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⚖️ TEAS guideUpdated November 20266 min read4 practice questions

TEAS vs HESI A2: which nursing entrance exam do you need?

Nursing programs usually ask for one of two entrance exams: the ATI TEAS or the HESI Admission Assessment (A2), made by Elsevier. The deciding question is simple: which one does your program accept? This guide compares the two using only what ATI and Elsevier publish, so you can plan without relying on rumors.

The short answer

Take the exam your program requires. Programs choose their entrance exam, and some accept only one. Western Governors University, for example, announced that from September 1, 2026 it no longer accepts the HESI A2 for its nursing entrance exam requirement and lists the ATI TEAS instead. If you are applying to several programs, list the exam each one asks for before you buy any study material.

Side by side

ATI TEAS (Version 7)HESI Admission Assessment (A2)
Made byATI (Assessment Technologies Institute)Elsevier (HESI)
Content areasReading; Math; Science (anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, scientific reasoning); English and language usageElsevier's official review book covers math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology
Format170 questions (150 scored) in 209 minutes, four sections in a fixed orderNot covered here: check Elsevier's current details and your program's instructions
Score reportTotal, section and sub-area percentages plus an academic preparedness levelNot covered here: check with Elsevier and the program
Who sets the cutoffEach programEach program

We list only what each publisher states; where a detail depends on the program, the table says so.

Where the content overlaps

Much of the preparation carries over. Both exams cover reading comprehension, math, grammar, vocabulary, biology, chemistry and anatomy and physiology. So fraction and percent fluency, unit conversions, body systems, cell biology, basic chemistry, comma and agreement rules, and word parts help on either exam.

The TEAS adds a scientific reasoning sub-area (experiment design, variables, evidence) and folds vocabulary into its English section. Elsevier's review book treats vocabulary and grammar as their own subjects. If your program wants the HESI A2, use its instructions and Elsevier's materials to see which subject exams you will actually sit.

How TEAS scores are reported

The TEAS reports a total score, four content-area scores and sub-content-area scores as percentages, and places your total in one of five academic preparedness levels: Developmental, Basic, Proficient, Advanced or Exemplary. Programs set their own cutoffs and may weigh some sections more than others. Details are in TEAS scores explained.

If you might take either exam

  1. Build the shared base first: math foundations, anatomy and physiology by system, grammar rules and word parts. None of that is wasted.
  2. Then specialize for the exam your first-choice program uses: for the TEAS, add scientific reasoning and timed passage practice; for the HESI A2, follow the subject list your program gives you.
  3. Check score age limits and retake rules for each program, since you may submit different exams to different schools.

For the TEAS, start with the free TEAS practice test and what is on the ATI TEAS 7.

Studying before you know which exam

If you are still choosing programs, you do not have to wait to start. Spend the first weeks on the overlap: percents, ratios and conversions; reading for main idea and inference; cell biology and basic chemistry; anatomy and physiology one system at a time; punctuation, agreement and word parts. Use timed practice from the start so speed grows with knowledge. Once your list of programs is settled and you know the exam, switch to that exam's format: for the TEAS, its four timed sections in order, its sub-area weights, and its question types, including multiple select, fill in the blank, ordered response and hot spot items.

Also keep a simple table of each program's requirements as you research: exam, minimum scores, score age, attempts allowed and deadline. Requirements change between application cycles, so note the date you checked each one and recheck it before you register.

Questions to ask a program

  • Which entrance exam do you accept: TEAS, HESI A2, or either?
  • Which sections or subject exams count, and what minimum scores do you need?
  • How recent must the score be, and how many attempts do you allow?
  • How should results be sent (for the TEAS, an official ATI transcript)?

One short email with these four questions saves weeks of studying for the wrong test.

✅ Test yourself: 4 questions

Tap an answer to check it, or open the answer and rationale under each question.

Question 1 of 4 · Chemistry

A hydrogen bond between two water molecules is an attraction between

  1. a hydrogen atom of one molecule and the oxygen atom of another
  2. two hydrogen atoms in the same molecule
  3. a hydrogen ion and a hydroxide ion
  4. two oxygen atoms in neighboring molecules sharing a pair of electrons
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: A

The partially positive hydrogen of one water molecule is drawn to the partially negative oxygen of a neighboring molecule. Hydrogen bonds are between molecules, not inside one, and they are weaker than the covalent bonds that hold each molecule together.

📚 Learn it: Chemical bonds and balancing equations

Question 2 of 4 · Numbers and Algebra

Solve for x: −3x + 5 = 20

  1. 25/3
  2. −5
  3. −25/3
  4. 5
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: B

Subtract 5 to get −3x = 15, then divide by −3: x = −5. Dropping the negative sign when dividing gives 5; adding 5 instead of subtracting gives −3x = 25 and −25/3; 25/3 makes both mistakes.

Step by step

  1. Subtract 5 from both sides: −3x = 20 − 5 = 15.
  2. Divide both sides by −3: x = 15 ÷ (−3) = −5.
  3. Check: −3(−5) + 5 = 15 + 5 = 20. ✓

📚 Learn it: Solving one-variable linear equations

📄 Read the passage, then answer the questions below it

Your Well Water Test Results

Linden County Environmental Health: Private Well Test Report

Thank you for submitting a water sample from your private well. Your results are listed in the table below, along with the limit for each test. Please read the notes carefully.

Nitrate: Nitrate often enters wells from fertilizer or septic systems. Levels above the limit are a special concern for infants younger than 6 months, so water from this well should not be used to prepare infant formula. Boiling does not remove nitrate; it can actually make nitrate more concentrated as water evaporates.

Total coliform bacteria: The presence of these bacteria suggests that surface water may be entering the well. Boiling water for one minute kills bacteria. We recommend having the well cap and casing inspected, disinfecting the well, and submitting a new sample two weeks later.

Hardness: Hard water can leave scale on fixtures but has no health-based limit.

If you have questions about treatment options, call our office.

Well water test results
TestYour resultLimit
Nitrate12 mg/L10 mg/L
Arsenic4 µg/L10 µg/L
Total coliformPresentAbsent
pH7.26.5 to 8.5
Hardness180 mg/LNone set

Question 3 of 4 · Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Which statement about the well's hardness is supported by the report and the table?

  1. It is the reason coliform bacteria were found.
  2. It makes the nitrate level rise when water is boiled.
  3. It is above the limit and must be treated soon.
  4. It may cause scale but has no health-based limit.
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: D

The report says hard water can leave scale but has no health-based limit, and the table shows "None set." Without a limit it cannot be above one, and the report links coliform to surface water and nitrate concentration to boiling, not to hardness.

📚 Learn it: Combining data from a text, a table and a chart

Question 4 of 4 · Conventions of Standard English

Which word is spelled correctly to complete the sentence? "The pharmacist will ____ the order by noon."

  1. receeve
  2. resieve
  3. receive
  4. recieve
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: C

"Receive" follows the rule "i before e except after c": after c the order is ei. "Recieve" reverses the letters, and "receeve" and "resieve" change the vowel or consonant sounds of the real word.

📚 Learn it: Spelling rules and commonly confused words (their, affect, than)

Try free TEAS practice questions →

Reading, math, science and English, with a rationale for every answer.

❓ Frequently asked

Is the TEAS harder than the HESI A2?

Neither is officially harder; they are different exams from different publishers, and programs set their own cutoffs. Take the one your program requires and prepare for its format.

Can I take the TEAS instead of the HESI A2?

Only if the program accepts it. Some programs accept either, and some accept only one. Check each program's admissions requirements.

Does TEAS studying help with the HESI A2?

Largely, yes. Both cover reading, math, grammar, vocabulary, biology, chemistry and anatomy and physiology, so the core review carries over.

📝 Practice and lessons

Sources

  1. ATI: TEAS exam details (sections, questions, time, delivery options)
  2. Elsevier: Admission Assessment Exam Review, 6th edition (HESI A2 subject areas)
  3. Elsevier: HESI exam solutions for nursing programs
  4. WGU: Nursing entrance exams (HESI A2 no longer accepted from September 1, 2026)
  5. ATI help: How is the ATI TEAS test scored?

Checked November 2026. ATI can change the exam and its policies; when a source and this page disagree, the source wins. Original text by TEAS Ready. TEAS is a registered trademark of ATI; TEAS Ready is not affiliated with or endorsed by ATI.

📘 More TEAS guides