Step 1: know exactly what you are taking
The HESI A2 is different at every school. Before you buy anything, write down your program's required sections, the minimum for each, any cumulative minimum, and the attempt rules. The sections guide shows how to find them. Studying a section your school does not require is an easy way to waste a week.
Step 2: take a timed baseline
Take your school's sections under real time limits. Record each section's percent and, for every miss, why it happened: did not know it, misread it, ran out of time, or a careless slip. That list is your study plan. A short quiz finds content gaps, but only a timed test shows pacing and stamina.
Step 3: try a question before you review
Attempt first, then read the explanation. Here is one HESI-style grammar item:
Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: "Each of the nurses ______ a badge."
Whether you got it right or not, the explanation now sticks to a question you tried. That is the habit to build for every section.
Step 4: study from memory, spaced out and mixed
Retrieval practice (recalling an answer instead of rereading it) is one of the best-supported study methods. In a classic test-enhanced learning study, students who tested themselves remembered more a week later than students who reread. Spreading practice over days also beats cramming, as a large distributed-practice meta-analysis found. A major review of study techniques rated both highly and rated rereading and highlighting low.
- Read a short explanation, then close it and answer questions without looking.
- Come back to a topic two or three days later instead of finishing it in one sitting.
- Mix topics within a section once each one is familiar.
Step 5: keep an error log
For each miss, write the smallest rule that would have prevented it: “each is singular,” “1 oz = 30 mL,” “the left ventricle pumps to the aorta.” Review the rules later without the questions, then answer new questions that need them.
Step 6: retest, then rehearse test day
Retake a timed test once you have worked through your weakest topics, and do one full timed rehearsal of every required section about a week before the real exam. Our six-week HESI A2 study plan lays this out week by week.
How NurseSavvy fits
NurseSavvy has free timed HESI A2 practice tests: 5 full-length forms and a test for each section, built from the sections you pick. The results show each section and the cumulative. Each topic has a cheat sheet and practice questions (3,400 across all eight sections), short speed-learning cards that quiz you from memory, and a 505-word vocabulary deck. Practice tests are free; unlimited learning is $9.99/month.
HESI and HESI A2 are registered trademarks of Elsevier. NurseSavvy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Elsevier.
Common questions
What should I study first for the HESI A2?
Confirm which sections your school requires, then take a timed practice test of those sections. Start studying the weakest required section, not page one of a review book.
How long should I study for the HESI A2?
It depends on your baseline and your school’s cutoffs. Four to eight weeks of steady study fits most baselines; our six-week plan sits in the middle. Start earlier if a required section is far below the minimum.
Is the HESI A2 hard?
It covers material most students saw in high school and prerequisite courses, so difficulty depends on how recently you used it. So any section you have not used recently, often A&P or a science, may need the most work.
What is the best way to memorize HESI A2 material?
Retrieval practice: answer questions and recall facts from memory instead of rereading. Spread the practice over days and mix topics. Research on learning consistently finds this beats rereading and highlighting.