HESI Admission Assessment Exam FAQ

HESI Admission Assessment Exam FAQ 1. WHAT IS THE HESI ADMISSION ASSESSMENT (A2) EXAM The HESI A² exam is designed to assess the academic and personal readiness of prospective students for higher education. It is particularly well suited for prospective students in the health science fields, though it is applicable for basic skills for all potential students. The A² consists of nine different exams, seven of which focus on academic subject areas and two on personal assessment. Individual component scores as well as composite scores are provided for the total number of academic exams that are administered. These academically oriented subjects include: Basic Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Grammar, Chemistry, Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology. The Learning Style and Personality Profile exams are available for the purpose of offering insights about student study habits, learning preferences, and dispositions as they relate to academic achievement. Schools of nursing decide which A2 components will be required for their own applicants to complete. These requirements as well as minimum cut scores also decided by faculty who are guided by research and data. These requirements can change from one year to the next and from school to school, so be sure to carefully read your program’s requirements. Many schools of nursing also include HESI’s Critical Thinking exam as an additional requirement of the entrance exam. 2. WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED BENCHMARKS FOR ENTRY AT UTRGV SCHOOL OF NURSING? Per UTRGV admission policy, applicants to the nursing program must achieve a 75% or higher on the required individual components of the HESI Admission Assessment Exam. These components consist of: English Language, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Math, Anatomy & Physiology, and Critical Thinking. 3. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREPARE FOR THE HESI ADMISSION ASSESMENT? Students can prepare for HESI using the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review Manual. The Review Manual contains a 25-question pre-test at the beginning of the text which helps you assess your areas of strength and weakness before using the text. Applicants also can practice on a 50-question comprehensive post –test is included at the back of the text and covers all of the subject areas included on the exam. The questions will also include rationales for correct/incorrect answers. There is also an Evolve companion site with two comprehensive practice exams to further assist your review and preparation for the HESI Admission Assessment Exam. Applicants may purchase this manual either from UTRGV book store or direct online by following this link: 4. CAN I RE-TAKE THE HESI A2 IF I DO NOT ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED 75% ON ONE OR MORE COMPONENTS? Yes, applicants may retest on Version 2 of the HESI Admission Assessment Exam for any components where a 75% was not achieved. 5. AM I TAKING THE SAME TEST ON MY SECOND ATTEMPT? No, applicants choosing to retest will be testing on an alternate version of the HESI A2. Same content but different test items. 6. DO I TAKE THE ENTIRE A2 EXAM OVER WHEN RETESTING OR CAN I TAKE JUST THE COMPONENT WHERE A 75% IS NEEDED? Applicants choosing to retest only have to test on the sections where a 75% was not achieved. Be advised that the Admission Assessment Exam cannot be split into individual parts, so the exam is delivered with all components in-tact and the cost remains the same regardless of how many components you are testing on. 7. HOW MANY TIMES CAN I RETEST? UTRGV SON applicants may retest up to two times per admission period, not to exceed four times in one calendar year. 8. HOW SOON CAN I RETEST IF I AM BELOW 75% ON ANY SECTION? Applicants may schedule a second attempt after three weeks from your original test date. Use your time between attempts to complete meaningful remediation by targeting your knowledge gaps. Make use of the online content provided on Evolve by reviewing missed content and completing the online item banks. 9. CAN I RETEST TO IMPROVE MY SCORE? Yes, since the A2 is a weighted percentage of the admission criteria, some students choose to retest even when the 75% minimum is met. Retesting in these cases is not required but could improve your chances of admission. 10. HOW SOON CAN I RETEST IF I JUST WANT TO IMPROVE MY SCORE? Applicants may schedule a second attempt after three weeks from your original test date. Use your time between attempts to complete meaningful remediation by targeting your knowledge gaps. Make use of the online content provided on Evolve by reviewing missed content and completing the online item banks. 11. HOW LONG ARE HESI A2 SCORES GOOD? Per UTRGV admission policy, HESI A2 scores are valid for one year from the date of testing. 12. IF I TOOK THE HESI A2 EXAM TO GET INTO ANOTHER SCHOOL A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, CAN I SUBMIT THIS SCORE? No. A2 scores are only accepted within one calendar year of the date of the test. 13. CAN I TEST AT A LOCATION OTHER THAN UTRGV TESTING? Yes, however, remote proctoring sites like Prometric are more expensive. The UTRGV testing center is the best value for testing. 14. WHAT KIND OF REMEDIATION IS AVAILABLE? Access content relevant to your missed test items on the HESI A2 through your HESI Student Access link on Evolve. Follow the steps below: