Is There an HSRT Requirement in New Jersey?
Yes — Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) in Sewell, NJ requires the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) for selective admissions across multiple health sciences programs, including Nursing, LPN-RN Bridge, Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), and Practical Nursing (PN). As of April 2026, RCSJ is the only confirmed HSRT school in New Jersey.
The HSRT is not a content-knowledge exam. It tests critical thinking and reasoning ability across five domains: analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning. No nursing knowledge, anatomy, or science is required.
Rowan College of South Jersey — HSRT Requirements
RCSJ uses the HSRT for competitive admissions ranking across its health sciences programs. No minimum score is published — your score is evaluated as part of your overall application. The programs using the HSRT include the ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing), LPN-RN Bridge, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Practical Nursing tracks.
RCSJ's testing and scheduling details are managed through the college's admissions office. Visit the HSRT page at rcsj.edu to schedule testing and confirm current requirements. Because RCSJ is the only HSRT school in New Jersey, students in the South Jersey region have no competing prep resources available anywhere — the exam has a small but highly motivated applicant pool.
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What "No Published Minimum" Actually Means
When a program does not publish a minimum HSRT score, it typically means one of two things: the HSRT is used as a competitive ranking factor (your score compared against other applicants), or it is one of several weighted components in an admissions formula. Either way, there is no safe score — the question is always how you compare against the other applicants in your specific application cycle.
The most useful question to ask RCSJ admissions: "What was the average HSRT score among students admitted to the [program name] last cycle?" This gives you a real competitive target instead of just a floor.
Preparing for the HSRT at RCSJ
Because the HSRT has no content to memorize, preparation involves practicing reasoning — not reviewing science notes or flashcards. The five skill areas on the HSRT are: analysis (identifying claims, evidence, and assumptions), inference (drawing conclusions from evidence), evaluation (assessing argument quality and identifying fallacies), inductive reasoning (moving from specific cases to general conclusions), and deductive reasoning (applying rules to specific cases).
Four to six weeks of structured preparation is realistic for most students. Start with a diagnostic to find your weakest skill area — that is where preparation time has the most impact. Take full practice exams under realistic conditions in the final week before testing.
For NJ Students Not Near Sewell
If you are in New Jersey and your school does not require the HSRT, you will likely be taking the ATI TEAS or HESI A2 — different exams with completely different preparation requirements. TEAS prep covers science content (human anatomy, biology, chemistry), math, reading, and English. The HSRT only tests reasoning ability. Make sure you know which exam your specific program requires before starting preparation.