higher mean scores on the verbal and math Scholastic Aptitude Tests, and higher mean grade point averages and grade averages in selected study fields (mathematics-science, social science, nursing theory, and clinical nursing). (SW)