How Central Oregon Community College uses the HSRT in admissions
Your HSRT-AD overall score is multiplied by 0.30 to calculate application points. There is no minimum — but every point directly raises your rank.
With 140 applicants for 64 seats in the most recent cycle, scoring in the top third is the practical target. Every point on the HSRT directly affects your ranking in the points formula.
HSRT testing at Central Oregon Community College
- Location: COCC campus only (Bend)
- Fee: $17 (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: Must be admitted to COCC (general admission) to take the test. Reserve by calling Admissions & Records at 541-383-7229. Test capacity is limited — book early. Seats fill every year.
Retake policy
Up to 2 attempts before your first application. After first application, 1 attempt per application year. If you leave the testing area without finishing, that counts as an attempt. Highest score used.
Eligibility requirements
Residency: In-district residency required (Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson counties + Warm Springs). Madras cohort has county-based priority tiers.
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). Central Oregon Community 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 Central Oregon Community College admissions which form and time limit you will sit.
Oregon nursing programs use the HSRT to emphasize clinical reasoning ability over content memorization. The HSRT is designed to assess whether applicants can reason through novel problems, the core skill of clinical practice.
How to prepare for the HSRT at Central Oregon 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 (50 minutes time limit at Central Oregon Community 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 Central Oregon 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 Central Oregon Community College's Fall 2026 application deadline
With the deadline on May 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.
Important: Because Central Oregon Community College requires both the TEAS and the HSRT, schedule your TEAS prep separately. TEAS study materials will not help with the HSRT , they test completely different skills.
Registration at Central Oregon Community College
Must be admitted to COCC (general admission) to take the test. Reserve by calling Admissions & Records at 541-383-7229. Test capacity is limited — book early. Seats fill every year.
Contact: cocc.edu/programs/nursing/nursing-program-application-information
