Scoring 90+ on the HESI A2 exam is not easy; it requires a lot of practice and smart study strategies. Students need to make a schedule and follow it consistently to actually see results and improvements in their exams. In this guide, we will cover all the tips students need to use in 2025 to score higher in their HESI A2 exams.
Understanding the HESI A2 Exam
Before any of your preparation, it is necessary that you actually understand what HESI tests are and what the structure of the exam is.
The HESI A2 tests your skills in various areas to see if you are eligible to get admission to a nursing program. Those areas are;
- Math: Fractions, decimals, ratios, and word problems.
- Reading Comprehension: Understanding and analyzing passages.
- Vocabulary & Grammar: Definitions, sentence completion, and proper grammar usage.
- Biology & Anatomy & Physiology: Basic principles of human biology, organ systems, and cellular function.
- Optional Sections: Depending on your school, Chemistry, Physics, and Critical Thinking may also be tested.
The questions appear in multiple-choice format, and there are approximately 140 to 170questions in the exam. The complete exam takes 3 to 4 hours to complete, depending on the specific school you applied to.
Important Tip: You should always confirm which sections your nursing school will test, along with the exact time, as a lot of schools vary their exam time and number of questions.
Start With a Diagnostic Test
Before starting to study, you should take a full-length HESI A2 practice test because it helps you to:
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- Understand the style of questions you’ll encounter.
- Set a baseline to track progress.
Once you know your weak areas, you can pay extra attention to them. For example, if your Math score is low, focus on practice problems for ratios, fractions, and percentages.
Pro Tip: Treat the diagnostic test as a real exam. You should set a time and follow all the rules to same as the actual exam to get a correct assessment of your current level.
Creating a Structured Study Schedule
Having a smart study schedule that keeps you consistent is the key to scoring high. It doesn’t matter if you study only 2 to 3 hours a day, but being focused in those hours will help you gain the knowledge better instead of unfocused study sessions. Here is how you should make a schedule.
- 3-Month Study Plan: Make a 3-month study plan and allocate more time to difficult sections.
- Daily Goals: Focus on one topic per day with 1–2 hours of study. For example, Math’s on Monday and reading comprehension on Tuesday.
- Weekly Review: once a week, assign a day only for revision. On this day, review all the material you studied. This way, you won’t forget the study you already learned.
- Break large topics into smaller ones: you don’t have to cover the whole topic in one day. You should break one topic into smaller parts, such as instead of telling yourself you need to study anatomy, break it down into topics like cells and tissues, “skeletal system,” “cardiovascular system,” etc.
Choosing the Right Study Resources
Using the right study resources can help you prepare effectively without learning unnecessary materials. You can use these resources to study. The material you use to study is very important. Here’s how you should choose the right study resources.
- Official Guides: Use the official HESI A2 study guide to only study what the exam actually tests.
- Updated Materials: You need to use only the updated materials that are according to the new HESI test format.
- Online Practice Tests: There are a lot of free HESI practice questions online, which you should use to keep track of your progress.
Effective Study Techniques To Score Higher
There are some effective study strategies that you should use as they make your preparation better.
Focus on Understanding, Not Memorization
Don’t focus on only memorizing the content; instead, try to understand the concepts.
For example;
- In Anatomy & Physiology, don’t just remember the name of the parts, but try to understand how the whole process works.
- In Math, try to practice different word problems instead of only memorizing formulas.
This is a proven approach for how to pass HESI A2 with a high score.
Join a Study Group
Even joining a study group gives you various benefits such as;
- You can discuss questions where you get stuck
- You can get a simpler explanation of complex concepts
- You get accountability partners
Active Recall
Instead of just re-reading notes, active recall helps you to retain the information better. For Active recall, you can use:
- Flashcards.
- Practice questions.
- Self-quizzing apps.
Review Answer Rationales
Always check why an answer is correct or incorrect. This helps you:
- Understand common question patterns.
- Avoid repeating mistakes.
- Build confidence for exam day.
Subject-Specific Strategies
If you are weak in only one subject and want to focus your studying on a single area, then you can use the subject-specific strategies given below:
Math
For the subject of math’s, you should
- Review fractions, decimals, ratios, percentages, and conversions.
- Practice specific word problems that are related to health care
Reading Comprehension
For reading comprehension practice:
- Take sample passages from guides and try to identify the main ideas and supporting details in them
- Then try to summarize what you understood from them in your own words.
Vocabulary & Grammar
For getting better in vocabulary and grammar:
- Take HESI A2 vocabulary list and learn those words and their synonyms.
- Practice trying to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from their context and then check the correct meaning.
- You should do HESI A2 grammar practice toLearn the prefixes and suffixes of words as these kinds of questions are also asked in the vocabulary sections.
Biology & Anatomy & Physiology
For the subjects like biology and physiology:
- Learn the systems and processes completely such as organ systems, cell structures, and physiological processes.
- Take help from diagrams to retain the information. and visuals to retain information.
- Watch animated lectures to understand the connects visually.
Test-Day Strategies
Preparation isn’t complete without planning for exam day.
Prioritize Well-being
- Sleep 7–8 hours before the test.
- Eat a balanced meal to maintain energy.
- Use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, to stay calm.
Know the Exam Format
- Confirm if a basic calculator or scratch paper is allowed.
- Familiarize yourself with the number of questions and timing for each section.
Time Management During the Exam
- Pace yourself to avoid rushing or getting stuck on difficult questions.
- Flag tough questions and return if time allows.
- Answer all questions, even if unsure, as there is no penalty for guessing.
Stay Calm and Focused
- If a question feels confusing, take a deep breath and read it again carefully.
- Trust your preparation and move forward steadily.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Students make some common mistakes due to which they can’t score 90+ in HESI exams. We have listed some of them below so you don’t make the same mistakes as they did.
- Skipping weak areas: a lot of students don’t work on their weak areas, which impacts their score badly.
- Cramming last-minute: students try to learn everything the day before the exam, which just increases stress.
- Ignoring practice tests: Practice tests can help you to understand the pressure, the timing, and format of the exam, and students ignore them and suffer on the day of the exam when they are unfamiliar with the exam format.
Mental Preparation and Confidence Building
Your mental preparation and confidence are as important as your knowledge. Many students have prepared well, but only due to exam pressure and anxiety, perform badly in the exam. Follow these tips to build your confidence.
- Visualization Techniques: Use this technique to imagine yourself confidently answering questions and finishing the test on time. This can reduce anxiety on exam day.
- Positive Affirmations: Simple statements like “I am prepared and capable” help reinforce confidence.
- Breathing Exercises: whenever you feel overwhelmed in the exam, pause for 5 seconds and do a deep breathing exercise to calm yourself down.
Extra Tips for 2025 Students
- Use the updated 2025 HESI A2 study guide to match the current exam format.
- Combine multiple study methods: books, online practice, flashcards, and videos.
- Track your progress weekly with practice tests to adjust your study plan.
- Reward yourself for milestones to maintain motivation.
- If you feel you need someone’s help, then you can search for someone to do my HESI exam online, and an expert can help you take your exam.
Final Thoughts
You can score 90+ on the HESI A2 exam easily if you follow a smart study schedule with structured review and practice tests every week. Along with consistent study sessions every day, you need to use updated study materials, identify your weak areas from practice tests, and work on them so that on the day of the exam, every question feels easy. Also, focus on your mental well-being and confidence through your study and even on the exam day, and use exercises like visualization and breathing to calm yourself down when the pressure of the exam is high. With consistent effort, you can achieve good scores on the HESI exam.
FAQ’S
How many sections are on the HESI A2 exam?
There are mostly 6 sections in the HESI A2 exam, which are Math, Reading, Vocabulary & Grammar, Biology, and Anatomy & Physiology.
How do I prepare for the reading comprehension section?
The best way to prepare for the reading comprehension section is to practice passages, highlight key points, and take timed quizzes.
Is it better to study alone or in a group?
Study alone in a focused session of 2 to 3 hours and use the group support to ask questions and clear your confusion.
Are online practice tests effective?
Yes, online practice testshelp you to see which areas you struggle with, so using this insight, you can improve those areas before the exam.