The A2 is a computerized nursing entrance exam required for admission to the Northeast State Associate of Applied Science Nursing Degree programs (Traditional and LPN to RN options).
The results will be used to determine readiness for and success in the programs. Students must have a Northeast State Application for Admission on file before taking the A2. All Nursing majors should attend the Nursing Department's information session to get more details about the application requirements and the program in general.
LPN to RN Concentration TCAT Articulation Agreement
Effective for AAS in Nursing, LPN to RN Concentration, Summer 2023 Start – Class of May 2024: A Systemwide Articulation Agreement between the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology and TBR A.A.S. in Nursing, LPN to RN programs has been created and approved by TBR. The College System of Tennessee nursing program directors worked to establish common admission requirements to reduce confusion and to streamline the pathway to becoming an RN after completing the LPN program at a TCAT.
TCAT Graduates Admissions Assessment Exam
TCAT graduates will not be required to take the community college AAS RN Admission Assessment Exam (A2) IF the applicant has graduated within the past 3 years and has successfully passed the TCAT specific exit exam (successful completion of the TCAT specific exit exam is required for a student to graduate from the LPN program). If it has been greater than three years or the student is not a TCAT graduate current policy for Admissions Assessment will apply. (See Required Submission of Admission Assessment (A2) Scores below) If an LPN to RN applicant can provide proof they took their LPN Exit Exam, ATI Comprehensive Predictor (TCAT-Elizabethton) with an 90% or better within the last 3 years, they can submit these scores with their LPN to RN application as their Entrance Exam required for the LPN to RN Program. The applicant’s LPN Exit Exam, ATI Comprehensive Predictor scores must be included in the nursing application packet.
Study and Review Materials
All Northeast State libraries carry the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review for checkout, ISBN-13 9780443114090. The book may also be purchased at local retailers or online. Check with a Northeast State librarian for more information. Additional information can be obtained at Evolve®, the Elsevier Education site for healthcare educators and students.
A2 Test Dates
A2 testing is closed until Spring 2026 cycle. Check back on the website late January.
A2 Registration and Fees
Check back late January 2026 for scheduling and payment instructions.
Test Dates
Test dates for spring 2026 will be available in late January.
A2 Test Information
The Admission Assessment (A2) requires each of the following exams:
- Math: 50-item exam. Focuses on math skills needed for health care fields, including basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, decimals, ratio and proportion, household measures, and general math facts that are useful, for example, when calculating drug dosages and solutions. A calculator is included in the software. No other calculator is allowed.
Recommended Time: 50 minutes - Reading Comprehension 47-item exam. Reading scenarios are health-related and will measure reading comprehension, including identifying the main idea, finding the meaning of words in context, passage comprehension, making logical inferences, etc.
Recommended Time: 60 minutes - Vocabulary and General Knowledge: 50-item exam. It contains basic vocabulary that is often used in healthcare fields.
Recommended Time: 50 minutes - Grammar: 50-item exam. It contains basic grammar, including parts of speech, important terms and their uses in grammar, and commonly occurring grammatical errors.
Recommended Time: 50 minutes - Anatomy and Physiology (A&P): 25-item exam. Provides coverage of general terminology and anatomical structures and systems.
Recommended Time: 25 minutes - Biology: 25-item exam. Covers biology basics, water, biological molecules, metabolism, cells, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis.
Recommended Time: 25 minutes - Learning Styles: 14-item assessment of preferred learning style.
Recommended Time: 15 minutes - Personality Style: 25-item assessment of personality related to preferred learning style.
Recommended Time: 25 minutes
The maximum time for all tests is five hours.
There are two testing cycles per year: Cycle 1 (Spring) February – May and Cycle 2 (Fall) September – November.
A2 Testing will end one week before the application deadline.
Contact Us
If you need information or have questions about the A2 registration process, a test date, or payment process, please email testing@NortheastState.edu or call 423-354-5358.
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