Why the exam varies by school
Elsevier supplies the components; the programme builds the assessment. A school that wants to screen for
science readiness will assign Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and possibly Chemistry. A school more
concerned with academic literacy might assign Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar and Mathematics only.
This is why generic advice about the HESI is so unreliable, and why the number of questions and the time
allowed both differ between candidates. Neither is published centrally, because neither is fixed.
These seven academic areas appear in Elsevier's current admission assessment review. Your programme specifies which subjects and any additional assessments you must complete.
Academic subjects in Elsevier's current A2 review
| Mathematics |
Applied arithmetic, ratios, conversions and basic algebra |
Covered |
| Reading Comprehension |
Main idea, inference, tone and vocabulary in context |
Covered |
| Vocabulary & General Knowledge |
General and health-related terms |
Covered |
| Grammar |
Agreement, punctuation and commonly confused words |
Covered |
| Anatomy & Physiology |
Structure and function across the body systems |
Covered |
| Biology |
Cells, genetics, macromolecules and basic processes |
Covered |
| Chemistry |
Atomic structure, bonding, reactions and solutions |
Not yet |
Build a requirement sheet before you revise
- Exact assessment: record the exam name and the instructions for your programme.
- Required components: list academic subjects and any additional assessments separately.
- Score requirements: note each subject threshold and any overall condition.
- Dates: include the deadline for receipt of results, not only the appointment date.
- Booking and confirmation: save the school's instructions and the contact who confirmed them.
If you are applying to more than one school, do not assume that sitting extra subjects automatically makes one result acceptable everywhere. Confirm the exam version, the testing location or arrangement the school accepts, how scores are sent, and how recent an attempt must be. Ask how a retake is treated before paying for a second appointment.
What to ask your programme
Email admissions if the information is not on the admission page, and ask for it in writing. Every one of
these changes how you should prepare.
- Which HESI A2 components do you require?
- How long is the sitting, and is it one session or several?
- Do you set a minimum on each subject, or only an overall score?
- How many attempts do you allow, and is there a waiting period between them?
- How recent does a score have to be?
- Do you accept the TEAS as an alternative?
Ask about Chemistry and any additional components specifically. Confirm the complete requirement list before selecting preparation materials or booking your appointment.
Two applicants can need different study plans
-
Math, Reading, Vocabulary, and Grammar.
-
Divide the week across those requirements instead of concentrating on an unrequested science subject.
-
The same four areas plus Anatomy and Physiology and Biology.
-
Allow a broader timetable and a separate check of science readiness.
These examples illustrate planning differences, not standard exam packages. Use the subject list from your school, then complete a short baseline in each required area. Give extra review time to subjects where you cannot explain the answers. Keep some mixed practice so that a strong subject remains familiar while you repair a weaker one.
Once your school confirms the list, practice the covered HESI subjects and review the explanations topic by topic.
Start focused HESI practice
Which subjects we cover
Our HESI course covers Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Anatomy and Physiology, and
Biology, with practice questions and a written rationale on each. Chemistry and Physics are not in the
course yet. If your programme assigns either, plan to prepare for those elsewhere, and treat everything
here as covering the rest.
The HESI study guide works through each covered
subject, and the HESI course page shows the topics inside them.
What to do when instructions disagree
An old handbook, a testing-centre page, and a current admissions email may not describe the same intake. Send the conflicting instructions to the programme and ask which applies to your application. Keep the response with your booking confirmation. Do not resolve the difference by choosing whichever requirement is easier.
Ask specifically about additional components such as critical-thinking or learning-profile assessments if they appear in the instructions. Establish whether they are required, how the programme uses them, and whether separate preparation is expected. Their presence does not mean they are academic subjects covered by this platform.
Match each requirement to a preparation resource
Our HESI preparation covers Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Anatomy and Physiology, and Biology. If your programme requires Chemistry, Physics, or another component outside that list, arrange an additional resource rather than assuming it is included. A complete plan accounts for every required subject, including ones you study elsewhere.
For the current general review topics, see Elsevier's Admission Assessment Exam Review contents. For your actual sitting, the programme's written instructions remain the deciding source.
Frequently asked questions
HESI subject questions
| How many subjects will I sit? |
Set by your programme. Use the current subject list from your programme; there is no single package for every applicant. |
| Is the A2 the same as the HESI Exit Exam? |
No. The A2 is for admission; the Exit Exam is sat near the end of a nursing programme. |
| Can I choose which subjects to take? |
No. The programme assigns them. |
| Is there one overall HESI score? |
Subjects are usually reported individually. Some programmes also calculate a composite. |
| Do all schools use the HESI? |
No. Many use the ATI TEAS instead, and some accept either. |
| What if I do badly in one subject? |
Ask whether your programme sets a per-subject minimum. Where it does, one weak subject can matter more than a strong average. |
