How Riverland Community College uses the HSRT in admissions
Riverland Community College requires the HSRT for its nursing tracks and Radiography program. The RN (ADN) track requires a cut score of 75 or higher; the LPN track requires 70 or higher. Admission is points-based: the HSRT score divided by 10 is added to the prerequisite course GPA (minimum 2.75) to rank applicants. The exam is 35 questions in 50 minutes and costs $45, taken in person at a Riverland campus; the online version and outside scores are not accepted.
The RN cut score is 75 and the LPN cut score is 70; these are gates. Because admission is ranked by HSRT points plus GPA, aim well above the cut to improve your position.
HSRT testing at Riverland Community College
- Location: Riverland campus only (Austin / Albert Lea, MN); online version not accepted
- Fee: $45 (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.
Retake policy
Scores are valid one year. Up to two attempts before the application deadline, with at least 14 days between attempts.
About Riverland Community College's ADN (RN) / LPN / Radiography program
Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota requires the HSRT for its RN (ADN), LPN, and Radiography programs. Unlike many HSRT schools, Riverland publishes hard cut scores: 75 for the RN track and 70 for the LPN track. Admission is strictly points-based, where the HSRT score divided by 10 is added to the prerequisite GPA, so every point above the cut directly improves ranking. The exam must be taken in person at a Riverland campus; the online version and scores from other institutions are not accepted, and scores are valid for one year.
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). Riverland 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 Riverland Community College admissions which form and time limit you will sit.
Minnesota allied health programs use the HSRT because adn (rn) / lpn / radiography 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 Riverland 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 Riverland 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 Riverland Community 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 Riverland Community College
Registration for the HSRT is coordinated through Riverland 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.
