Compare the requirements before comparing the exams
Build a shortlist before choosing an exam
| Accepted exam |
TEAS, HESI A2, or either, based on the current admissions policy. |
| Subjects and scores |
Required HESI subjects if relevant, plus total and subject minimums. |
| Timing and attempts |
When results must arrive and any limits on attempts. |
| Accepted testing arrangements |
Whether results from another school or testing location can be used. |
If a programme accepts only one exam, the decision is already made. If it accepts both, ask whether they are evaluated in the same way. A published minimum may be an eligibility threshold rather than the result normally associated with admission. Do not compare two raw percentages as though they were a common ranking scale.
Side by side
| Administered by |
ATI |
Elsevier |
| Published blueprint |
Yes, full public specifications |
No public per-section blueprint |
| Structure |
170 questions, 209 minutes, four timed sections |
Set by your programme from the subject exams offered |
| Subjects |
Reading, Mathematics, Science, English & Language Usage |
Maths, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, A&P, Biology and Chemistry; confirm the required package |
| Which you sit |
All four sections, always |
Only the subjects your school selects |
| Science weighting |
Heavy, at 44 of 150 scored items |
Depends entirely on whether your school assigns the science exams |
| Scoring |
Overall score plus section breakdown |
A percentage per subject exam you sit |
| Pass mark |
None nationally; set by each programme |
None nationally; set by each programme |
The honest drawbacks
Both exams have real weaknesses. We sell preparation for both, so here they are.
Against the TEAS
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You sit all four sections whether or not your programme cares about all four.
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Science is weighted heavily, which punishes anyone whose last science class was years ago.
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The composite weighting is not published, so you cannot calculate exactly what a section is worth.
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Three hours and twenty-nine minutes in one sitting is genuinely tiring.
Against the HESI A2
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The subject package varies by programme, so confirm the assigned subjects and appointment timing before booking.
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The exam differs between schools, so a score comparison needs the subject list and admission policy as context.
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Subjects are reported separately, so one weak area can sink an otherwise strong result.
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An assigned science subject may not be included in the preparation resource you first chose.
Use a skill audit when you have a choice
Complete a few unfamiliar questions in the subjects that matter for each accepted option. Record where your foundation is strong, where you need to relearn content, and where timing is the main problem. Use this audit to estimate the preparation work, rather than relying on the reputation of either exam as easier.
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Preparing across all four TEAS sections may feel familiar.
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Still check your reading, language, arithmetic, and pacing rather than assuming Science settles the choice.
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A programme may request fewer academic areas.
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Unfamiliar vocabulary or a per-subject minimum can still require substantial preparation. Compare the actual requirement with your own baseline.
Choose the exam your school accepts, then try a practice set to identify the preparation you need.
Choose my exam practice
If your school accepts both
Choose on subject fit, not on reputation. If your sciences are strong and your reading speed is not, the
TEAS suits you, because Science is where the marks concentrate. If your school's HESI configuration leaves
out the science exams, the A2 becomes the lighter paper for the same application. Ask which subjects it
assigns before deciding. That single answer settles it more often than anything else.
Compare the whole booking and application process
Look beyond test duration. Check available appointments, permitted testing arrangements, identification requirements, score delivery, transcript arrangements, and any waiting period before another attempt. Verify current fees with the provider and programme instead of using an old comparison chart. Different administrative requirements can matter when a deadline is close.
Make a plan that leaves time to receive and submit results. If you are applying to programmes with different exam requirements, identify the skills you can study together, such as reading evidence or basic arithmetic, while keeping exam-specific timing and subject coverage separate. Preparation can overlap without making the exams interchangeable.
Which is harder?
Neither, reliably. Candidates strong in reading often find the TEAS science sections tougher, and the
reverse is just as common. Anyone telling you one is definitively easier is describing their own strengths,
not the exams.
Avoid switching exams just to escape a weak topic
Before changing course, confirm that the alternative is accepted and compare the unfinished work on both routes. Starting again may introduce new subjects or booking restrictions without removing the skill that caused difficulty. A more useful first step is often to diagnose whether the problem is knowledge, reading, calculation setup, or pacing.
Check ATI's TEAS structure and Elsevier's current HESI review topics, then confirm the local rules with admissions.
