HSRT Exam Requirements by School

The Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) is a critical thinking assessment used by nursing and allied health programs for admissions. It measures six reasoning skills: analysis, inference, evaluation, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and numeracy. Unlike the TEAS or HESI, it does not test science content — it tests how you think.

The HSRT consists of 75 multiple-choice items with a 45-minute time limit. Scores range from 0–75. The national mean for health sciences students is approximately 17 out of 75. Programs typically set minimum scores between 60–74 depending on their cohort competitiveness.

A score of 70 or above is competitive at most programs. Scores above 74 are strong at programs like Anoka-Ramsey CC where the minimum is published at 74. Because the exam is normed against healthcare students nationally, a 70 places you well above the national mean.

The HSRT tests reasoning skills, not content memorization. Effective preparation focuses on: (1) learning to identify assumptions and conclusions in arguments, (2) practicing data interpretation with charts and statistics, (3) evaluating the credibility of evidence sources, and (4) working through timed scenario-based questions. StudyBuddy is the only dedicated HSRT prep course available.

They test different things. The TEAS tests science, math, reading, and English content knowledge. The HSRT tests pure reasoning — logic, inference, and data analysis. Students who score well on content-based tests sometimes struggle with the HSRT because there is no content to memorize. The preparation approach is completely different.

The Health Sciences Consortium publishes a small sample set, but no comprehensive free HSRT practice test exists outside of StudyBuddy. Our platform includes a free sample module with practice questions covering all six HSRT skill areas — accessible without a paid account at studybuddy.live/hsrt-practice-test.