HESI A2 practice test, HESI A2 practice questions and HESI A2 prep for nursing school
The HESI A2 is not a test you pass or fail against one national line. Each nursing program picks which sections you take and what score you need, and seats are limited, so a good score is the one that beats the other applicants to your program. That makes targeted, high-volume practice on your required sections the highest-value prep you can do.
- Unlimited HESI A2-style questions on the sections your program requires
- Math, reading, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry and A and P covered
- Every answer explained, so weak areas get stronger before test day
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The short answer
The HESI A2 (Admission Assessment) is the entrance exam many US nursing programs use to decide who gets a seat. It is built from up to eight academic sections (Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Physics) plus non-academic sections, but each school chooses which ones you take, so most applicants sit four to six. Each section is scored 0 to 100 percent, and there is no universal passing score: your program sets its own minimum, commonly around 75 to 80 percent. The fastest way to raise a HESI A2 score is high-volume practice on the exact sections your school requires, which is what Aspirants.ai generates for $9 a month.
Last updated August 2026
Work the questions
HESI A2 practice questions with answers and explanations
Eight questions across the sections nursing programs most often require, weighted toward Anatomy and Physiology because that is the section programs weight most heavily. Read every rationale, including why the wrong answers are wrong.
Question 1 · Anatomy and Physiology
Which structure of the nephron is the primary site of blood filtration?
- A. The loop of Henle
- B. The glomerulus
- C. The collecting duct
- D. The proximal convoluted tubule
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. The glomerulus
The glomerulus is a tuft of capillaries sitting inside Bowman's capsule, and the high pressure across it drives water and small solutes out of the blood to form the filtrate. Everything downstream modifies that filtrate rather than creating it. Option D is the most common wrong answer and it is genuinely important, just not for filtration: the proximal convoluted tubule is where the bulk of reabsorption happens, recovering most of the glucose, amino acids and sodium. Option A, the loop of Henle, establishes the medullary concentration gradient that lets the kidney produce concentrated urine. Option C, the collecting duct, is where antidiuretic hormone acts to determine how much water is finally retained. Keeping filtration, reabsorption, secretion and concentration attached to their specific structures is what these questions test.
Question 2 · Anatomy and Physiology
Which hormone lowers blood glucose, and which cells secrete it?
- A. Glucagon, secreted by alpha cells of the pancreatic islets
- B. Insulin, secreted by beta cells of the pancreatic islets
- C. Cortisol, secreted by the adrenal cortex
- D. Insulin, secreted by alpha cells of the pancreatic islets
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. Insulin, secreted by beta cells of the pancreatic islets
Insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, and it comes from the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. Option D is the trap that catches people who learned the hormone but not the cell type, and it is why the question names both. Option A names the direct antagonist: glucagon comes from alpha cells and raises blood glucose by driving glycogen breakdown in the liver, so the two hormones work as a pair from neighboring cell populations in the same organ. Option C raises blood glucose as well, among many other effects, which makes it wrong in direction here. A useful anchor is that beta and insulin both relate to bringing glucose down, while alpha and glucagon bring it up.
Question 3 · Anatomy and Physiology
The knee is an example of which type of synovial joint?
- A. Ball and socket
- B. Pivot
- C. Hinge
- D. Saddle
Show the answer and explanation Answer
C. Hinge
A hinge joint permits movement in essentially one plane, flexion and extension, which is what the knee and the elbow do. Option A describes the hip and shoulder, where the rounded head of one bone sits in a cup and movement is possible in every direction, and it is the answer people give when they are thinking about how much the leg as a whole can move rather than about the knee itself. Option B, a pivot joint, allows rotation around a single axis, as between the first two cervical vertebrae when you shake your head. Option D, a saddle joint, is the thumb carpometacarpal joint. Programs like these questions because joint classification connects directly to range of motion, mobility assessment and the kind of injury each joint is prone to.
Question 4 · Biology
During which process is a molecule of mRNA synthesized from a DNA template?
- A. Translation, in the cytoplasm
- B. Transcription, in the nucleus
- C. Replication, in the nucleus
- D. Transcription, at the ribosome
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. Transcription, in the nucleus
Transcription copies a gene from DNA into messenger RNA, and in a eukaryotic cell it happens in the nucleus because that is where the DNA is. Option D gets the process right and the location wrong, which is the more revealing error: ribosomes are where the message is read, not where it is written. Option A is the next step, translation, where the ribosome reads the mRNA codons and assembles the corresponding amino acids into a protein. Option C is DNA replication, which copies DNA into more DNA ahead of cell division and produces no RNA at all. The sequence worth memorizing is DNA to RNA to protein, with transcription and translation named in that order.
Question 5 · Chemistry
Which type of chemical bond forms when one atom transfers an electron to another?
- A. Covalent bond
- B. Hydrogen bond
- C. Ionic bond
- D. Nonpolar covalent bond
Show the answer and explanation Answer
C. Ionic bond
Transfer is the key word. When an atom gives up an electron it becomes a positively charged cation and the atom receiving it becomes a negatively charged anion, and the electrostatic attraction between those opposite charges is the ionic bond, as in sodium chloride. Options A and D both involve sharing electrons rather than transferring them, with the nonpolar version being the case where the sharing is essentially equal. Option B is not a bond between atoms within a molecule at all: a hydrogen bond is a weaker attraction between molecules, and it is the reason water has the properties it does and the reason proteins and DNA hold their shapes. Read for the verb in these questions, because transferred, shared and attracted each point to a different answer.
Question 6 · Mathematics
A patient drinks 6 ounces of juice, 8 ounces of water and 4 ounces of broth. Using 30 mL per ounce, what is the total intake in milliliters?
- A. 180 mL
- B. 540 mL
- C. 600 mL
- D. 18 mL
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. 540 mL
Add the ounces first, then convert once: 6 plus 8 plus 4 is 18 ounces, and 18 times 30 is 540 mL. Option D is the total in ounces with the conversion forgotten entirely, and option A converts only one of the three volumes. Converting each item separately and then adding produces the same answer but takes three times as long and gives arithmetic three chances to go wrong, which matters on a timed section. The 30 mL per ounce figure is the standard clinical approximation used for intake and output records, and household to metric conversions of exactly this kind are the most predictable question type on the HESI A2 math section.
Question 7 · Grammar
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
- A. The box of surgical supplies were delivered this morning.
- B. The box of surgical supplies was delivered this morning.
- C. The box of surgical supplies were delivered, this morning.
- D. The box of surgical supplies have been delivered this morning.
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. The box of surgical supplies was delivered this morning.
The subject is box, which is singular, so the verb is was. The phrase of surgical supplies is a prepositional phrase, and the object of a preposition is never the subject of the sentence, but the plural noun sitting immediately before the verb makes the plural form sound right. That interference is the entire point of the question. Options A and D both agree with supplies instead of box, and option C adds the same error plus a comma that separates the verb from its adverb for no reason. The reliable technique is to cover the prepositional phrase with a finger and read what is left: the box was delivered.
Question 8 · Vocabulary and General Knowledge
A nurse documents that a patient's mood has been labile. What does labile mean?
- A. Consistently depressed
- B. Subject to frequent change or instability
- C. Unresponsive to stimulation
- D. Gradually improving
Show the answer and explanation Answer
B. Subject to frequent change or instability
Labile means readily or frequently changing, and in clinical charting it usually describes mood that swings quickly or a vital sign that will not settle, as in labile blood pressure. Option A names one fixed state, which is close to the opposite of what the word conveys, and it is the answer chosen by candidates who associate the word only with psychiatric notes. Options C and D describe conditions a nurse might genuinely document, but with different words entirely: unresponsive, or improving. The HESI A2 vocabulary section is weighted toward words that carry a specific meaning at the bedside, so terms like labile, distended, occluded, patent, exacerbate and lethargic repay learning in their clinical sense rather than a general one.
These eight are a sample. Inside Aspirants.ai you can generate unlimited HESI A2 practice questions on the exact sections your program requires, with the same depth of explanation on every answer choice.
Generate more questions freeWhat is on the HESI A2
The HESI A2, short for the HESI Admission Assessment, is built from up to eight academic sections plus two non-academic ones, and your nursing program decides which you take. The academic sections are Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Grammar, Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Physics. Per test-prep sources the sections run roughly 25 to 50 questions each, with an on-screen calculator provided for math (you cannot bring your own). The two non-academic sections are Critical Thinking, scored separately, and a Learning Style questionnaire that is not scored. Chemistry and Physics are the least commonly required, while Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar and Anatomy and Physiology show up on most programs' lists. Always confirm your exact section list and time limit with your school, because the totals vary with the mix you are assigned.
- Up to eight academic sections; your program picks which you take
- Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Biology, Chemistry, A and P, Physics
- An on-screen calculator is provided; you cannot bring your own
- Most applicants sit four to six sections, not all eight
How the HESI A2 is scored
Each HESI A2 section is scored as a straight percentage of the questions you get right, with no penalty for wrong answers, so you should answer every question even when you are guessing. Your cumulative score is the average of your section percentages, though some programs re-weight the sections when they evaluate you, for example counting the sciences and English more heavily than math. There is no passing score set by HESI or Elsevier. Every nursing program sets its own minimum, and those minimums differ widely, so the number that matters is your target school's, not a national figure. As a rough interpretive guide used across test-prep sites, 90 percent and up is excellent, 80 to 89 is very good, and 75 to 79 is generally acceptable, but confirm the actual cutoff your program publishes.
- Each section scored 0 to 100 percent, no penalty for guessing
- Cumulative score is the average of your section percentages
- No universal passing score; each program sets its own minimum
- Common minimums land around 75 to 80 percent
What counts as a good HESI A2 score
A good HESI A2 score is the one that gets you a seat, and because programs are seat-limited and competitive, that usually means clearing their minimum with room to spare. Many programs set a floor around 75 to 80 percent, but where applicants outnumber seats, the students who get in often score in the high 80s and 90s on the sciences and English. Anatomy and Physiology is frequently the section programs weight most heavily and the one applicants find hardest, so it is worth disproportionate practice. Rather than chasing one number, find the minimum your specific program lists, then aim well above it on the sections it cares about most.
- Aim to clear your program's minimum with a comfortable margin
- Competitive applicants often score in the high 80s to 90s
- Anatomy and Physiology is commonly weighted heavily, so drill it
- Target your school's published cutoff, not a national average
How to study for the HESI A2
Most applicants prep for the HESI A2 over about six to eight weeks, and the method that works is the same one that works for any exam like this: high-volume practice questions on the exact sections you will take, with every answer reviewed so weak spots get fixed rather than repeated. Re-reading an anatomy chapter feels productive and mostly is not; answering questions, missing some, and learning why builds the recall the exam actually tests. An AI tutor is well suited to this because it generates unlimited practice on the sections your program requires, explains each answer choice, and lets you push harder on the sections you keep missing, like A and P or chemistry, instead of the ones you already have.
Retakes, cost and how the HESI A2 fits your nursing plan
Retake rules for the HESI A2 are set by your program, not by HESI, so the number of attempts, the waiting period between them, and whether your highest or most recent score counts all vary by school. Some allow two or three attempts a year with a short wait; others require months between sittings. Score validity is also school-set, commonly one to three years. The sitting fee is set by your testing center and usually runs about $40 to $100. The HESI A2 gets you into nursing school; passing the NCLEX-RN gets you licensed at the end, so treat the A2 as the first gate in a longer plan and build the study habits now that you will need again for the NCLEX.
- Retake limits, waiting periods and score validity are all school-set
- The sitting fee is usually about $40 to $100
- The HESI A2 is for admission; the NCLEX-RN is for licensure
- Confirm your program's exact rules before you schedule
Compare the options
HESI A2 vs the ATI TEAS
The two nursing-school entrance exams compared. Your program requires one or the other, so check which before you prep. Format details per test-prep sources, July 2026.
| HESI A2 | ATI TEAS 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Nursing school admission assessment | Nursing school admission assessment |
| Sections | Up to 8 academic sections; school chooses | Reading, Math, Science, English (fixed) |
| Scoring | Percent per section, school sets the minimum | Percent and adjusted score, school sets the minimum |
| Calculator | On-screen calculator provided | On-screen calculator provided |
| Passing score | None universal; commonly 75 to 80 percent | None universal; ATI sets none, programs do |
| Which you take | Whichever your program requires | Whichever your program requires |
HESI is a trademark of Elsevier and TEAS is a trademark of ATI, neither of which is involved in or endorses this product. Section counts and times are not published by Elsevier and are drawn from test-prep sources; confirm your exact requirements with your program.
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There is no universal passing score, because each nursing program sets its own minimum, commonly around 75 to 80 percent. A good score is one that clears your program's cutoff with margin. Where applicants outnumber seats, admitted students often score in the high 80s to 90s, especially on Anatomy and Physiology, which many programs weight most heavily.
It depends on which sections your program requires, because the HESI A2 is built from up to eight academic sections and schools choose which you take. Per test-prep sources each section runs roughly 25 to 50 questions, and a typical four to six section exam runs a few hours. Confirm your exact section list and time limit with your school, since the totals vary with your assigned mix.
Aim to clear your specific program's published minimum, which is often 75 to 80 percent, by a comfortable margin. Because seats are limited, competitive applicants frequently score in the high 80s or 90s on the science and English sections. The right target is your program's cutoff and the median of admitted students, not a single national number.
The HESI A2 is manageable with focused prep, but the science sections, especially Anatomy and Physiology and Chemistry, are where most applicants struggle. The difficulty is less about tricky questions and more about breadth: you have to be solid across math, reading, vocabulary, grammar and the sciences your program requires. High-volume practice on your weak sections is what closes the gap.
Yes, an on-screen pop-up calculator is provided for the math portion of the HESI A2. You cannot bring your own calculator into the testing center. Because the built-in calculator is basic, it is worth practicing your arithmetic and unit conversions so you are not slowed down by the tool on test day.
Retake rules are set by your nursing program, not by HESI, so they vary widely. Some schools allow two or three attempts within a 12-month period with a short waiting period between sittings, while others require several months between attempts or count only your first score. Check your program's policy before you schedule, and treat the first attempt as the one that counts.
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