How Anoka Technical College uses the HSRT in admissions
Beginning Fall 2026, Anoka Technical College lets Practical Nursing applicants satisfy the testing requirement with EITHER the ATI TEAS OR the HSRT-AD. If you take the HSRT-AD, it is a hard floor: you must score 66% or higher to be considered. The HSRT is a critical-thinking test, not a science-content test like the TEAS, so applicants who are stronger in reasoning than in science recall often choose the HSRT path. Scores are valid for two years, so you can test early in your prerequisite timeline.
66% is the eligibility floor, not a competitive target — clear it comfortably. Because scores are valid for two years, testing early gives you a retake window within the same cycle if needed.
HSRT testing at Anoka Technical College
- Location: Anoka Technical College campus only — no remote option
- Fee: $32 (paid at the campus Bookstore; bring your receipt on test day) (non-refundable)
- Format: 35 multiple-choice questions, 50 minutes time limit. Unanswered questions scored as incorrect. You can navigate forward and backward during the exam.
- How to register: You must take the HSRT-AD at Anoka Tech; scores from other testing locations are not accepted. Schedule through Testing Services, arrive on time with a government ID and your fee receipt, and note that no personal items or calculators are allowed in the testing room.
Retake policy
You may retest once per application cycle, with a required two-week wait between attempts. Rescheduling a retest before the two-week wait, or testing more than once in a cycle, voids the appointment. Scores are valid for two years.
Eligibility requirements
Residency: No in-district residency requirement published.
About the Anoka Technical College nursing program
Anoka Technical College (Anoka, MN) requires a 66% minimum on the HSRT-AD for its Practical Nursing program beginning Fall 2026 — a hard cut score, not a ranking factor. The exam is on-campus only with no remote option, and PN applications run on rolling fall (January–August) and spring (June–January) cycles.
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). Anoka Technical College lists its HSRT as 35 questions with a 50 minutes time limit. 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 Technical 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 Technical 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 (50 minutes time limit at Anoka Technical College)
- 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 Technical 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 Technical College's Practical Nursing application cycles
With the deadline on Fall cycle: January 1 – August; Spring cycle: June 1 – January, 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 Technical College
You must take the HSRT-AD at Anoka Tech; scores from other testing locations are not accepted. Schedule through Testing Services, arrive on time with a government ID and your fee receipt, and note that no personal items or calculators are allowed in the testing room.
Contact: www.anokatech.edu/student-services/testing-services/hsrt-ad-exam-for-practical-nursing-students/
