I realized early on that in order to get into nursing school the biggest determining factors were going to be my grades in my science classes as well as what I scored on the TEAS exam. In fact, at the state school I wanted to get into, 60% of admission was based on my TEAS score. In August, I scored a 91 on the exam during my first and only attempt and am proud to say I will be starting nursing school at my college of choice in January. I’ve since spoken to many students who want to follow in my footsteps and are pretty lost on how to go about preparing and taking the TEAS test. This post is for you. I’ve also spoken to fellow classmates who just barely made it into nursing school because they scored in the high 60’s on the test.
There are many others who didn’t score well enough to get into their first-choice (and often more affordable) school. If you are serious about getting into nursing school like I was, don’t wing this test.
I believe this test is less about smarts, and more about proper preparation. Preparation, I can help you with.
I’m going to tell you exactly what to do so you too can get a high score on your TEAS exam and guarantee your seat into nursing school. But before we can get into what to do, there are also a few things not to do. Three Things Not to Do 1.
Do Not Take the TEAS Without Studying That’s right. Under no circumstances should you take the TEAS test without properly studying for it. This is totally pointless. I’ve heard of many students taking the TEAS just to “see how it was.” Not a good idea.
If you take the test without studying, you are most likely going to do very poorly and this puts you in a bad position. You can only take the test twice in a calendar year and there must be a 30-day wait between each test. If you blow the first one, which you most likely will if you don’t study, and the next one you do reasonably well on, but could likely do better, you can’t retake it. That is unless you wait another year. Do Not Schedule Your Test Immediately Prior to Your Application Deadline Many students procrastinate so much to take the TEAS that they end up scheduling the test right before their nursing school’s application deadline. Don’t do this. As I’ve just mentioned, you can take the test twice in a calendar year, but there is a 30-day wait in between each test.
Be sure to schedule your first test in enough time of the application deadline that if you are not 100% satisfied with your first score, you have time to take the test one more time. Do Not Schedule Your Test Too Early Either Yes, you don’t want to be too close to your application period that you don’t have the opportunity to retake the test again if you choose, but on the other side you don’t want to take the test way too early either. I found it helpful to have completed at least most of my science and math classes prior to the TEAS because some of what is covered in your prerequisite classes is addressed on the test. Prior to Your TEAS Test 1. Purchase the TEAS V Study Package Go to and purchase the TEAS V Study Package. As I’m writing this, it is currently on sale for the killer price of $50. Normal price is $92.
This package is absolutely essential and includes the TEAS V Study Manual and two TEAS V Online Practice Assessments, form A and B. Many students take a cheaper route and buy just the study manual on Amazon or Ebay. While I love both of these sights for buying other textbooks and a million other items, do not buy your study manual here, as it will not come with the online practice assessments.
The only place you can purchase the manual with the two online assessments is from ATI Testing. If you buy the manual separately and later want to purchase the online assessments, it will cost $39 each, for a costly total of $78. Are we clear? Buy only the TEAS V Study Package at ATI Testing’s website.
You will be happy you did. Schedule Your Test Once your study package arrives, go to again and on the lower right hand side you can click on “Register for TEAS.” Follow the prompts.
I highly recommend scheduling your test between two and half to three weeks out. This should give you plenty of time to get through your study materials, but also a short enough time to light a fire under your ass. I had originally wanted to study for the TEAS during a ten-day break between semesters, but the study manual didn’t get opened once. I find I work much better with deadlines, and my guess is, you do too. Study Everyday With only two or three weeks until your test, you are now forced to study everyday.
I found it easier to study everyday, versus trying to digest huge amounts of information at once. I don’t know anyone who really likes to study, but try to make it fun in some way. I found going to the Starbucks around the corner from apartment worked for me. I enjoyed the walk to and from there and looked forward to my Green Tea Frappucciano. The $5 yummy drink was a little treat to myself for putting in the time to study toward my future. Also, I’ve found the lighting and environment at Starbuck’s is especially awesome for studying at night. When at home, I feel tired.
At Starbuck’s I feel awake. Whether it is Starbucks or not, find a place that works well for you to study and find some little reward that keeps you going back. A library might be another alternative. Read the Entire TEAS V Study Manual and Take Notes That’s right. Read the entire TEAS V Study Manual from front to back.
In addition, take notes, especially on things that you don’t feel 100% confident that you know. For example, if you read something about the periodic table and are like, “Oh, yeah I remember that from chemistry class two semesters ago, but kind of forget how it works,” write it down.
You are much more likely to retain information if you write it down. It is an active way to learn versus a passive way to learn. Remember, you are not reading just to get through the book, but to retain what you have read. In doubt, write it down. Sleepy, write it down. Bored, write something down.
Additionally, if there are sections that appear to be harder for you to grasp after rereading it and taking notes on it, bunny ear the page for future review. Do at Least Four, Timed Practice Tests When you have completed reading the entire study manual and have taken a good notebook full of notes, you are ready for the tests. I recommend doing one test per day starting at least five days prior to your scheduled exam. Block some time for this as each test will take you close to four hours.
TEAS Test Time Limit = 209 minutes (3 hours and 48 minutes) There are two practice tests located in the back of your study manual and there are two online assessments at ATI Testing. You can take these in an order you wish, but make sure you take them all. If you want to score high on the TEAS test you need to have knowledge, but you also need to know how to take the test. Many students run into the problem of not being able to complete the various sections because they simply run out of time; consequently, they get many answers wrong that they weren’t even able to attempt to answer. Additionally, I suspect students are unfamiliar with the style of the test. In order to overcome these challenges and succeed where other students fail, you need to train yourself to take the TEAS as well as complete it in a timely manner.
This is why taking the practice tests may be the most strategic part of what you do. Pull out your iPhone and set the timer according to what section you are taking. Reading Section = 58 minutes Mathematics Section = 51 minutes Science Section = 66 minutes English Section = 34 minutes Ready, set, go! Do your best to stay on pace while taking your practice test. You really want to aim to finish each section in the required amount of time, maybe even with a little time to spare. I found that during my TEAS test I was only able to finish each section within seconds of being timed out.
Most students can’t finish. The thing is, there are more distractions and pressure during the real test. This is why it is essential to get yourself “trained” to stay on pace. Review Where You are Weak After taking each practice test, score the exam and see how you are doing.
You want to be aiming for at least somewhere in the 80’s. It is critical to identify where your weak areas are. While taking the exam I would write down the numbers of questions I felt unsure of so even if I did get them correct, I could still review them. If you got a question wrong or were unsure of the correct answer, review that topic in your manual or find more information on Google until you are clear on why you were wrong and why the right answer is correct. Do One Last Final Prep The day before the test, go through the study manual one last time and review sections that were unclear to you at first. These pages should be bunny eared.
Reread your notes. Make sure you are confident in areas that were once problematic. During Your TEAS Test 1. Read Thoroughly and Stay Focused Read like a lawyer. One word can change the whole meaning of everything. You will not have time to go back later and review questions.
Read each question deliberately and slowly. Do the same with every answer. If you are unsure of the correct answer, read the question and answers one more time. If you are still unsure, make your best guess and move on.
Stay focused on your computer. There will be people walking around the room and movement from other test takers. Stay on Pace Remember to stay on pace. Take the test like you practiced.
Don’t let yourself get stuck too long. It is better to guess on a question and keep moving forward than to get hung up on one question and then not have a chance to complete ten questions at the end of the section. Take a Break Between Every Section I think this may be one of the biggest reasons I scored so well on the test.
I took a break between the reading and math section and again during the math and science section. Did I really need to pee again? No, but by leaving the testing room it gave me a chance to stretch my legs, give my mind a break, and get ready to switch gears for the next section.
I don’t do well hungry or thirsty so I had some water and chomped on a granola bar. Be sure to take your breaks between the sections and not during a section where the timer is running.
In between sections, the timer stops so you can go stretch your legs. Just ask a proctor for permission before leaving.
I ended up being the second to last person in the testing room, but who cares. I likely scored better than any of my fellow test takers. Do yourself a favor and take a break between each section. After Your TEAS Test Upon completing the test, you will get your score. If you have followed my instructions, you should have done very well.
If it isn’t exactly where you want it. Reschedule your test for 31 days later and go take it again.
During the wait period, reread the study manual and retake the four practice assessments again. If you end up taking the TEAS twice, you are able to use whichever test you scored the highest on.
Now What Should You Do? Go do everything I just told you to do, and not do, and you should kill it on your TEAS test! I’d love to hear what you think about this post. Leave a comment! This entry was posted in. Bookmark the.
My TEAS exam will be on February!! I am really nervous about it! My school wants us to have 80% on Reading and 60% on Math, Science, and English. Unfortunately, reading comprehensions are my weakness! I’ve been studying for TEAS for a month now (I guess.). I am using the ATI guide, and I bought the 2 practice test too, but my scores on my practice tests are not good.
Btw, I am not done with my prereqs. Didn’t have A&Ps, Math, and I’m still on my ESL classes. (Oops!) And I have a question. Is the timer on the the test forms (practice test)the same format on the exam?
My test forms just have the timer for overall (3:00:00?) and not like 58 minutes for reading and it will be times up. In addition, I am really worried about the science part too, because many people said it’s reaaaally reaaaaally difficult! 😐 Thank you sooooo much for the advice! Have a good day! Good luck on nursing school!
Hi there, Thanks for your comment. It is good you have been studying for a while. I encourage you to keep studying a little bit each day to stay in the right mind set for the test. You are going to want to try and get your score as high as possible on the practice exams.
I was scoring in about the mid 80’s on the practice exams and ended up with the 91 on the actual exam. As for your question, the actual TEAS exam is timed by individual section.
When you are doing the practice exams, set your own timer according to the time you will be allotted for that section so you can practice completing it in a timely manner. A lot of students don’t do well because they can’t finish the section.
Good luck in February and remember, if this is your first time taking the test and you don’t do great, you can take it again after 30 days. I would encourage you to complete or almost complete your prerequisites before restudying and attempting the test a second time as some of these classes will help you do better on the test. Hope I was a help! Nursing school is going well so far! Hi Kris: Great article.
Thanks for writing it. I’ve been studying for about 6 weeks now. It’s on 10/5/13. My application deadline is 10/28/13. Damn I did not know we could take it again after 30 days.
This will be my first time taking it. I’m extremely confident in math, science, grammar, and the second half of the reading section; however, the first half of the reading section worries me due to the time constraint: 48 questions, 58 minutes, and 5 passages. I’ve taken several timed-practice tests at home and I have passed every single time, but I feel that it is always very close. My program explicitly says that if an applicant fails one section, acceptance will be denied. The reading section is what I am somewhat apprehensive about since it is timed and I am a slow reader, but since I have become so used to the test structure and since I have been preparing for so long I am confident I’ll pass that section. The purpose of this response is to ask you the following: how many questions out of the 48 of the reading section were specifically about the passages? Was it 19 like in the practice tests?
My plan is to first answer the second half of the reading section which is extremely easy for me and I know for a fact I will get at most two wrong questions there, and then answering the passage questions. I am allowed to get a total of 11 wrong questions; any higher and I fail to get in. But if I get two wrong on the second half and nine wrong on the first half, then I’ll pass. I predict I’ll get a total of seven to eight wrong, which is extremely close to the 11 permitted. I feel terrible that I did not register for the test with enough time to allow myself for a second take. I will have to pass it on the first try.
But the reading section is certainly what worries me a bit, though only purely because of the time restraint. Kriss, could you give me a few tips for the passages section of the reading section? I have my own strategy but I’d like to know how you handled that section.
I’ll really appreciate your comment. Ethan, Thanks for reading my post and commenting. Unfortunately, I don’t remember specifically how many questions out of the 48 in the reading section were about the passages. I would advise you to reconsider your test taking strategy and to not skip around. I would suggest that you do the questions in order, being conscious of your time management, and answering all questions to the best of your ability without getting hung up on any. In my experience, I would make it to the end of a timed section with seconds to spare.
If you skip questions and go back you are going to waste time. I hope that helps a little. Go in confident and do your best. It sounds like you have prepared well. Hello Kris: Thanks for the reply and sorry for getting back to you so late.
I took the TEAS and scored exactly 80% percentile; however, my program has very specific requirements and I now have to take it again.I did really well on the science, math, and English sections (they were a piece of cake), but on the reading section I only got a 64. I have a perfect 4.0 gpa in college, but because of that 64 the nursing dept.at my school said that I am not eligible and that they won’t even look at my application. I got a 64 because I am a foreign student and it takes me longer to read and comprehend English than American students, so when I was on the 40th question I ran out of time and left eight blank. If only I could be given 15 extra minutes for being a foreign student, I would score at least a 90. The TEAS V is very easy; the only problem I have is that I am a slow reader and the time is not enough for me. Anyway, I’m scheduled to take it again on Mon Oct 28, 2013, so I’ll post back on the same day or the following day with the results.
The reading section is the only one that is a problem for me (exclusively because of the time constraint); if I don’t pass that section with a 72 then I will be screwed. I will probably have to change to another school that accepts overall percentile instead (I mean 80% + 4.0 is a decent combination). Thanks again and sorry again! Ethan, Good luck. Try to find some more practice tests for the English section and most importantly, practice with a timer. On the test, try to keep on pace. If you get down to the wire and have questions left to complete with only a few minutes on the clock, go to each question and guess on the answer without even reading it.
If you have no time left and guess, you at least have a 25% chance of getting it right, rather than a 100% chance of getting it wrong. This can potentially help as an in-the-moment strategy. Keep up the good work! I scored 80% percentile; but my program won’t accept me unless I get a 72 on reading and I got 64. On the two practice tests found in the official TEAS V prep book, I scored 95% on the first practice test reading section, but that was because I did not clock myself and ended up using 20 extra minutes to complete. On the second practice test reading section I ended up using just two extra minutes and scored over 90% too. But on the real exam, I ran out of time while on question 40.
I left eight questions blank It’s all about the time – if it wasn’t timed, I would get 90% or higher on the reading section, but because it is timed, I got a 64. The test is flawed. Two American girls took the test in the same room as I, and they finished the reading section with 10 minutes to spare, and the entire exam 30 minutes ahead of time, while I used ll 3 1/2 hours. It just shows that they read and comprehend English FASTER, which enables them to get through the questions quicker I’ll take it again on Mon, Oct 28 2013. If I don’t pass the reading I’ll transfer schools. I’m sure other nursing departments would want me (80% teas, 4.0). Awesome post and thanks for the advice.
I wish I had seen this a month ago. I was studying from a book with 5 practice test I purchased from Amazon. I took the test 2 days ago, and scored on 69.3 and the program I’m looking to get into is at minimum a 70. I really need a 90ish to be competitive. The practice test from the book I purchased were nothing at all like the real test.
The test questions on the TEAS were much more in depth. I purchased the package from ATI, and am waiting to receive the book to start. I will take all your advice and am sure I will do better being more prepared for it next time. I too bought the book you mentioned (the one with 5 practice tests).
I took one practice test from that book and after taking it I realized that that book was useless. The only book I used to review was the official prep book. I also book another called secrets of the teas V, and a math book, and an A&P review boo; but I only ended up using the official prep book. For me the science, math, and English were all extremely easy and the prep book prepared me well for all those sections; however, I did terrible on the reading section because I am a foreign student and ran out of time and left many questions unanswered. So: if English is your first language and you spend 2-4 weeks reading the prep book you should be fine. If you get a 70 or higher and your gpa is good, are you guaranteed acceptance into the program?
Here are a few things I will tell you about the exam: The math – very easy. The English- very easy. The Science – very easy but also very random. The reading – designed primarily to be passed by Americans and not foreign students Good luck. Hey, I tried on the TEAS on online. For just practice. I always wanted to be a nurse.
And I failed really bad. I suck in MATH big time.
Science and Grammar I am ok with. I feel so down about it. And I was like.
WOW that is the worst test score I ever done! I am planning to go to Nursing school within 2 years. I thought it is best to get study going for 2 years and I may pass. Math is my weakness.:/ I was like wow I am not smart at all. Or I should switch my career something that I will tolerate it. I rather to be with people than sitting on my butt doing papers!
Hey rconrad: Did you review before taking a practice test? If you spend two-six weeks reviewing, your performance will be great. I personally reviewed math for one day and after that I was ready for the real thing (but I did re-review it for a total of five days just to be safe). If I recall correctly I got like 88% on the math section of the real exam, and on the practice tests on the official book I got 90-95% on them.
Do NOT worry about your math! If you spend one to two weeks practicing ALL the math problems in the prep book and take the two practice tests (math sections; timed) you will be ready for the real exam. Do NOT buy any math book; I made that mistake and did not even need it because the prep book had enough math problems to understand each topic.The topics are all topics that you are supposed to have seen in high school and before high school. You mentioned your performance on all but the reading section; how did you do there? I failed miserably there (64), ah ha, but in my defense, it was purely and exclusively due to the time constraint.
Anyway, get the official prep book, but do NOT get any other books; I bought five books to prepare and ended up only needing the official prep book and got 80% overall (got 64 on reading). Here are a few things to know: The science section of the prep book will prepare you for a lot of the science questions, but not all. The official prep book does not accurately account for individual differences in reading speed. It tells you what you’ll be tested on, the structure of the questions, what to expect, what to look for, but it does not take into account reading speed. If English is your first language and you can read something ONCE and are able to answer questions immediately after without having to re-read it again, then you’ll do great on the reading section. The questions in the English section are, for the most part, intuitive, and you can get them right without reviewing anything; however, you need to review the English section of the prep book to correctly answer the other English questions.
Put simply: get the official prep book, read it in its entirety (only 200 pages of easy content) in 1-2 weeks, then re-read it again (the second time will take you only a few days), do the practice tests on the back of the book, buy a practice test ($42) too if you want, don’t buy any other books at all, and you should be fine. The Reading section, for example, is roughly 45 pages, and the English section is 35 pages, and the material on both sections is so easy that you can get through all 80 pages in just 2-3 days. The math takes 1-2 days, and the science about three days, so it’s even possible to review for the exam for one week and be ready for it and do well. My next attempt for the exam is in six days and I’m reviewing now! Anyway, get the book, study for 2-6 weeks, and you’ll be fine. Ethan, I was wondering a little bit about the TEAS examWere there any questions on there about the periodic table? I don’t remember any of that from high school, and haven’t gone over any of it into my anatomy classes.
I have bought the book and the practice tests online. Are the questions about the same that are on the practice tests in the back of the book of the TEAS book that I got from the ATI site? I am really nervous about this test. I am starting to study now and think I will take the test coming up in the middle of December Thanks for any information.
I haven’t read anyone else’s replies so I’m not sure what has been mentioned, there is a site called khanacademy.org. It is free and it is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. As long as you do the entire pre-algebra topics you should be totally prepared for TEAS math. I spent several hours a day working on that area and it took me less than a week, but a person who only has a couple hours a day would need at least two weeks. There is also a science area with every topic you would need to study. Use the questions you got wrong as a jumping point for studying that specific concept. Do not be discouraged!
The point of TEAS is to indicate if you are ready to go to nursing school, all it means is you need to become better prepared. I only bought the book through Amazon (now it is $43.70). Though I later bought a practice test for $42, which was really a waste of money. I re-took the test yesterday Saturday, October 26, 2013, and I will get my results in 48 hours, so that would be Monday, October 28, 2013 at around 6:00P.M.
I think I passed the reading section, and that I did really well on the science, math, and English. I hope I passed. My advice: just get the book on Amazon; if you are a college student then Amazon will give you free two-day prime shipping for a year and after that it’ll only be like $37 per year.
The prime also lets you watch lots of movies and tv shows for free. I, like most people, seriously don’t understand how Amazon makes money. I mean two-day shipping all year plus all those tv shows and movies, for a tiny price.Crazy. Here’s the link: I took the test with a friend and after we finished the exam we discovered that we had taken the exact exam.
I also learned during the exam that many of the questions were repeat questions from the exam I had taken just three weeks ago. I hope I passed the reading section:/. By the way, my exam was $115 + $15 tax = $125 total at a PSI location in NY or NJ. Though through a regular ATI location the price is only $70.
The difference between the two, I learned, is that at PSI locations, they have cameras everywhere recording you to make sure that you don’t cheat, while at regular colleges that are not PSI locations, they don’t do that, or at least not the one where I took it. Also check if the nursing department at your school lets you re-take the exam or if they have a one-time-per-semester rule like my department does. I, however, accidentally, luckily, and cleverly circumvented that rule. I won’t say what I did, but it worked. I just hope I passed. JUST GOT MY RESULTS!!! After 38 hours!!!
(10 hours in advanced!!!) I got a total score of 86.0%. I could have gotten 91%+ but screwed up inexplicably on the math (???). Adjusted individual total score: 86.0% ATI Academic Preparedness Level: Advanced Mean – National: 64.3% Mean – Program: 64.9% Percentile Rank – National: 96 Percentile Rank – Program: 97 Reading: 90.5% – percentile rank: 95% Math: 76.7% – percentile rank: 66% Science: 87.5% – percentile rank: 99% English: 86.7% – percentile rank: 95% Damn it, math was my forte and for some reason I screwed up on the math (???); I could have gotten 91%+ like Kris overall!!! On math I got 66% percentile, which is absolutely atrocious!
But, on the science I got 99% percentile, which is the absolute maximum!!! On English and Reading I got 95% on both, so that’s excellent!! But the math really screwed me, and it was so easy how did I get 66% when I have Aced Calc 1 I feel so angry now. I’d post my transcript online, but someone might steal it (erase my name an put their name on top and give it to their college, ha hah). Anyway: these scores will definitely get me into the program of my choice! I still can’t believe I did so horribly bad on the math —– Anyone wanting to do just as well, here are a few quick tips: 1) Buy the official prep book for the test ($43) 2) Study it for 4-6 weeks. 3) Take the two practice tests on the back of the prep book, and do NOT buy more practice tests ($42 a piece) unless you want to spend 4) Know exactly what scores your program requires OVERALL or for each individual section.
5) Identify your weaknesses and/or strengths fast (e.g. If you’re American, then Reading and English should be your strengths; my strengths were science, math, and English). 6) Math – it takes 2-7 days to prepare for it. 7) It can take at most 2 weeks to cover the science section; but having done well in BIO 1 and A&PI will help you do even better. My e-mail: I will go celebrate today!
If I had not passed I was planning on getting drunk at a bar (ah hah); no need for that now. Hi Kris: Yes, the scores are computed immediately after finishing the exam; however, at a PSI location, they have a camera behind each test-taker and it records the entire duration of the exam. My theory is that the testing center first had to go over the recording to make sure that I had not cheated, so once they saw the footage and did not notice anything out of the ordinary, they released my scores. The place had cameras everywhere! I saw four in the office alone and then one behind each test-taker. I’m still bitter and disappointed about the math section.
Teas Science Study Guide Pdf
Funny thing is – I know which questions I got wrong and it kills me to know that I had it in me to solve them, but for whatever reason I did not during the exam (I had 3 math questions left and 2 mins, so I just gave up on them and guessed them). For the science section too, there were two scientific reasoning questions I should have been able to answer correctly, and got them wrong Anyway, I’m glad I passed. One thing that I really find interesting are the national means for this exam: Mean – National (overall): 64.3 Mean – National (reading): 70.5 Mean – National (math): 69.0 Mean – National (science): 53.6 Mean – National (English): 63.8 I tried searching for the demographics of this exam, but didn’t find anything.
Perhaps I should call ATI and inquire. Glad I passed!
But I am a bit disappointed that I screwed up on a few questions -Ethan. One more to go. Personally, my plan is to finish the 4 semesters at my current school to get the associate’s and then I will enter an accelerated 1-year program for the BS for RN.
And after the BS, depending on how I feel and depending on my grades, I may or may not go for a MA in anesthesia ($150,000.00 / 2 yrs here in NYC). In other words, if I am not “burned out” after three years of nursing classes, I may go for it. But then again, $150k is a lot of loan debt for me, so I don’t know yet. All I know is that nurses with an MA in anesthesia are at the absolute top of the nursing ladder, so I’d like to go for it, but I’m sure the classes will be very difficult, expensive, and very physically and mentally demanding.
Only time will tell. If my spirit is still strong after three years of nursing classes, I may go for it.
Oh I just remembered that a requirement to enter an MA in anesthesia is two years of experience (i.e. In the surgery recovery area of the hospital), so I may actually go for it after a two-year break from school. What is your plan for the future? Hi Staci: My apologies for the 11-day late reply. You asked about the periodic table: I think my exam had about three Q’s on it and they were all very easy.
You also asked about the math section: at least 1/3 of the math Q’s in my exam were hypothetical and not straight-forward at all, so I had to somehow figure out “what math” I needed to solve the given questions, BUT, the ATI prep book prepared me well. Just read the ATI prep book for 2 – 6 weeks. That book is ALL you need. For me the science and math were easiest since I am science/math oriented. The English and Reading sections are easy for whoever has English as their first language. MATH – just read the ATI prep book; you’ll be ready after a couple days.
I got 87% on math the first time I took it but strangely got 77% the second time. I think it’s because I didn’t have time left for three Q’s and left them blank? Those three questions were worth like 9%.Or perhaps it was because I didn’t care about math much since I knew I was going to pass? Doesn’t matter. Just read the book and you’ll be ready. SCIENCE – it depends what specific% your program requires.
My program required a low% so i did not have any pressure at all. The national average for the science section is actually really low (53%) so hopefully you won’t be required to score too high. Just read the ATI book and you’ll be prepared for the science section. I don’t know when you’re going to take the exam and when your deadline is, but you need 2 – 6 weeks to prepare for this test.
Math, Reading, and English should all be easy. Science is the only tricky one (national mean = 53%), so when you are studying the SCIENCE section make sure that you UNDERSTAND and not MEMORIZE. Use youtube to help you w/ the science too, but do not read any other science book, and do not buy any other books to prepare for the test – just the ATI prep book. I appreciate this very informative article, unfortunately, I read it too late!
I bought every book but the ATI study manual. I studied a little but, I was in Anatomy and Physiology 1 and anyone that’s take this course knows that it requires more than a lot of attention.
I took the test and while I feel confident that I did well on Reading Math and English, I KNOW that I completely bombed the Science section. I knew nothing if it wasn’t related to A&P!
Most of the questions on my exam were chemistry based, out of the 54 questions, I want to say at least 30 were chemistry based and I had to guess an answer because I didn’t study. I know better now. I will be taking the test again Jan 18. This time I will definitely be prepared. I just read through your suggestions and I found them very helpful. I am taking my TEAS on January 4th (which is about 3 weeks from now) and I’m trying to do everything you mentioned on here. Just one thing is that I did not order the ATI study manual and instead ordered two other books from amazon.
I had done this a month ago so now there is no way I have enough time to get the book before the test and fully prepare from itso i’m just going to use what I have. I hope it will be effective. Also, you mentioned not “winging” the test. I did just that last month and I ended up with a 75, which is not good. But this time I’m actually preparing for it.
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experience with us! It helps a lot. Love the steps and the guidance I’m doing everything you said I made a 65 on the first attempt I’m taking it again this week all I want to say is the science is hopeless either you know it or you don’t you really can’t study for it and that goes for the grammar too that’s a tough one as well.
Great advice though and I hope I do well on this next one! Was just hoping you had covered some material or any extra stuff to study with seeing you got a 90 your a smart one! Thanks again! Ps do u offer tutoring? Just wondering. I know I am going to have to take the TEAS for the nursing program I will be applying for. It says on the school website that they require a 45 or higher.
Teas 6th Edition Study Guide
I’m not sure if this means 45 questions right. All I see on the posts here are percents. I’m just wondering if anyone knows what they mean by 45. Also, I’ve never liked math. I had to retake the arithmetic portion of the accuplacer and ended up getting 91!
It’s mostly the math and science that is really making me fearful. How hard is the science and math portion?
I haven’t taken a math or science class since high school 15 years ago! I am just a nervous wreck! Excellent post. I think you are spot on. I also received a 91 on the TEAS exam. I ended up using the Mcgraw Hill 5 Teas practice tests and the ATI manual.
I would agree that the best bet is to buy the manual and practice tests from ATI. The Mcgraw Hill practice tests were not as difficult as the ATI practice tests, which could lull you into a false sense of security.
I think the ATI prep book has most of the information you will need in order to do well on the test. Practice your butt off and study, and anyone can do well on this exam. Good afternoon, I have been reading through the comments and I am a little bit more at ease. However, I am very nervous about the math portion particularly.
I took college level math last semester and barely made the C+. I had such a bad teacher many moons ago in high school that I know a lot of my fear is based on lack of confidence. Nevertheless, I looked at the ATI site and the TEAS V Study Package is very expensive (109 to be exact.) But if this is the best and most recommended then I will get it anyway.
I have put off going to back to school for more than 20 years based on feeling like an idiot when it comes to math. Any advice is truly appreciated. I just took the TEAS today and did much better than expected!! I got at 90%. Although I didnt’ see your comments until now, I did follow all your guidelines.
I studied daily for about a month. I also purchased both the online assessments and was able to take each exam twice (so a total of 4 practice sessions).
Each time I took the exam, I improved. I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing the practice exams. Studying a little each day is a huge help. Study from the TEAS manual but also study from other sources. Another source I used is testprepreview.com. Thanks so much for this article!! I need to take the exam before February first but I am trying to figure out when to schedule it.
My deadlines are February 1st and I want enough time so that if I dont do well I can retake it within the 30 day period. I am currently taking A&P 2 which requires a lot of study time but I will be finished with it on Dec. In all of the science and math course I have done pretty well so how much study time should I allot myself?? Also what would you suggest for someone who cant afford the study material right now.
Well I can buy one or the other. Score earned: 94.7%, ADDITIONAL TIPS!! These tips were very helpful! I worked my ass off for a month. I studied a little every day, took 5 practice tests via the Official TEAS V study guide and Mometrix study guide, and took notes on all the ones I got wrong–even if the note was: don’t rush through calculations because you made a careless mistake. I took the TEAS today, and earned a 94.7%! Additional tips:.
Call ahead to your testing center to get their policy on snacks, water, and breaks. Unlike the tips stated above, I couldn’t bring snacks or water in the testing room. Moreover, I only had ONE designated break (halfway through/between Math and Sci) and could only use the hallway water fountain. So I made sure to eat a big breakfast and use the bathroom before I began, and I also had gum to chew on during the test because it helps me think, haha.
During my break, I drank some water and chewed on more gum that I pocketed before the test began. Double check the time your test is and arrive a minimum of 15 minutes early (moreso if it’s an unfamiliar route and testing site). My testing center started the exam at 9am and anyone late is locked out and would have to reschedule.
Unfortunate story: my proctor was kind enough to call two people on her roster that didn’t show up yet at 845am. The first guy she called was extremely confused and thought the test started at 1pm. Did he not check the times in utter paranoia like I did the night before? The test was from 9am-1pm. The second person the proctor called never answered so she left a voicemail saying this person would have to reschedule. Good luck with that — according to the proctor, the December test dates were all full and the next date was in January. From what I understand, these exams book fairly quickly.
So unless those no show people have app deadlines past January, they’re kind of screwed. Don’t be them–know your date/time and arrive early!!. Know your prospective universities’ policies on TEAS scores and retaking the exam. For my university, this exam is worth 59% of your admission criteria, so made sure I got a respectable score.
Check if your university had the average GPA and test scores listed for the previous year’s admitted class and use that as a benchmark to do better; for me, I set out to have at least a 3.5+GPA and 83+ TEAS score. Moreover, although the TEAS creator ATItesting said you can retake the test in 30 days, my university only allows ONLY ONE exam per admission cycle. In other words, because I was aware I had one shot at this, I made sure this attempt would be enough. CHECK WITH YOUR UNIVERSITY!! You will definitely study and test differently if you knew you did (or didn’t) have a second chance. These are mostly “technical” tips not studying tips but everything the author wrote is what I would recommend. I just want to say thank you for great advice.
It truly helped. When it was time to take the exam, I was not nervous or anxious only because I took the online practice assessment four times. I scored over 90% in the math, over 95% in the reading and english language/structure sections and over 70% in the science section. I took the exam once and I feel very comfortable with my results.
I would not have scored as high as I did without your advice. I must admit that I did not study as much as you did but I am very satisfied with my results. Thank you again for this post. It is greatly appreciated.
And what did you think? I took it last week and feel like I was prepared for the Math and Reading portions by using the study guide but I really struggled with the Science portion. For me it was a lot of Chemistry and it's been a while since I've taken that course. I met the minimum requirements in each category for my program but it's the first year they're using the TEAS V (Last year they used the NET) so I'm not really sure what a competitive score is yet. Anyway I know there are different entrance tests and versions of the TEAS everyone is taking so I was just wondering how people felt about version V.
Just finished the Teas V.scored an 88. Yes, the study guide is helpful - also review your chemistry, anat, physi, micro knowledge.I haven't taken algebra since 1990 and had a little trouble trying to learn it all over again.also forgot I was on a timer and did the algebra questions very slowly, time ran out before I had a chance to answer the last 10 questions.so.be conscious of your time. Just for fun I had previously taken version IV and it was much easier - scored a 98.completely different exams so definitely take some time to study for Teas V. My printout showed the national average as being 64% so I would imagine anything over 80 would be considered a 'good' score. I took the TEAS last month, and did ok.
I got between 80 and 98% in all sections, except math, because I ran out of time. This surprisingly seems to not be a problem for anyone else, haha. I was stuck on one question and all of a sudden a box popped up saying that I'd run out of time for this particular section, and missed out on two whole pages (12 questions!!!) on the math section. This brought my percentage down for that section to 58%. I think I had a 92% (first English section), 80% (science), 58% (math), and 98% (second English section).
My overall was 78% (which is terrible for me) and 87th percentile. I am definitely going to retake it as soon as possible, but I didn't find it difficult. It was all pretty general stuff and you shouldn't have a problem if you've done well in college-level classes.
I thought it was pretty hard. The first time I took it I got a 79% but I took it again a week later after studying just a bit and got 85% so if your program allows you to take the test twice, I would really recommend it. I had a couple study books that I ran through to refresh my basic life science and math, which helped.
My school is really competitive and requires a minimum 74%, but I hear that last year the lowest score admitted to the program was a 84% so I am kind of waiting for a miracle. I took the TEAS V exam last week, pencil & paper version, got my results yesterday. I scored 88% overall (Reading 97.6%, Math 96.7%, Science 79.2%, English 80%). I studied the Version V manual for about a week prior to the exam. The practice exams in the manual definitely helped me identify the areas I needed to brush up on, mainly science. I took the first practice exam before I did any studying, then studied for several evenings.
I took the second practice exam 2 days prior to taking the actual exam, and did significantly better on that one. Again, the practice exams really pointed out my areas of weakness. The test itself was an endurance trial. I flew through the Reading & Math sections with no problem, and had time left to recheck each question. The science section is hard.seriously. The questions are not general, they are very specific. I took microbiology & chemistry 3 years ago, and haven't spent much time thinking about covalent bonds/ prokaryotic cell structure since then.
Again, the questions are very specific. I was very pleased with 79.2%. I was disappointed that I scored 80% on the English section.
I scored much better than that on my practice exams, and they seemed like an accurate representation of the actual exam. I think my brain was somewhat fried after finishing the Science section, also a little fried from being 3.5 hours deep into this exam. I would definitely recommend the ATI study manual, it saved my bacon. I noticed it has been a few months since anyone has been on here talking about this. I am taking the TEAS V on Thursday and I am super nervous!!
Everytime I take the practice exams my composite is about a 77 and I just don't feel comfortable with that. Does anyone have any additional study material that I could go over between now and Thursday? My weakest subject surprisingly was the Grammer.
I find this hard to believe since I have always excelled at English. I also struggle with science which I expected since it has been a minute for Chemistry and its a tough subject for me. Any help that you can give would be greatly appreciated I am soooo nervous!! Is there an ONLINE version of the study guide? I test in a week and I cant wait for it to be shipped.:-/ Looking at the ATI site, looks like I'm out of luck. I don't think there is an online version of the ATI study guide, but other book stores do sell it. I ordered mine from Amazon and had it in two days (with Prime shipping).
If you're willing to pay a bit extra for faster shipping, I'd think that an online bookstore could get it to you in time. I used several books to prepare for the TEAS, and the ATI guide was definitely very useful. I have taken the TEAS V twice now since that's all my school allows us to take within a two year period. The first time I took it I got an 80% and the second time I took it I got an 87.3%. I'm pretty happy with my score but I also worked very hard for it.
I spent a lot of time at the library reviewing the study guide and taking practice tests. I'd also never been so nervous or stressed about a test before. Science has always been a strong subject for me and my individual score was a 87.5% both times. For me, I thought the English and Language section was the hardest. The best I ever got on that section was a 70% and I always thought I was good at English but maybe not. I don't think its possible to do.
well in the science section unless you've had most of those classes they are reviewing before. The study guide helps but I felt like most of those science questions were review of all the sciences classes I'd ever taken throughout my education.
Hopefully this score will be enough to get me into the RN program at my school but if not, at least I know I tried my hardest. I would never make it into that school 91% is awesome. Man, seeing these scores makes me feel like a dummy! My score was a 69% and I did have the ATI study manual and took it the second time after studying it and made a lower score.I upped my percentage in Math but my other three areas score went down the second time.
I guess there are just a lot smarter people out there than me.i'm just hoping I make into my school. I haven't heard anyone around here making that good of a score on the TEAS V.