Should I choose a school with ATI or HESI?

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I have been accepted to two ADN nursing programs (community colleges). One uses ATI review module texts and assessment tests throughout their program and the other uses HESI. I have friends at the school that uses ATI and they LOVE IT and the associated remediation opportunities. Is the HESI nursing program experience as thorough as the ATI program seems to be?

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2 Answers

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Congrats on your acceptance to both ADN programs! It's great that you have friends in the ATI program to give you firsthand feedback.

When comparing HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) and ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute),  both are highly regarded tools widely used in nursing education for assessments, practice exams, and preparation for the NCLEX licensure exam. They both provide features such as interactive learning content and personalized feedback. 

Depending on who you talk to, one platform may be more or less engaging or interactive than the other, but ultimately, both programs can prepare you well for the NCLEX. 

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ATI Testing Website ATI's official website provides comprehensive information about how its system works for nursing students, including remediation, progress tracking, and the NCLEX practice materials it offers.

Elsevier HESIS Similarly, HESI's website offers insights into its assessment tools, including the HESI Exit Exam, and how it prepares students for success on the NCLEX exam.

You can also Google "sample ATI NCLEX questions" and "sample HESI NCLEX questions" to find sites offering free sample questions, which will help you determine your preference.

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It may be worth considering how much access you'll have to these resources in either program, as schools use the resources differently.

Other important things to consider when choosing a nursing program include NCLEX pass rates, accreditation, driving distance, campus location, clinical sites, community reputation, and school ranking.

Best wishes on your decision,

Nurse Beth

No experience with either one but based on some posts I've seen around here, I would focus more on how the program is used by the school. I would specifically be leery of schools where  it's possible to just outright fail at the end of the program based on a single high-stakes test result. 
 

It's one way that (what I consider to be ethically dysfunctional) schools can achieve high NCLEX pass rates.  I'd want details about on how these programs are used and specifically what happens if one performs poorly on an assessment. 

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