Nursing FAQ's

  • The HESI A2 Exam is an entrance exam for nursing schools and is designed to assess the academic and personal readiness of prospective nursing students. The A2 given at NMSUC consists of five different sections which focus on academic subject areas and two personal assessments.  The academic subjects consist of Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Grammar, and Anatomy and Physiology. The Learning Style Exam and Personality Profile are included for the purpose of offering insights about student study habits, learning preferences, and dispositions.

  • The exam is computer-based.
  • The exam is not timed. Generally, it takes 3-4 hours to complete all sections.
  • To register for the HESI A2 Exam, you must sign up with Melissa Dunaway in the LAC, Room 253 of the Instructional Building. She will give you instructions about how to register online to set up your Evolve account, including username and password, which are needed on test day. The Evolve account must be set up at least 24 hours in prior to the day of the exam.
  • Test dates and registration deadlines for the HESI A2 Exam are posted outside the Testing Center (Room 221), the LAC front desk (IB Room 253), and outside the Anatomy and Physiology Lab (Room 210). It is also on the NMSUC web pages of the Testing Center. The deadline for each examination is two weeks before the test date. Please come in to register for the exam a few days before your test date’s deadline.
  • Once you have signed up with Mrs. Dunaway, you will go downstairs to the Business Office (Room 108) to pay for the exam. The current cost is $55. You will then take your receipt of payment back to Mrs. Dunaway so she can order the exam.

Contact:
Melissa Dunaway
Testing Center Coordinator/LAC Manager/HESI Tutor*
Office 2J (Main Building)/Room 253 (Instructional Building)
234-9322/234-9319
email: mdunaway@senmc.edu

Yes! The Learning Assistance Center and the SENMC Library offers free resources to assist you with the HESI A² preparation course. These resources come in both print and digital forms. The library offers practice exampus for free. See librarian for details!

  • After a good night’s rest, make sure you eat a good breakfast. Food and drinks are not allowed during the exam.
  • Make sure you know where the Testing Center is located (Room 221) and arrive early. Testing begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.
  • Make sure you visit the restroom before the exam. One emergency bathroom visit may be granted. If you leave the testing center for any other reason, the exam will be terminated.
  • You will need a valid ID and your Evolve username and password to take the exam. NO cell phones, keys, hats, book bags, purses, textbooks, notebooks, dictionaries, calculators, or electronic devices are allowed in the testing room.
  • All of the sections have 55 questions except Anatomy and Physiology which has 30 questions.
  • TIP: You can choose the order in which you complete the sections of the exam. Suggestion: Do the Math or Reading Comprehension sections first because they are lengthy and require more time to complete. Remember: Once you leave a section of the exam, you cannot go back.
  • TIP: The computer screen is recessed into the desk beneath the glass.
  • A calculator is provided. It is on the right side of the computer screen. TIP: The calculator has different symbols for multiplication and division. Instead of using (x) for multiplying, you will use an asterisk (*). Instead of using a division sign    (  ), you will use a forward slash (/).
  • Many of the math questions are multiple choice, but not all of them.
  • Scratch paper and pencils are provided and must be returned after completion of the test.
  • TIP: Be mindful of the time, but do not rush. Read each question and answer choices (if available) completely and carefully. You may leave as soon as you have completed the exam. You do not have to stay the entire time allotted.


  • Your score is available to you immediately after the exam.
  • The required score is a 75% composite and a 60% in each subject area. The nursing program will use the attempt with the highest overall score, providing all section scores are at least 60% or better. They will not pick and choose the highest section scores from different exam attempts. If you fail any section, you must retake the entire exam.
  • You are allowed two attempts in one year.
  • You will be given two copies of your scores. One copy is for you to keep while the other should be taken to nursing department office (Room 441).
  • If you failed the first attempt, use your Evolve account to remediate what you missed. It is a good study tool. TIP: The second attempted HESI exam will be more difficult.

 Contact information:

Dianne Hardin
Director of Nursing
Office 465 (Allied Health Building)
(575)234-9300
dhardin@senmc.edu 

Savannah Kelly-Bateman
Nursing Department Administrative Assistant
Room 441 (Allied Health Building)
(575) 234-9308
skelly-Bateman@senmc.edu

Melissa Dunaway
Testing Center Coordinator/LAC Manager/HESI Tutor*
Office 2J (Main Building)/Room 253 (Instructional Building)
(575) 234-9322/234-9319
mdunaway@senmc.edu

The required score is a 75% composite and a 60% in each subject area. The nursing program will use the attempt with the highest overall score, providing all section scores are at least 60% or better. They will not pick and choose the highest section scores from different exam attempts. If you fail any section, you must retake the entire exam.

 Contact information:

Dianne Hardin
Director of Nursing
Office 465 (Allied Health Building)
(575)234-9300
dhardin@senmc.edu

 Savannah Kelly-Bateman

Nursing Department Administrative Assistant
Room 441 (Allied Health Building)
(575) 234-9308
skelly-Bateman@senmc.edu

Melissa Dunaway
Testing Center Coordinator/LAC Manager/HESI Tutor*
Office 2J (Main Building)/Room 253 (Instructional Building)
(575) 234-9322/234-9319
mdunaway@senmc.edu

The deadline is the 3rd Monday of May.

Yes. However, you may be in the process of completing your pre-requisites (including HESI A2). They must be completed by the end of the spring semester so that you can be considered for entrance in the fall.