Nursing School Admissions Tests

If you have looked at a nursing program that requires an admissions test, it is important to look at which test it is. Different nursing tests generally assess the same knowledge and skills, but certain programs may require more depth or subjects to assess their candidates. As a result, they will require the HESI over the TEAS. There may be an instance where your program of choice only requires the TEAS, but you are lacking course fulfillment in a subject that you can demonstrate your knowledge of on the HESI. Perhaps one program you are applying to requires the TEAS, but another one requires the HESI. Can the HESI be accepted in lieu of the TEAS in such instances? For more information, you will have to check with a program and its advisors for acceptable exceptions.

The TEAS and HESI are two forms of standardized tests that nursing schools will use to admit students into a program. Both measure potential success in the healthcare field through a number of subjects. While they both test students in areas of English, Mathematics, and Science, the tests are structured differently to assess knowledge in different topics. The TEAS consists of four different sections, 170 questions over the span of 209 minutes or approximately 3.5 hours. The HESI is broken up into eight different content exams. The content is similar to that of the TEAS, but rather than ask a fewer number of questions within a subtopic, the HESI dedicates a small exam towards some subtopics of the TEAS, such as anatomy and physiology. Sectioning the subject matter allows for the HESI to more comprehensively assess knowledge within these certain subjects. A student does not necessarily have to complete all eight exams, but it is their duty to know which ones they must take for a school application. In addition to the exams, their school may include two, 15-minute sections for learning and personality styles with 14 and 15 questions, respectively.

The KNAT is the newest exam that programs are turning to as an entrance requirement. Although this entrance exam tests for some of the same essential subject matter, this test is significantly shorter. Taking less than three hours to complete, this 91-question exam is meant to be direct in its assessment for a candidate's essential skills in three main areas of language comprehension, math, and science.

The science section is a 20-question assessment of a student’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology. The math section will require a student to use their understanding of math concepts to complete word problems and other algebraic questions. Although reading and writing go hand-in-hand, the writing section will use nine passages to test for the crucial skills specific to the knowledge and conventions of standard English. Alternatively, reading comprehension section has a student reading only four passages and answering questions related to the logic and reasoning of language.

While you are checking with program requirements, you will need to look into the testing score minimums for application. Some programs will not consider a candidate if the student does not earn a minimum score. In other situations, some programs do not have a minimum acceptable score. Certain programs may release the average or range of accepted scores, but meeting the average score does not guarantee a seat within a program. The test administrators do allow for retakes after a certain waiting period following your previous attempt, but depending on the school, you may or may not be eligible to resubmit scores. As a result, every aspiring candidate should know the test they must take and do as best as they possibly can on their first attempt. If you are unfamiliar with any of the tests described, you can find out more information about them at their official websites with the buttons at the bottom of the page.