Exploring the Relationship between Preadmission Grade Point Average and Selected Occupational Therapy Program Outcomes

Grade point averages (GPAs) are often considered in admissions to occupational therapy programs, but the predictive value of GPAs has not been well-studied. The current study investigated if preadmission GPAs predicted whether students passed all occupational therapy program coursework and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam on the first attempt. We analyzed 419 records of students who had matriculated in a master’s or doctoral occupational therapy program between 2010 and 2019. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of the independent variables science GPA and overall GPA on non-passing grades and on NBCOT exam outcomes. Preadmission GPAs were not predictive of non-passing grades in program coursework. Science GPA was a statistically significant predictor of NBCOT exam outcomes, p = .019. Overall GPA was not a significant predictor of NBCOT exam outcomes. Although preadmission GPAs were not found to be predictive of passing coursework on the first attempt, further research examining this important program outcome is recommended. Higher preadmission science GPA score was positively associated with passing NBCOT on the first attempt. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential usefulness of preadmission science GPA in admission to occupational therapy programs and in NBCOT exam preparation.