The overall nurse career-patterns study actually consists of four concurrent longitudinal studies relating to the four kinds of nursing programs in which, if possible, each subject will be followed from the time of entrance through a 15-year period after graduation. The practical nurse study seeks to determine whether certain biographical data or stated reasons or goals for entering practical nursing programs relate to the probability of program completion and employment as a graduate. Over 3,000 1962 enrollees were chosen as a 20 percent random sample of the 693 approved practical nursing programs in existence at the beginning of the study. At the time of the report, each person had completed a maximum of three questionnaires: one on entrance to the training program, one on graduation, and a third 1 year after graduation. The findings to date indicate a composite picture of the person most likely to succeed as a woman over 25, married, and a member of the lower middle income group. She should show signs of stability, modest ability, need, and a commitment to others. Her high school accomplishment would have been average. Some factors found to be important to trainees were convenience of program location and availability of employment.