Admissions Exams
Healthcare professional programs often require applicants to complete an exam as part of the admissions process. Below you will find details for each of the most commonly required exams.
Program Type:
- Dental School (DDS or DMD)
Details:
- $495
- Test-dates offered year-round (Prometric Testing Centers)
- 4 hours and 45-minutes
- You may only take the exam once every 90-days and 3 times total.
- Four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Content:
- The DAT consists of a battery of four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, & Organic Chemistry), Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
- Recommended courses: Biology: BIOL 1361/1161 & BIOL 1362/1162 (*BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107), General Chemistry: CHEM 1331/1111 & CHEM 1332/1112 (*CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112), Organic Chemistry: CHEM 3331/3221 & CHEM 3332/3222 (*CHEM 2323/2123 & CHEM 2325/2125), Biochemistry: BCHS 3304, and Microbiology: BIOL 3332 (*BIOL 2321).
Scoring:
- Each individual section is scored 1 – 30
- Total Science: Average of 3 sections - Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry
- Academic Average: Average of 5 sections - Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry
- Most schools ask for Academic Average and Perceptual Ability
- Competitive scores: 20 (AA) and 20 (PA)
- Scores are typically valid 2 - 3 years (depending on program).
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Physician Assistant (PA), Physical Therapy (DPT), Occupational Therapy (OTD), Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Public Health, Chiropractic Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, and most MS/PhD programs.
Details:
- $205
- Test-dates offered year-round (At-home testing also available)
- 3 hours and 45-minutes
- Three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing
Content:
- The GRE General Test measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills that have been developed over a period of time and are not related to a specific field of study.
- No specific courses necessary for preparation.
Scoring:
- Verbal Reasoning: Scored on a scale of 130-170
- Quantitative Reasoning: Scored on a scale of 130-170
- Analytical Writing: Scored on a scale of 0 to 6.
- Scores are typically valid 2 - 5 years (depending on program).
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Medical schools (MD or DO), Podiatry, Chiropractic Medicine, some PA programs (in lieu of GRE or PA-CAT), specialized MS programs.
Details:
- $329
- Offered in January, March through September. (Pearson Vue Testing Centers)
- 7-hours and 30-minutes
- Four sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing
- MCAT can be taken up to 3 times per year, 4 times within 2 years, and 7 times maximum.
Content:
- The MCAT is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.
- Recommended Courses: Biology: BIOL 1361/1161 & BIOL 1362/1162 (*BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107), General Chemistry: CHEM 1331/1111 & CHEM 1332/1112 (*CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112), Organic Chemistry: CHEM 3331/3221 (*CHEM 2323/2123), Biochemistry: BCHS 3304, Physics: PHYS 1301/1101 & PHYS 1302/1102
Scoring:
- The MCAT has 4 Sections scored between 118 - 132
- Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills (CARS)
- Total Score (each section combined): 472 - 528.
- Competitive score: 510 or above - 125 or higher in each section.
- Scores are typically valid for 3 years.
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Optometry Schools (OD)
Details:
- $490
- Offered year-round. (Prometric Testing Centers)
- 4-hours and 40-minutes
- Four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Physics, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
- You may only take the exam once every 90-days and 3 times total.
Content:
- The OAT consists of a battery of four tests on the following: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics), Physics, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
- Recommended Courses: Biology: BIOL 1306/1106 & 1307/1107, Biochemistry: BCHS 3304, General Chemistry: CHEM 1311/1111 & 1312/1112, Organic Chemistry I: CHEM 2323/2123, Physics: PHYS 1301/1101 & 1302 /1102, Statistics: MATH 1342 or 3339 or PSYC 2317
Scoring:
- Each individual section is scored 200 – 400
- Total Science: Average of 4 sections - Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics
- Academic Average: Average of 6 sections - Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics
- Competitive scores: 340 (AA) and 340 (TS)
- Scores are typically valid 2 - 3 years (depending on program).
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Physician Assistant (select programs)
Details:
- $228
- Offered year-round. (Prometric Testing Centers)
- 4-hours and 30-minutes
- Nine sections (240 multiple-choice questions total): Anatomy, Physiology, Biology, Biochemistry, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences (Psychology), Genetics, Statistics.
Content:
- The PA-CAT measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge with 9 subjects presented randomly: Anatomy, Physiology, Biology, Biochemistry, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences (Psychology), Genetics, Statistics.
- Recommended courses: Anatomy & Physiology: BIOL 1334/1134 & BIOL 1344/1144 (*BIOL 2301/2101 & BIOL 2302/2102), Biology: BIOL 1361/1161 & BIOL 1362/1162 (*BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107), Genetics: BIOL 3301, General Chemistry: CHEM 1331/1111 & CHEM 1332/1112 (*CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112), Microbiology: BIOL 3332/3132 (*BIOL 2321/2121), Organic Chemistry: CHEM 3331/3221 (*CHEM 2323/2123), Psychology: PSYC 1300 (*PSYC 2301), Statistics: MATH 3339 or PSYC 3301(*PSYC 2317)
Scoring:
- Scoring Range: 200-800 (scores are valid for 2-years)
- Three section scores: Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry
- Composite Score
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Pharmacy Schools (Pharm.D.)
Details:
- $210
- The PCAT is offered during January - April, July, and September. Additional dates are sometimes available in October or November.
- 3-hours and 40-minutes
- Five sections: Writing, Biological Processes, Chemical Processes, Critical Reading, Quantitative Reasoning
Content:
- The PCAT is a specialized, standardized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges and schools. It measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education.
- For most students, the PCAT should be taken after the first year in college. Before taking the exam, you should plan to have completed at least Biology: BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107, Chemistry: CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112, and Calculus: MATH 2413. You do not need to have completed Organic Chemistry I: CHEM 2323/2123, but should at least be enrolled in the course.
Scoring:
- Writing Section is scored: 1-6
- Each subsection is scored: 200-600
- Composite Score (average of sub-sections): 200 - 600
- PCAT scores more than three years old will not be considered when making admissions decisions.
- Applicants should take the exam several times to achieve their highest score (maximum of 5 attempts allowed).
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Nursing (BSN)
Details:
- Cost is variable.
- The HESI A2 is offered year-round.
- 5-hours and 15-minutes
- Two Sections:
- Academic: Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Biology, Physics, Anatomy/Physiology, and Chemistry
- Personality: Learning Styles Assessment and Personality Profile
- You are limited to 2 attempts maximum.
Content:
- The HESI A2 consists of both an academic portion and a personality portion. There are eight subtests that make up the academic portion of the exam: math, reading, vocabulary, grammar, biology, physics, anatomy and physiology and chemistry. The personality portion of the exam consists of two sections: the Learning Style Assessment and the Personality Profile. Not all Nursing schools choose to make their applicants take all of the sections of the exam. Additionally, each school also maintains their own criteria for admissions and required minimum scores.
Scoring:
- HESI A2 scores each section from 0.0 to 100%.
- Competitive scores: 80% or above (many programs require a minimum of 75% to be eligible to apply)
Additional Resources:
Program Type:
- Nursing (BSN)
Details:
- $115 (variable depending on in-person vs. online)
- The TEAS is offered year-round.
- 209-minutes
- Four sections (170 questions): Reading, Math, Science, English
- You are limited to 2 attempts maximum.
Content:
- The ATI TEAS, or Test of Essential Academic Skills, is designed specifically to assess a student's preparedness for entering the health science fields. The ATI TEAS test comprises 170 questions set up in a multiple-choice format with four-option answers. Questions are designed to test the basic academic skills you will need to perform successfully in the areas of: Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage.
Scoring:
- TEAS provides a Total score, Content Area scores (Reading, Math, Science, and English), and Sub-Content Area scores (e.g., Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure). All of these score types range from 0.0 to 100%.
- Competitive scores: 80% or above (many programs require a minimum of 75% to be eligible to apply)
Additional Resources: