A week before: confirm the details
Testing centers set their own rules, so read yours and verify with your school. Confirm:
- Sections: the ones you are taking, matched to your program's list.
- Place and time: location, start time, and how early to arrive. Several sites we checked ask for 15 minutes early.
- ID and login: a photo ID (some sites, such as Temple College, require a government-issued one) and your Elsevier Evolve username and password.
- In person or remote: Elsevier offers remote testing through Prometric with a camera, microphone, and a system check, and some schools use ProctorU. Some programs, such as Temple College, do not accept remote scores.
- Breaks: they vary by site. Ask, and assume the clock keeps running if you step away.
- Fee: campus testing centers we checked charged about $45 to $85; a Prometric attempt for East Carolina University applicants runs about $125.
- Scores: some sites show them right away; others take 2 to 3 days. Your school decides when you see them.
- Accommodations: arrange them early through your school's disability office or Prometric, whichever runs your test; LSU Health New Orleans asks for at least six weeks.
Tarrant County College's HESI A2 page is a good example of what a testing center publishes.
What stays out of the room
Elsevier's exam security policy bars phones, watches, smart glasses, and other wearables during testing, and testing centers do not allow personal calculators. Scratch paper is usually provided. Math usually has an on-screen calculator, but a school can switch it off, so be ready to work by hand.
Rehearse the real sitting
Take your school's sections in one timed sitting about a week before the exam. You will find out how your focus holds up across several sections and which section's clock is tightest. Our free HESI A2 practice tests use the usual section clocks.
Pace each section by its own clock
| Section | Usual clock | Average per question |
|---|---|---|
| Math | 55 Qs · 50 min | about 55 sec |
| Reading Comprehension | 55 Qs · 60 min | about 65 sec |
| Vocabulary & General Knowledge | 55 Qs · 50 min | about 55 sec |
| Grammar | 55 Qs · 50 min | about 55 sec |
| Anatomy & Physiology | 30 Qs · 25 min | about 50 sec |
| Biology | 30 Qs · 25 min | about 50 sec |
| Chemistry | 30 Qs · 25 min | about 50 sec |
| Physics | 30 Qs · 50 min | about 100 sec |
- Reading: read the question before you reread the passage, so you know what to look for.
- Math: write the setup before using the calculator, and estimate first.
- Vocabulary and Grammar: answer quickly when you know it and bank the time for harder items.
- Every section: answer every question before time runs out; a blank cannot be right.
The night before and the morning of
- Light review of your own error-log rules only. No new material.
- Sleep, a normal meal, and water. A long sitting is harder hungry.
- Arrive early with your ID and registration details, or set up your remote space ahead of time.
Try a warm-up question
Which percent is equal to 3/8?
After the test
Note how each section felt while it is fresh. If a score lands below your school's cutoff, read the HESI A2 retake guide before booking again.
HESI and HESI A2 are registered trademarks of Elsevier. NurseSavvy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Elsevier.
Common questions
What should I bring to the HESI A2?
A photo ID (some sites, such as Temple College, require a government-issued one) and your Elsevier Evolve username and password. Phones, watches, and other wearables are not allowed during testing, and personal calculators are usually not allowed either. Rules differ by site, so read your testing center’s instructions.
How long does the HESI A2 take?
It depends on your sections. A common five-section test has about 235 minutes of section time, plus check-in and any breaks. Schools that give a long battery quote four to five hours. Your testing center sets the times.
Is there a calculator on the HESI A2?
Usually an on-screen calculator in the Math section, but Elsevier lets schools switch it off. Personal calculators are not allowed.
Can I take the HESI A2 online?
Sometimes. Elsevier offers remote testing through Prometric, and some schools arrange remote exams through ProctorU. But some programs, such as Temple College and Odessa College, do not accept remotely proctored scores. Check what your program accepts before you register.
How much does the HESI A2 cost?
It depends on where you test. Campus testing centers we checked charged about $45 to $85, and East Carolina University puts its Prometric route at about $125 per attempt. Sending scores to another school can cost extra.