Thousands of aspiring medical students compete for positions in medical programs by taking various entry exams. The HESI exam vs. TEAS are common healthcare entrance exams medical schools use to determine candidates’ general aptitude for a medical school program. While both tests are essential for nursing school admission, they differ in several aspects, including the content tested in an exam. Our TEAS test exam experts explain the differences between the HESI and TEAS exams to help students choose the right entrance exam based on their ability and program. They also help aspiring medical students with a proctored HESI and TEAS test by using our software to bypass the online exam security mechanisms.
What is the HESI Exam?
The Health Education Systems Inc. exam is a group test offered by Elsevier – a popular academic publisher. The exam is administered to aspiring medical school students, including nurses, dentists, and paramedics. Each HESI test varies, depending on prospective students’ choice of medical program, but most nursing students – both registered nurses (RN) and licensed practicing nurses (LPN) enroll for the HESI A2. Also, some schools require students to take a follow-up HESI exam during nursing school or before graduation.
What is the TEAS Test?
The Test of Essential Academic Skills is an entrance exam offered by the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) to prospective healthcare students. RNs and LPNs mainly take it, though some medical assistants could also be required to take the TEAS based on school policy.
The Differences Between HESI Exam vs. TEAS
Although the HESI Exam vs. TEAS are entry-level medical exams, they differ in terms of questions asked, grading criteria, and cost, to name a few. Here’s a detailed explanation of the differences between the HESI exam vs. TEAS:
Content Tested
The HESI exam has more topics than the TEAS, with an average of seven academic sections tested throughout the paper. The topics tested in the HESI exam are more medical-related than TEAS. Here are the different areas of the HESI exam tests:
- Reading – speed and fluency
- Comprehension – comprehending words and meaning
- Vocabulary – new words used
- Grammar – how you plan your words
- Mathematics – testing processes and problem-solving ability
- Biology – basics of nursing as a profession
- Chemistry – physiological composition of matter
- Anatomy and Physiology – general body understanding
Some institutions also include the learning style and personality profile as part of the HESI exam. It brings the total to nine sections. On the flip side, the TEAS exam tests the general knowledge content that students have acquired throughout their education and lives. These questions often fall under the following four categories:
- Reading
- Mathematics
- Science
- English and language use
Exam Length
The HESI exam has a total of 350 questions tested across the seven sections. The time limit for completing these questions is around four hours. However, students can finish earlier depending on the number of tested questions. Some schools examine questions from all the sections, while others pick a few.
On the other hand, the TEAS exam has a maximum of 170 questions, but only 150 contribute to the overall score. The total time allocated for completing the TEAS exam questions is three and a half hours.
Difficulty Level
According to AllNurses, most students fail the HESI exam than the TEAS. This is mainly because the HESI exam has more sections (seven), testing general knowledge and medical-related questions. Conversely, the TEAS exam has fewer sections, with many questions revolving around general knowledge subjects. However, because the sections in the TEAS exam are fewer, leaving any question unanswered is more detrimental to the overall score than in the HESI exam.
Grading Method
The scoring methods in the HESI exam are different from the TEAS. In the HESI exam, students get marks for each section. The baseline score for each section in many institutions is 75% to 85%, and a minimum cumulative score of 75%.
In contrast, the TEAS exam grades 150 out of the 170 tested questions. Unlike the HESI, TEAS students get a weighted score based on their overall performance on the test. Most schools require an average score of 65% to 70% on the TEAS for admission.
Cost of the Test
The registration cost for the HESI and TEAS exams is different. The price of enrolling for the HESI exam may vary between $40 and $100, depending on the institution and the number of questions examined.
On the other hand, the cost of the TEAS exam is constant across institutions around the country, with many medical schools charging a flat fee of $70 for enrollment in the TEAS exam.
Get Professional Assistance with an Upcoming HESI Exam vs. TEAS
Many aspiring medical students don’t know whether to take the HESI exam or TEAS before enrolling in medical school. While each exam has its merits, aspiring medical students should choose the most appropriate test based on their program requirements and ability to increase their chances of success. For students needing assistance with an upcoming proctored HESI or TEAS test, our TEAS exam proctored service can bypass the system’s security protocols, allowing our expert TEAS takers to do the exam for you.
