Portland, Oregon·Community College·Official program page ↗

Portland Community College: HSRT Requirements

Portland Community College in Portland, OR requires the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) for admission to its ADN program. Portland Community College uses the HSRT as a Phase II filter. Only the top 80–100 applicants who pass Phase I advance to take the HSRT. Performing well at this stage is critical to final selection. The HSRT is a critical thinking exam — it tests reasoning ability, not science or medical content knowledge.

Last verified: March 2026 · Verify with program ↗

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How Portland Community College uses the HSRT

Portland Community College uses the HSRT as a Phase II filter. Only the top 80–100 applicants who pass Phase I advance to take the HSRT. Performing well at this stage is critical to final selection.

Because there is no published minimum, the most useful question to ask Portland Community College admissions is: "What was the average HSRT score among students admitted to the ADN program last cycle?" This gives you a real target rather than a floor.

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. It measures five critical thinking skills: analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning. The exam is approximately 33 questions and is not timed — most students complete it in 45–90 minutes.

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 Portland Community College

Because there is no content to memorize, HSRT preparation looks different from TEAS or HESI prep. Effective preparation involves:

  1. Understanding the five skill areas tested on the HSRT
  2. Taking a baseline practice test to identify your weakest subscale
  3. Practicing argument analysis, inference, and logical reasoning with real HSRT-format questions
  4. Completing full-length timed mock exams under realistic conditions
  5. Reviewing every wrong answer by skill area, not just overall score

StudyBuddy is the only dedicated HSRT prep platform — 463 practice questions, 38 interactive chapters, and 10 timed mock exams, all built for the specific format and skill areas that Portland Community College tests.

Registration at Portland Community College

Registration for the HSRT is coordinated through Portland Community College's admissions office. You will receive a direct link and access code to the Insight Assessment online testing platform. Do not attempt to register independently — the test requires a program-issued access code.

Contact: pcc.edu/programs/nursing/apply

Portland Community College HSRT questions

Does Portland Community College require the HSRT?
Yes. Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon requires the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) for admission to its ADN program. The HSRT is a critical thinking assessment developed by Insight Assessment — it does not test science or medical content knowledge.
What HSRT score do I need for Portland Community College?
Portland Community College has not published a specific HSRT minimum. Portland Community College uses the HSRT as a Phase II filter. Only the top 80–100 applicants who pass Phase I advance to take the HSRT. Performing well at this stage is critical to final selection. Contact the program directly to ask what HSRT scores admitted students typically have.
How do I register for the HSRT at Portland Community College?
Registration for the HSRT is coordinated through Portland Community College's admissions office. You will receive a direct link and access code to the Insight Assessment online testing platform. Do not attempt to register independently — the test is access-code protected.
Can I retake the HSRT if I don't meet Portland Community College's requirement?
Retake policies are set by Portland Community College, not by Insight Assessment. Most programs allow 1–2 retakes per application cycle. Contact the admissions office directly for the current retake policy before testing.
How is the HSRT different from the TEAS or HESI?
The TEAS and HESI test academic content knowledge — science, math, reading, and English. The HSRT tests only critical thinking and reasoning ability across five domains: analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning. No science or medical knowledge is required. Portland Community College uses the HSRT rather than the TEAS to emphasize clinical reasoning ability over content memorization.
How long does it take to prepare for the HSRT for Portland Community College?
Most students benefit from 4–8 weeks of structured HSRT preparation. Because the HSRT tests reasoning skills rather than memorized content, preparation involves practicing argument analysis, inference, and logical reasoning — not reviewing science notes. StudyBuddy's 8-week study plan covers all five HSRT skill areas with 463 practice questions and 10 timed mock exams.

Prepare for the HSRT at Portland Community College

463 practice questions, 10 timed mock exams, AI tutor — the only dedicated HSRT prep platform.

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