Which HESI A2 sections does your program require?
The HESI A2 is not one fixed test. Your nursing program picks the sections you sit, usually four to seven of them, and most people find out late. Here is what each section covers and how to check which ones are yours.
Your school decides
The core four
Required by nearly every program. If you have not confirmed your section list yet, start with these. You will not be wasting the time.
Mathematics
Required almost everywhere
Dosage calculation, ratios and proportions, fractions, decimals, percentages, military time and Roman numerals.
- Real exam
- About 50 questions, 50 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 50 minutes
Reading Comprehension
Required almost everywhere
Main idea, supporting details, inference, word meaning in context, tone and purpose, fact versus opinion.
- Real exam
- About 47 questions, 60 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 60 minutes
Vocabulary & General Knowledge
Required almost everywhere
General and health-science vocabulary, word parts, and terms as used in a clinical setting.
- Real exam
- About 50 questions, 50 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 50 minutes
Grammar
Required by most programs
Parts of speech, agreement, pronouns, tense, punctuation, commonly confused words.
- Real exam
- About 50 questions, 50 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 50 minutes
The sciences
This is where programs differ. Anatomy & Physiology is the one most often added. Biology and Chemistry depend on the school and the degree, and they are the sections people most often discover too late.
Biology
Often required, especially for RN programs
Cells, biological molecules, metabolism, photosynthesis, cell division, genetics, the immune system.
- Real exam
- About 25 questions, 25 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 40 minutes
Chemistry
Required by some programs, often BSN
Atomic structure, the periodic table, reactions and balancing, solutions, acids and bases, the mole.
- Real exam
- About 25 questions, 25 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 40 minutes
Anatomy & Physiology
The science most often added
Terminology, tissues, and all eleven body systems from skin and bone to the endocrine system.
- Real exam
- About 25 questions, 25 minutes
- Our tests
- 50 questions, 40 minutes
How to find out
- 1
Search the program's own site
Search the school's name with "HESI A2 requirements" or "pre-entrance exam". The admissions or nursing department page usually lists the sections and the minimum score for each.
- 2
Ask admissions three questions
Which sections are required? What is the minimum on each? Do you average the sections or set a floor on every one? The third answer changes how you should study more than the other two.
- 3
Check before you book
Your testing appointment covers the sections your program has set. Confirm the list first, because a section you study for and never sit is time you could have spent on one that counts.
Why every test here has all 7 sections
Sit the sections your program requires and skip the rest. A skipped section shows as not taken, never as a zero, and every section you sit is scored on its own against the typical 75% cut-off. If your school adds Chemistry next cycle, the practice is already there.
Common questions
How many HESI A2 sections will I take?
Usually between four and seven. Nearly every nursing program requires Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar. Many add Anatomy & Physiology, and some add Biology or Chemistry. Your program decides, not Elsevier.
How do I find out which HESI sections my school requires?
Look on the program's admissions or pre-entrance testing page for "HESI A2" and a list of sections. If the page does not list them, email admissions and ask which sections are required, what minimum they set on each, and whether they average the sections or set a floor on every one.
Is Physics on the HESI A2?
Physics is one of the optional sections Elsevier offers, but very few nursing programs require it. Our tests cover the seven sections programs actually ask for.
Do I have to sit every section of your practice tests?
No. Every test has all seven sections, and you can skip any section your program does not require. A skipped section shows as not taken in your results, never as a zero, and every section you do sit is scored on its own.