How Columbia Gorge Community College uses the HSRT in admissions
Columbia Gorge uses a multi-phase admissions process. Phase II includes both the HSRT exam and proctored essays, evaluated together for final applicant selection. HSRT testing is scheduled for April 15–16, 2026. There is no published minimum HSRT score — your combined Phase II performance determines your rank among invited applicants.
Phase II is competitive — only top Phase I applicants are invited. Perform well on both the HSRT and the proctored essays to maximize your selection score.
HSRT testing at Columbia Gorge Community College
- Location: Columbia Gorge Community College campus (The Dalles, OR)
- Fee: Contact program (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: HSRT testing is scheduled for April 15–16, 2026 as part of Phase II. Testing is by invitation only — you must be selected from Phase I to participate. Proctored essays are administered during the same Phase II window.
Retake policy
Contact CGCC nursing admissions for retake policy.
Eligibility requirements
Residency: Contact program for residency requirements.
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). Columbia Gorge 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 Columbia Gorge 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 Columbia Gorge 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 Columbia Gorge 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 Columbia Gorge 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 Columbia Gorge Community College's Fall 2026 application deadline
With the deadline on Contact program for Phase I deadline, 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 Columbia Gorge Community College
HSRT testing is scheduled for April 15–16, 2026 as part of Phase II. Testing is by invitation only — you must be selected from Phase I to participate. Proctored essays are administered during the same Phase II window.
Contact: www.cgcc.edu/nursing-admissions
