HESI A2: Don't stress- Tips from a recent test taker!
For months, I stalled before scheduling up my exam date. Since I graduated college 5 years ago, I was pretty concerned about being out of practice academically. I ate many "anxiety cookies" in the days leading up to the test.
Members are discussing various aspects of the HESI A2 exam, including which sections to focus on based on school requirements, the reliability of test prep books, tips for studying, concerns about grammar and reading comprehension sections, availability of calculators during the test, and experiences with different study materials. Some members are seeking advice on specific topics like author's tone, chemistry content, and reading comprehension assistance.
Yesterday, I finally took my HESI exam and I couldn't wait to post some tips for future test takers! Here are my scores along with some things I wish I would have known:
How To Pass HESI
McGraw Hill's practice exam booklet is a great way to familiarize yourself with the test format.
By far, the best study guide book is by Elsevier, the company that makes the HESI A2. Buy it, read it and take the practice questions. The guide shows you exactly what you need to study for the exam. The only section I would recommend doing additional studying for is the A&P section.
Scores
Math: 98%
Basic, basic math. You also get a simple calculator on the exam, which is wonderful! Know your conversations (temperature, metric, etc.) and be very comfortable working with ratios and fractions.
Reading Comprehension: 92%
Practice exams hugely helped prepare me for this section. During the test, make sure you read through the passage first and understand exactly what a question is asking before selecting an answer. To be safe, on most questions I wrote out "ABCD" on my scratch paper and went through the passage marking each wrong answer as I read to ensure I chose the correct answer and didn't rush through the question.
Vocabulary: 98%
Whoah there- did anyone purchase the Mometrix HESI A2 study guide? If you haven't: Stay away! If you have: Put it down and breathe a sigh of relief. The book contains a hefty list of medical terminology. I memorized everything from hepatosalpinx to carbuncle and not a single word I learned was even close to the content on the exam. For the vocabulary section, focus on general vocabulary. I'd say most of the content consists of words commonly used in everyday academia.
A&P: 84%
I way, way over studied for A&P, so it's unfortunate I achieved my lowest score on this section. Two weeks before the exam, I pored over the minutia of each chapter of my past anatomy textbook. Unfortunately, I focused on accumulating a knowledge of many details and skimmed general concepts, figuring this information was "too easy" for the exam. Wrong choice. When you're studying for the HESI A2 A&P section, focus on broad, general concepts (hormones, cellular transport, general anatomy, etc.) and don't get bogged down with the little details. I used the following site to brush up on my anatomy: Anatomy & Physiology Class Website. Excellent organization of information! Again, don't focus on the little details.
Grammar: 98%
Studying for this section concerned me. Whereas I know the rules of grammar, the last time I learned the technical terms for grammar rules (indirect object, weak clause, etc.) was years ago. Luckily, the exam didn't focus on identifying parts of a sentence via technical terms. I used the following site to test myself on grammar knowledge after studying and it was really helpful: Grammar Quizzes
Critical Thinking: 940/1000
This section is not included in any of the available HESI A2 study guides, so I was nervous to take it. The Critical Thinking section provides you with a variety of different situations you could encounter as a nurse and asks how you would respond in a given situation.
My advice... before answering a question
Identify the most urgent problem
Select the best response for treating the specific problem
Hope this information helps someone! Overall, the test was much less intense than I expected, so don't stress yourself out too much. Happy to answer any questions!
When was the last time you studied these subjects? I used a book, but I also watched YouTube videos regarding math and grammar. I took practice tests constantly, made flashcards, and bought Cliffs Notes. Are you a nervous tester? I would take a break from the test, step back, and really study the material.
I agree the grammar is tricky, but the vocabulary is pretty straightforward. You may be rushing, and not noticing small details - that's a habit I had to break.
Oops... I tried to reply but I think I made a new post.
When was the last time you studied these subjects? I used a book, but I also watched YouTube videos regarding math and grammar. I took practice tests constantly, made flashcards, and bought Cliffs Notes. Are you a nervous tester? I would take a break from the test, step back, and really study the material.
I agree the grammar is tricky, but the vocabulary is pretty straightforward. You may be rushing, and not noticing small details - that's a habit I had to break.
I studied a couple of months ago. I'm okay on the math and reading portion but I need to focus on the grammar and vocabulary part. Yes, I think u r right. I'm jus rushing through the vocabulary. I'll take your advice and watch youtube videos because I only have been studying out of the book.
I just took the hesi entrance exam today and it was stupid easy! Math was mostly ratios, middle school algebra, and fractions. People get in the mindset that they just suck at fractions. Don't think that way and work on them. If you can add, subtract, multiply and divide you shouldn't have a problem with the math. Ex. ratio problem that came up... 50:300 :: x:750. Just set up as fractions and cross multiply and solve for x=125. Check work by dividing each =.16667. That right there and adding and subtracting mixed numbers was 75% of the math portion.
Thank you, the information you provided is very useful. I am taking the HESI A2 and I was wondering,
1. The University that I am applying for does not look at the chemistry and physics test (but my test prep book has both those topics in the prep). Will there be those dreaded choruses on the exam?
2. I am using the Trivium test prep book... Is it a reliable test prep book?
You only need to take the sections your school requires and if you aren't applying elsewhere I would only recommend taking those portions of the test, so you don't sit through an unnecessarily long test where you may start to get tired or lose focus.
Do you have the ISBN of the book or a photo? I cant find any with author of Elsevier. I am taking HESI in 6 weeks and would love to get a good study book. Mine requires chemistry did yours have chem on it? If so what kind of things should I focus on?
Do you have the ISBN of the book or a photo? I cant find any with author of Elsevier. I am taking HESI in 6 weeks and would love to get a good study book. Mine requires Chemistry did yours have chem on it? If so what kind of things should I focus on?
Elsevier study guide my school uses ISBN 9781455738298 A simple Google search of isbn will bring it up. If study guide seems overly simple it is because the entrance test itself is.
My biggest concern is the grammar because it is over 30 years since I studied all the terms of grammar (clauses, predicates etc.) and it makes me really nervous!
Can anyone give some tips/ideas about the grammar questions...exactly how specific are they regarding terminology etc. and so forth?
A lot of my friends that are now nurses has never worked in a hospital environment when they took the HESI Test. The Critical Thinking part of the test was basically common sense (according to them). All your answers will be correct, but it varies by points depending on what you answer. Have you taken your HESI yet? Please let me know how you did as I will plan to take mine in June or July. My weakest point will be Reading Comprehension and Grammar
andilynnj
5 Posts
When was the last time you studied these subjects? I used a book, but I also watched YouTube videos regarding math and grammar. I took practice tests constantly, made flashcards, and bought Cliffs Notes. Are you a nervous tester? I would take a break from the test, step back, and really study the material.
I agree the grammar is tricky, but the vocabulary is pretty straightforward. You may be rushing, and not noticing small details - that's a habit I had to break.