HESI Entrance and HESI Exit Exam
Are you aspiring to become a nurse? Congratulations as you are about to embark on a life changing career! However, before then, you must familiarize yourself with the HESI exam. HESI, which stands for Health Education Systems Incorporated, is an entrance exam that tests the knowledge of potential nursing students in areas crucial to becoming successful nurses.
The HESI entrance exam, commonly known as HESI A2, evaluates whether one qualifies to enroll in a nursing program. In contrast, the HESI exit exam tests whether a student is ready to pass the NCLEX exam. NCLEX is an exam for nursing graduates that allows them to get licensed as RNs. Enrolling to take HESI exams currently costs around $30-$100.
Is the HESI Entrance Exam Right for You?
One of the most crucial steps in starting your nursing program is undertaking the HESI entrance exam. There are various good ways to prepare for a successful HESI exam, and this section will help break it down for you.
What Does HESI A2 Entail?
The HESI A2 exam covers different tests such as math, science, anatomy, physics, physiology, chemistry, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and proficiency in English. Each area has a set number of questions and time to complete the test. Taking practice tests allows you to know how many questions to expect.
For instance, the HESI A2 biology practice test and physics contain 25 questions, and the time to complete them is 25 and 50 minutes, respectively. The physics exam will cover friction, gravitation, energy, rotation, waves and sound, speed, and acceleration. The HESI A2 biology practice test will ask questions about biology basics, metabolism, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, etc.
The HESI A2 vocabpractice test has 50 questions, and you are supposed to finish the test within 50 minutes, while the HESI A2 reading comprehension has 47 questions to be completed within an hour. The HESI A2 practice test anatomy and physiology contains 30 questions. For the whole HESI A2 exam, there are 326 questions.
Scores in HESI A2
The HESI nursing entrance exam requires every student to score 75% and above. So, below this percentage, you will have to retake the whole test. The HESI score interpretation is that anyone who scores above 80% is considered an excellent candidate to join nursing school.
Different institutions will require students to score a certain cumulative score. So, by taking practice tests for this subject, you can predict your cumulative score. For instance, if you score 90% on the HESI A2 math practice exam, 85% on the HESI A2 practice test vocabulary, and 80% on the HESI A2 grammar practice exam, your cumulative score will be 85%, which is a good score.
These test results are often calculated based on the difficulty of the questions asked and the number of questions you got right. With the perfect HESI study guide, you can get the highest possible score.
HESI A2 Studying Tips
Excellent HESI A2 tips to ace the test require taking at least 6-7 weeks to study and prepare. The test can be challenging to pass but do not panic. Doing many practice tests will increase your chances of doing well in the HESI entrance exam. So, how does one prepare for HESI A2? You need to:
- Research the best HESI study plan
- Repeat hard-to-get topics daily
- Take a HESI practice test to gauge your understanding
Many practice tests are available on the website, and you can choose a specific area to practice. For instance, to familiarize yourself, you can search for the HESI A2 anatomy and physiology practice exam. A HESI A2 anatomy and physiology practice test has 25 questions showing how the test is formatted.
Practicing critical thinking HESI A2 tests will equip you with the right approach to asking your patient questions. You will know how to ask a patient how they are feeling, and based on their answers, you will have an idea of what could be wrong or right.
A HESI A2 math practice exam contains decimals, fractions, addition, subtraction, and more. Practicing this test gives you excellent mathematical dexterity. HESI A2 grammar practice exam enables you to identify grammar mistakes and boosts your grammar knowledge.
One of the best HESI exam resources is McGraw Hill’s exam booklet, which shows the HESI A2 format. Another excellent guidebook is by Elsevier which contains notes and practice questions. Also, consider an app such as Zen Prep that is up to date with HESI A2 exam requirements. With these preparations, passing your HESI entrance test should be as easy as ABC.