How Portland Community College uses the HSRT in admissions
PCC uses a three-phase admissions process. Phase I ranks applicants by points (prerequisites, GPA, healthcare experience, certifications). Only the top-scoring Phase I applicants are invited to Phase II, where the HSRT score is evaluated alongside essay responses, a resume, and a letter of interest. Top Phase II scorers are offered seats. There is no published minimum HSRT score — but you are competing against the strongest applicants who already passed Phase I.
Only top Phase I scorers advance to Phase II. Of those, the top HSRT + essay + resume scorers earn the 40 available seats. You are competing against the strongest applicants in the pool — aim for the highest HSRT score possible.
HSRT testing at Portland Community College
- Location: PCC Sylvania Campus (in-person)
- Fee: Included in NCAS application ($65 application fee) (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: You do not register for the HSRT independently. If you are invited to Phase II, PCC will provide HSRT testing details and schedule. The exam takes approximately 50 minutes. Phase II invitations go out after the Phase I scoring period (March–April).
Retake policy
Contact PCC admissions for the current retake policy. The HSRT is administered only to Phase II invitees during a specific testing window.
Eligibility requirements
Residency: No in-district residency requirement published. PCC is an OCNE (Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education) member school. Out-of-state applicants should verify eligibility.
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. At Portland Community College, the HSRT-AD consists of 35 questions with a ~50 minutes time limit.
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 Portland Community College
Because there is no content to memorize, HSRT preparation looks different from TEAS or HESI prep. Effective preparation involves:
- Understanding the five skill areas tested on the HSRT
- Taking a baseline diagnostic to identify your weakest subscale
- Practicing argument analysis, inference, and logical reasoning with HSRT-format questions
- Completing full-length practice exams under realistic conditions (~50 minutes time limit at Portland Community College)
- Reviewing every wrong answer by skill area, not just overall score
StudyBuddy is the only dedicated HSRT prep platform, 1,400+ practice questions across 10 skill assessments, 64 interactive lessons, and 10 timed practice exams, all built for the specific format and skill areas that Portland Community College tests.
Prep timeline for Portland Community College's Fall 2026 application deadline (Phase I closed)
With the deadline on February 16, 2026 (Phase II invitations: March–April 2026), here are two recommended study plans:
4-week plan (recommended if you have time):
- Week 1: Analysis + Evaluation, learn to break down arguments and assess evidence
- Week 2: Inference + Induction, practice drawing 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 Portland Community College
You do not register for the HSRT independently. If you are invited to Phase II, PCC will provide HSRT testing details and schedule. The exam takes approximately 50 minutes. Phase II invitations go out after the Phase I scoring period (March–April).
Contact: pcc.edu/programs/nursing/wp-content/uploads/sites/100/2020/06/advising-guide.pdf
