HESI Admission Assessment (A2) Exam

Students applying to the Accelerated Second-Degree (ABSN) option at ECU are required to take the HESI Admission Assessment (A2) examination and submit their exam score report(s) along with their application.

ECU tests applicants on the following five sections of the HESI A2 exam:

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Vocabulary & General Knowledge
  • Basic Math Skills
  • Biology
  • Anatomy & Physiology

A score of 75% is recommended on each subsection of the HESI A2. Passing all five sections is not required to apply to the ABSN program at ECU. Scores in each section will be averaged for a total score to determine HESI A2 ranking points. If you take both attempts of HESI A2, the highest scores from both attempts will be utilized in the calculation of the average score.

To learn more about the HESI A2 exam please review our list of frequently asked questions .

Exam Attempts

Students who do not receive a 75% on all five sections of the exam on their first attempt are permitted to take the exam a second time. Students must wait a minimum of three months before completing the second attempt. Additional attempts for the HESI A2 exam do NOT reset with each admission cycle. If re-applying to the program, you must use your previous HESI A2 scores from your first two attempts.

Students who have already completed the HESI A2 exam twice for the BSN program at ECU do not get a new set of exam attempts when shifting to the ABSN pathway. The HESI A2 exam is the same for both programs.

Unlike the BSN program, the ABSN program does allow applicants to complete the HESI A2 a third time if a student’s original second attempt is at least two years old. Please check with the ABSN advisor if you feel this third attempt policy may apply to you by emailing CONAdvising@ecu.edu.

Study Resources

The College of Nursing does not endorse any specific study resource for the HESI A2 exam. Students are encouraged to search the Internet, Amazon, and the app store on their phone for current editions study guides, practice exams and other tools to help prepare for this exam.

Exam Dates

ABSN HESI A2 registration and testing opens every year on September 1st and remains open through the ABSN application deadline of June 15th.

Because of the three month waiting period required between exam attempts, the College of Nursing strongly advises students to complete their first exam attempt early enough in this window to ensure a second attempt is possible should it be needed.

Registration Instructions for ABSN Applicants

The HESI A2 exam is not administered by East Carolina University. The College of Nursing partners with Elsevier and Prometric Testing Centers to administer this exam to students.

Prometric offers proctored in person and remote test options for students. While scores completed through either mode of testing are acceptable in the ABSN admission process, the College of Nursing strongly advises students to take this exam in person to reduce the possibility of technical issues occurring prior to or during an exam.

Follow this link to a screenshot registration tutorial for HESI testing.

 

DSS Accommodations

Students who are registered with ECU’s Disability Support Services (DSS) and want to request any accommodations for the HESI A2 exam should use this DSS registration tutorial.

It is important to note that accommodations must be requested at least one month prior to your anticipated exam date.

Questions?

Students interested in applying to ECU’s ABSN program should continue to check the ECU College of Nursing website for updates to eligibility and admission requirements as they are subject to change at any time with faculty approval.

Questions related to how the HESI A2 exam relates to the ABSN admission and application processes should be directed to the College of Nursing’s Student Services office by calling 252-744-6477 or emailing CONAdvising@ecu.edu. Current ECU students should reach out to their assigned academic advisor.

Questions related to requesting exam registration access or issues should be directed to Elsevier customer support by calling 1-800-222-9570 or by starting a customer service chat.

Questions related to exam date scheduling, rescheduling, cancellation, payment, etc. should be directed to Prometric Testing candidate care by calling 1-800-853-6769.