What is a good HESI score?
A good HESI A2 score is 75% or higher on every section you need, because that is the minimum many nursing programs set. Competitive applicants usually score 85% or more. Each school sets its own number, and some add a points system on top. This page covers the HESI A2 admission exam. The HESI Exit exam near the end of nursing school is scored differently.
In more detail
The HESI A2 reports a percentage for each section, and most schools average the sections they require into a cumulative score. The learning style and personality profile are not graded. Which sections count depends on the school: one program may use only Anatomy and Physiology for science, while another asks for more. Scores are usually visible right after the exam.
Programs read the numbers in two ways. Some set a hard floor, such as 75% on every required section, and reject anyone below it. Others rank applicants. One Texas college, for example, requires 75% on each section and then awards points for the average: 90 to 100% earns 3 points, 83 to 89% earns 2 and 75 to 82% earns 1. In a ranked system, a 75% gets you in the pool, but it is the 85 and 90% averages that win the seats.
Do not mix up the two HESI exams. The A2 is the entrance exam you take before you are admitted. The HESI Exit exam is taken near the end of a nursing program, uses a points scale rather than a percentage, and each program sets its own benchmark. A good A2 score tells you nothing about the Exit exam, and the numbers on this page do not apply to it.
How a HESI A2 section score is usually read
| Score | How it reads | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Below 75% | Below the minimum | Most programs ask you to retest |
| 75 to 79% | Meets the common minimum | Passes the floor, weak in a ranking |
| 80 to 84% | Solid | Enough for many ADN and LPN programs |
| 85 to 89% | Competitive | Strong in most ranked pools |
| 90% and up | Top of the pool | Wins points or seats in selective programs |
Step by step
- 1
Find your school's HESI A2 minimum and whether it applies to each section or to the cumulative score.
- 2
List the sections your program requires, since not every school uses all of them.
- 3
Check the retake window and how long a score stays valid.
- 4
Set your target 5 to 10 points above the minimum.
- 5
Take a timed practice test, then spend your study time on the lowest section first.
How StudyPDF helps
StudyPDF cannot change a school's minimum, but it can help you beat it. Put your HESI A2 prep chapters, class notes and the questions you missed into a course, and it builds flashcards, quizzes and timed practice sets on your weak sections, then tracks per concept what still trips you up. Set the test date in the Plan tab for dated sessions up to the day. The free plan covers about 4 materials a week, no card needed.
See also
More questions
Is 75 a passing HESI A2 score?
At many programs, yes. 75% per section is the most common minimum. Some schools ask for 80% or more, so check the number for your own program.
Is an 80 a good HESI A2 score?
Yes. An 80% meets the minimum almost everywhere and is solid for many ADN and LPN programs. Selective BSN programs often look for 85% or more.
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