LibGuides: Nursing: HESI Admission Assessment Prep Guide: Making a Study Plan

When should I start studying?

This depends on your situation and circumstances.

Ask yourself:

How much time do I have available each day or week to study?
How recently have I taken related coursework and/or how much will I need to refresh my memory?
How confident do I feel about each of the subject areas? (English, Vocabulary, Math, and Anatomy and Physiology)
How much do I think I will need to study to feel comfortable taking the exam?

As a general rule of thumb, it's helpful to give yourself a minimum of one week for each of the four academic test sections. Some students benefit from longer and some can be successful even with less time to study. If possible, we'd suggest beginning to study at least 6 weeks prior to your test date and devoting a few hours each week to studying, but obviously work with the time and circumstances that you have.

What should I study?

It's a good idea to spend some time understanding the test structure as well as time reviewing the kind of questions that you will see on each part of the exam.

We then recommend you make a personalized study plan to organize the study time you have available. Think about how much time you will commit to studying before exam day and what resources you can access. Map out your plan by week or write down what you plan to do each day, then stick to it!

If you start 6 weeks in advance, you have enough space to make a study plan that looks something like this one.

Sample 6-week study plan, using *Learning Express Library* and the *HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review* book
When	Topic of Focus	Activities
Week 1	Understanding the Exam	Familiarize with resources and layout on this HESI prep guide Buy or borrow a study manual such as the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review book Make a Learning Express Library account to access available free practice tests Read through the introductory materials on the exam (any materials from the Assessment Center and pages vii and viii of the study manual are a good starting point) and make a study plan for the remaining weeks (when, where, and how much to study). Take the pretest in the study manual (pp.xi-xiii) If you'd like help making a study plan that will work for you, visit or contact Western's Science Center.
Week 2	Reading Comprehension	Read the Reading Comprehension section in the study manual (pp. 45-48). Complete the Reading Comprehension practice problems in the study manual (p.49-50) and check your answers. Take the Learning Express Library Nursing School Practice Entrance Test 1: Reading and check your answers. Visit Western's Writing Center to get help with any questions or topics you struggle with. They can also suggest additional resources or practice materials to help you with challenging skills.
Week 3	Mathematics	Read the Mathematics chapter in the study manual, completing all practice problems and checking your answers (pp. 1-44) Take the Learning Express Library Nursing School Practice Entrance Test 1: Math Ability and then check your answers. Visit Western's Math Center to get help with any questions or topics you struggle to answer successfully. They can also suggest additional resources or practice materials to help you with challenging skills.
Week 4	Vocabulary and General Knowledge	Read Vocabulary section in study manual (pp.51-56) Complete the Vocabulary practice problems in the study manual (p.49-50) and check your answers. Take the Learning Express Library Nursing School Practice Entrance Test 1: Reading and check your answers. Visit Western's Science Center to get help with any questions or words you struggle with. They can also suggest additional resources or practice materials to help you with challenging terms.
Week 5	Anatomy and Physiology	Read the Anatomy and Physiology section in study manual (pp.99-113) Complete the Anatomy and Physiology practice problems in the study manual (p.115-116) and check your answers. Take the Learning Express Library Human Anatomy and Physiology Practice Questions: Set 1 and check your answers. Visit Western's Science Center to get help with any questions or concepts you struggle with. They can also suggest additional resources or practice materials to help you with challenging terms.
Week 6	Full Practice Test and Review Problem Areas	Complete the posttest in the study manual (pp.132-137) and check your answers. Return to any challenging subject areas for further practice and review. If desired, you can complete and review the following practice exams in Learning Express Library: Nursing School Practice Entrance Test 2: Reading Nursing School Practice Entrance Test 2: Math Ability Human Anatomy and Physiology Practice Questions: Set 2

Editable Version of the Sample Study Plan
Adapt this plan for your own needs and timeline

Can someone help me make a study plan?

Sure thing. Drop in at the Science Center (located in the Learning Commons) or reach out to the Learning Commons and we'll get you connected with someone who can help you make a personalized study plan. Your advisor can also help you make a plan and make the appropriate connections.

Suggestions for Improving Your Score

Assess your study strategies and past approach. What worked and what didn't? What could you do differently this time around?
Seek out additional resources. Do you need to dedicate more time? Do you need to find a study buddy to keep you accountable? Would it be helpful to connect with a tutor or find some additional preparation materials?
Make a study plan and stick to it. Have you planned enough time to prepare?
Ask yourself questions as you go through the study materials: Does this make sense to me? What is this question saying? Could I teach this concept to someone else?
Don't do it alone. Reach out to the Learning Commons--we can help.