Entrance Assessment Requirements

Prospective students applying for admission who are high school graduates or hold a GED must meet the minimum assessment scores as follows:

Memphis and Southaven

*Graduates of the Polysomnographic Technology program are exempt from the HESI assessment when enrolling in the Neurodiagnostic Technology program.

Portland

Applicants for all programs may attempt the Wonderlic a total of three times and, when required, the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) A² entrance assessment a total of two times. If the minimum score is not met, the applicant must wait six (6) months before retesting. For the TEAS exam, an applicant who does not achieve the minimum passing score on the first attempt may retest no less than 48-hours after the initial attempt. The candidate should be advised to remediate between testing sessions. If the minimum score is not met after two attempts the applicant must wait six (6) months before retesting.

An applicant may retake the HESI A2 entrance exam only once after passing the required cut scores at the student’s expense.

All students must complete the Online Readiness Assessment. 

All previously completed HESI or TEAS assessments from Concorde, or another institution will be accepted at Concorde’s approved acceptable minimum scores. In addition, assessments from other institutions must not have been taken within 30 days of enrollment.

The Wonderlic SLE requirement may be waived upon receipt of documentation of any of the following: 

• SAT score of 1000 or above achieved within five years of the date of application to Concorde.
• ACT score of 19 or above achieved within five years of the date of application to Concorde.
• Official proof of successfully passing the Wonderlic SLE at the current required score.
• All core and clinical applicants and reentry students are exempt from Wonderlic SLE testing if they can provide a copy of unofficial transcripts of earning an Associate’s or higher degree that was taught in the English language. Applicants for clinical programs must still take and pass the HESI or TEAS for their program if they are using a waiver for the Wonderlic SLE. 

Memphis and Southaven Only

The HESI A² requirement may be waived: 

• The student is applying to a program for which the HESI A² is not required for waitlist rankings.
• The student provides a copy of unofficial transcripts of earning an Associate’s or higher degree that was taught in the English language. Applicants with an approved HESI A² waiver must still take the Wonderlic SLE and meet the minimum score.
• The applicant achieves a Wonderlic SLE score of 20 or higher for Surgical Technology; or 21 or higher for Physical Therapist Assistant.

Portland Only

The HESI A² requirement may be waived: 

• The student is applying to a program for which the HESI A² is not required for waitlist rankings.
• The student provides a copy of unofficial transcripts of earning an Associate’s or higher degree that was taught in the English language. Applicants with an approved HESI A² waiver must still take the Wonderlic SLE and meet the minimum score.
• The applicant achieves a Wonderlic SLE score of 20 or higher for Practical Nursing, Respiratory Therapy or Surgical Technology. 

The ATI TEAS exam may not be waived. 

Clinical Programs

Prospective clinical students will sit for the Wonderlic SLE (excluding those exempted above). Prospective students applying for clinical programs that lead to board exams and/or licensure who meet the initial Wonderlic SLE acceptable minimum score (and those exempted above) will be required to take the HESI (excluding those exempted above) or ATI TEAS. Candidates for these programs must achieve the minimum composite score to move forward in the admissions process. Please note that a clinical applicant will not be eligible for a waiver for both the Wonderlic and the HESI, and the TEAS cannot be wavied.  

Those meeting the Wonderlic SLE minimum score requirement and HESI or TEAS minimum score requirement will be placed on a waitlist, if applicable. The list will be sorted high to low based on the current waitlist criteria. Students will be selected from the waitlist and notified at least two weeks prior to the start of the program.

Cardiovascular Sonography Program

Candidates must meet the minimum overall HESI A² assessment score listed above. In addition, candidates must meet the minimum assessment score on each of the three individual sections of the assessment. The minimum assessment score for each section is 10 points lower than the required HESI A² overall score listed above.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program

Candidates must meet the minimum overall HESI A² assessment score listed above. In addition, candidates must meet the minimum assessment score on each of the three individual sections of the assessment. The minimum assessment score for each section is 10 points lower than the required HESI A² overall score listed above.

Nursing Practice Program

The ATI TEAS exam is the required entrance assessment for the Nursing program. All policies concerning the number of attempts, retesting, and waivers will now apply to the ATI TEAS. Concorde will accept official TEAS scores from other institutions. A candidate who does not achieve the minimum required score of 58.7% may retest no less than 48-hours after the initial attempt. It is recommended that the candidate remediate between testing sessions.