FAQ
Questions about the HESI A2
Everything students ask us about the HESI A2 and about how our practice tests work.
- How many sections are on the HESI A2, and which will I sit?
- The HESI A2 has up to ten possible sections, and your nursing program chooses which ones you take. Nearly every program requires the same core four — Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar. Many add Anatomy & Physiology, Biology or Chemistry. Physics is rarely required, so our tests cover the seven sections programs actually ask for. Check your program's admissions page before you start studying, because studying for a section you will never sit is wasted time.
- How long does the HESI A2 take?
- It depends entirely on which sections your program requires. On the real exam the core four run to about three and a half hours, and each science section adds roughly another twenty-five minutes. Our full-length tests run all seven sections back to back, with a ten-minute break between the language and science halves, so sit only the sections your school asks for if you want to match your own test day.
- Is the HESI A2 timed?
- Most schools impose a time limit, though the exact policy varies and a few allow more generous timing than others. We time every section, because a section you can only finish untimed is a section you have not really passed. If your school is more relaxed about time, you will simply find our tests harder than the real thing, which is the right way round.
- Do your practice tests match the real exam?
- They match its sections, its question style and its difficulty, and every section runs on its own clock. Each section here is a full 50 questions, which is more than the real science sections carry, so you get extra practice exactly where most people are weakest. We are not affiliated with Elsevier and we do not reproduce their questions — every item here is written from the published exam blueprint.
- What score do I need?
- Most nursing programs want 75 to 80 percent on each required section, and a good number look at each section separately rather than averaging them. That is the detail people miss: a strong overall score does not rescue one weak section if your program sets a floor on every one. Our results page scores each section separately for exactly that reason.
- What is the difference between the HESI A2 and the TEAS?
- They compete for the same job — deciding who gets into a nursing program — but they are different exams from different publishers. The TEAS is one fixed test of 170 questions from ATI. The HESI A2 is modular, from Elsevier, and leans considerably harder on the sciences. Your program will tell you which one it accepts. Some accept either.
- What happens when I finish a test?
- You get an immediate breakdown for every section you sat, showing correct, incorrect and skipped counts alongside the time you spent, then a question-by-question review with a written explanation for each item and a rationale for every answer option, including the wrong ones.
- Can I pause a test and come back to it?
- No, and that is deliberate. Each section runs on its own clock and submits automatically when time runs out, because practicing under real time pressure is most of the value. Start a test when you have a clear run at it.
- How many times can I take each test?
- Each test in your package can be taken once. That keeps your score meaningful — retaking a test you have already seen measures your memory, not your readiness.
- Can I get a refund?
- No. All sales are final. You receive every question, answer and explanation the instant you pay, and digital material cannot be handed back — a refund would simply be a free copy of the product. This is why we give away a free test and answer any question before you buy. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time and access runs to the end of the period you have paid for, but payments already taken are not refunded.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. Everything runs in your browser on a laptop, tablet or phone. Your answers save automatically as you go.