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Get accepted. Get prepared. Get to your first NCLEX.
TEAS, HESI, and the long climb into nursing school.
The HESI A2 is a computer-based admission test used by nursing and allied health programs. It checks academic skills, not nursing knowledge. Schools choose which sections you take, so your version may not match another applicant’s.
Effective TEAS test prep starts with a diagnostic, not a textbook. Find your weakest section (usually Science and A&P), set a target composite from your programs' cutoffs, and follow a 30-, 60-, or 90-day plan. Close to target? 30 days. Most candidates: 60. Lower baseline: 90.
ATI sells two official TEAS practice forms (A and B), 150 questions each, at $29.99 per form — the only practice test with a reportable, sub-topic score breakdown. There is no free full-length ATI test; free options are limited to sample questions. Here is when to use each.
The ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is the standardized admissions exam many U.S. nursing programs use. The current TEAS 7 has 170 questions (150 scored) over ~209 minutes across Reading, Math, Science, and English. Minimum scores vary by school.
The HESI A2 Anatomy & Physiology section tests 13 body-system topic areas drawn from Elsevier's official review guide, from anatomical terminology to the cardiovascular and reproductive systems. Most programs require 70–80. It is ~30 questions and one of the tougher sections if your A&P coursework is a year behind you.
The HESI A2 math section covers arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, metric/household conversions, dosage calculations, and basic algebra — no trig, calculus, or stats. Most programs require 70–80. About 55 questions (50 scored). Here is a 4-week plan.
How to pass the ATI TEAS 7: a section-by-section game plan for Reading, Math, Science, and English & Language Usage, plus test-day pacing and scoring tactics for nursing and allied-health admission.
There is no universal HESI A2 passing score — your nursing program sets the minimum (usually 75–80% per section) and picks which sections you sit. This guide covers the verified section breakdown, which free practice tests to trust, score benchmarks, and a 6-week practice plan.
How to study for the ATI TEAS 7: pick your plan by your diagnostic gap, not a generic template. Week-by-week 4, 8, and 12-week schedules for Reading, Math, Science, and English — built for first-timers and retakers.
There is no universal HESI A2 passing score — each nursing program sets its own minimum. Most require 75–80% per section; competitive BSN programs often want 80%+ on science. Your program's cutoff is on its admissions page, and scoring above the minimum (85%+) strengthens a competitive application.
For the most accurate HESI A2 prep, use the official practice tests on Elsevier's Evolve platform — the only source calibrated to the real exam's scoring. Free resources reinforce concepts but aren't calibrated. After each test, focus on improving your lowest required-section scores, not your composite.
To get into most U.S. nursing programs you need five things: completed prerequisites (A&P, micro, chem, stats, English, psych), a 2.5–3.0+ GPA (3.5+ to compete), a passing ATI TEAS or HESI A2 score, a full documentation package, and a 9–12 month runway. Cutoffs vary by program — always verify.