Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Problem-Solving Before Instruction (PS-I): A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
HESI Admission Assessment scores: predicting student success
1Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, CA 91789, USA. SChen@mtsac.edu
Abstract:
This study investigated the value of administering Elsevier's HESI Admission Assessment (A(2)) to associate degree nursing (ADN) school applicants. The relationship of A(2) scores-composite scores and 5 component scores: basic math skills, reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary & general knowledge, and anatomy & physiology-with final course grades in 3 first-semester nursing courses was investigated. Findings indicated that composite A(2) scores and all 5 component A(2) scores that were administered to the ADN applicants were significantly related (P < .01) to final course grades in 2 of the 3 first-semester nursing courses, Nursing Process I and Nursing Process II. All A(2) scores except reading comprehension were significantly (P <.01) related to final course grades in the Pharmacology nursing course. The mean A(2) scores of students who completed all 3 of the first-semester nursing courses were compared with the mean A(2) scores of students who did not complete one or more of these courses. Findings indicated that the mean composite A(2) score and the mean score for each of the 5 component A(2) exams were significantly higher (P < .01) for those students who completed all 3 nursing courses than for students who did not complete one or more of these courses. The faculty concluded that A(2) scores were useful in predicting students' success in the first semester of the nursing program, which is when most of the attrition occurs, and that screening applicants based on A(2) scores can help promote student retention.
Related Concept Videos
Reliability and Validity
Hindsight Biases
Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predicted Value
Sensitivity is the...
Hazard Rate
Correlations
Sign Test for Median of Single Population
