How Palo Alto College uses the HSRT in admissions
Palo Alto College (part of the Alamo Colleges District) uses a multi-stage selection process for Dental Hygiene. Applicants are first ranked by Science GPA, then overall GPA, then observation hours. The top 45 qualified applicants are invited to sit for the HSRT. After HSRT scores are ranked, the top 30 are offered seats. In the event of a tie, the HSRT "Evaluation" sub-score is used as the tiebreaker.
You must first rank in the top 45 on GPA and observation hours before being invited to take the HSRT. Then your HSRT score determines whether you make the final 30. All Sciences courses must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and be less than 5 years old. Minimum 20 observation hours across 3 different dental office settings are required.
HSRT testing at Palo Alto College
- Location: Any computer with proctoring access (remote proctoring available)
- Fee: $20 (non-refundable)
- How to register: Application is through the ADEA DHCAS (Dental Hygiene Centralized Application Service) — opens January 26, 2026 for the Class of 2028. Only the top 45 applicants receive an access code and payment instructions for the HSRT. Upload your digital score report after completion.
Retake policy
The HSRT can be taken once per application cycle. There are no retakes within the same cycle. If not admitted, you must reapply through ADEA DHCAS in the next cycle to retake the HSRT.
About Palo Alto College's Dental Hygiene AAS program
Palo Alto College is one of the five colleges in the Alamo Colleges District in San Antonio, and within that district the HSRT requirement applies specifically to the Dental Hygiene program at Palo Alto College. The HSRT is the final selection factor: after Science GPA, overall GPA, and observation hours narrow the pool to the top 45 applicants, the top 30 HSRT scorers are offered seats. For application and testing questions, contact the Alamo Colleges District health sciences office at 210-486-3327 or the Palo Alto College Dental Hygiene program directly.
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 Palo Alto College 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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto College uses the HSRT-AD, the same course applies, and the pace per question is about the same (about 86 to 87 seconds).
Registration at Palo Alto College
Application is through the ADEA DHCAS (Dental Hygiene Centralized Application Service) — opens January 26, 2026 for the Class of 2028. Only the top 45 applicants receive an access code and payment instructions for the HSRT. Upload your digital score report after completion.
Contact: alamo.edu/pac/academics/search-programs/professional-and-technical/dental-hygiene/
