How College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene uses the HSRT in admissions
College of the Mainland requires the HSRT-AD for admission to its Dental Hygiene program. Scores are evaluated as part of the selective admissions process. No minimum score is published, but higher scores improve your chances in the competitive applicant pool.
No published minimum, but this is a brand-new program (launched Fall 2024) with limited seats. Expect high competition as demand builds. Score as high as possible.
HSRT testing at College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene
- Location: COM Testing Center, 1200 N. Amburn Rd, Texas City TX 77591
- Fee: $47 per attempt (non-refundable)
- How to register: Testing offered from the first Monday in March until the day before the application deadline. Schedule at com.edu/testing-center/hsrt.html. Physical photo ID required (no electronic or copied IDs accepted). Payment by credit or debit card.
Retake policy
Students may take the HSRT-AD twice per application period. Scores are valid for the current application period only — they do NOT carry over to future cycles. This is stricter than most HSRT schools.
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 College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene admissions which form and time limit you will sit.
Texas allied health programs use the HSRT because dental hygiene aas requires strong clinical decision-making ability. 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 College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene
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 College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene 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 College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene's Current application cycle
With the deadline on Check COM website for current cycle 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 College of the Mainland — Dental Hygiene
Testing offered from the first Monday in March until the day before the application deadline. Schedule at com.edu/testing-center/hsrt.html. Physical photo ID required (no electronic or copied IDs accepted). Payment by credit or debit card.
Contact: com.edu/testing-center/hsrt.html
