How Anoka-Ramsey Community College uses the HSRT in admissions
ARCC uses holistic admissions with three components: Metrics (55%) includes your HSRT total score, course grades, and resident credits. Experience (31%) evaluates healthcare work, volunteer hours, LPN status, and prior degrees. Attributes (14%) are two 250-word essays. The HSRT score range used is 74–100. Applicants below 74 are ineligible.
74 is the floor, not the target. The HSRT score is weighted within the 55% Metrics category alongside GPA and credits. Scoring 80+ significantly improves your ranking. Ask ARCC what the average admitted HSRT score was last cycle.
HSRT testing at Anoka-Ramsey Community College
- Location: ARCC campus only (Coon Rapids or Cambridge) — must test through ARCC
- Fee: Contact ARCC Testing Services for current fee (non-refundable)
- How to register: HSRT testing is open November 1 through February 1 for fall applicants, and April 1 through July 1 for spring applicants. Contact Testing Services at ARCC to schedule. A TEAS score is NOT accepted — only the HSRT.
Retake policy
The HSRT can be taken once per application cycle at ARCC. Scores are valid for 2 years. The highest score is used if you have multiple valid scores. Scores from other institutions do NOT transfer to ARCC.
Eligibility requirements
Residency: No in-district residency requirement. Additional credit awarded if 4+ courses completed through ARCC or Anoka Technical College.
About the HSRT exam
The Health Sciences Reasoning Test is developed by Insight Assessment. Unlike the TEAS or HESI, it does not test science, math, or vocabulary. The Standard HSRT reports an overall score plus eight critical thinking skills: analysis, interpretation, inference, evaluation, explanation, induction, deduction, and numeracy. The HSRT-AD form reports six of those skills (it does not report interpretation or explanation separately). Programs choose which HSRT form they administer. The Standard HSRT is 38 questions in 55 minutes, and the HSRT-AD is 35 questions in 50 minutes. Confirm with Anoka-Ramsey Community College admissions which form and time limit you will sit.
Minnesota nursing programs adopted the HSRT after the MANE consortium dissolved, shifting toward holistic admissions models that emphasize critical thinking ability over content knowledge. Research in nursing education suggests that reasoning ability, more than prerequisite GPA, predicts clinical performance and NCLEX success.
How to prepare for the HSRT at Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Because there is no content to memorize, HSRT preparation looks different from TEAS or HESI prep. Effective preparation involves:
- Understanding the skill areas the HSRT reports (eight on the Standard HSRT, six on the HSRT-AD)
- Taking a baseline diagnostic to identify your weakest subscale
- Practicing argument analysis, inference, and logical reasoning with original HSRT-style practice questions
- Completing full-length practice exams under realistic conditions
- Reviewing every wrong answer by skill area, not just overall score
StudyBuddy is a dedicated HSRT prep platform: 1,331 questions across eight skill modules (one per reported skill) and a mixed-reasoning module, 70 interactive lessons, and 10 timed mock exams in the Standard HSRT format (38 questions, 55 minutes). It is designed to build the reasoning skills publicly described for the HSRT. Our questions are original practice material and do not reproduce the proprietary exam. If Anoka-Ramsey Community College uses the HSRT-AD, the same course applies, and the pace per question is about the same (about 86 to 87 seconds).
Prep timeline for Anoka-Ramsey Community College's Spring 2027 application deadline
With the deadline on July 1, 2026, here are two recommended study plans:
4-week plan (recommended if you have time):
- Week 1: Analysis, Interpretation + Evaluation, learn to break down arguments, read what claims mean, and assess evidence
- Week 2: Inference, Explanation + Induction, practice drawing and justifying conclusions from incomplete data
- Week 3: Deduction + Numeracy, work through logical reasoning and quantitative scenarios
- Week 4: Full practice exams + review weak areas. Take at least 3 timed exams.
2-week sprint (if your deadline is close):
- Week 1: Take the diagnostic. Focus all study time on your 2 weakest skill areas. Complete 100+ practice questions.
- Week 2: Take 3–4 full practice exams. Review every wrong answer. Retake your diagnostic to measure improvement.
Registration at Anoka-Ramsey Community College
HSRT testing is open November 1 through February 1 for fall applicants, and April 1 through July 1 for spring applicants. Contact Testing Services at ARCC to schedule. A TEAS score is NOT accepted — only the HSRT.
Contact: arccwebstorage.blob.core.windows.net/media/6908/nursing-program-admissions-criteria.pdf
