How to Pass the TEAS: Test Prep & Study Tips

The Test of Essential Academic Skills, or TEAS, is a necessary part of every potential nursing student's life. This is the test that makes or breaks your ability to get into nursing school, much like the GRE is used for graduate school. Now for some good news: like the GRE, the TEAS is standardized and multiple choice. Here's a closer look at the TEAS, plus three tips to help you make the most of your studying.

What Is the TEAS Test? What Questions Are On It?

The TEAS has four components covering science, math, reading, and English and language usage. You have about four hours to complete the entire exam, though not every component gets a full hour; for example, the English and language usage section gets 65 minutes, but science gets only 38 minutes. You can take the test as a traditional paper exam, or you can use a computer option that is graded immediately. Computer-test grades are sent right away to the schools to which you're applying.

Grading for the TEAS is not done with typical numeric grades. Instead a composite score is created, and schools compare this score to their standards for passing, which can change from institution to institution. This means there's no way to fail the test, but you have to score higher than the minimum score set by the school, which is often listed on the school's website. If you pass that threshold, then the test and the rest of your application are reviewed.

With that in mind, here are three huge study tips to prepare you for TEAS success!

Tip #1: Register Early for a TEAS Test Study Guide

The organization that created and that evaluates the TEAS is called Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI). They have a study guide that you can get if you register at least a couple of weeks before the test. That lead time lets the guide arrive before you have to go sit for the exam. Use this study guide in addition to these tips to get the most out of the time you have -- the guide covers all of the subjects you'll face on the exam. You won't see the questions ahead of time, of course, but you'll still be better prepared for whatever shows up.

Tip #2: Do Those TEAS Practice Tests

Whether you use free practice tests online or buy practice tests, you need to take these to see how your studying is progressing and whether there are any areas that you need to study more. Take one when you first start studying, and take more of them at regular intervals right up until the day of the test. Adjust your studying so that you concentrate more on subjects for which you didn't get very good scores on the most recent practice test.

One option you may want to use is a testing app for your phone, called the Pocket Prep TEAS V Exam Prep App. This is available for both iOS and Android as a free app, but you can get a premium version with more services and features for a small but affordable fee. You can study over 1,400 questions, get new questions sent to you, and get access to help within the application.

Tip #3: Take Care of Your Health

You might not think this is a study tip, but ensuring you get enough sleep and eat well actually does affect how well you study and retain information. Sleep deprivation can lead to:

• Poor focus
• Brain fog
• Bad judgment
• Memory consolidation issues (memory consolidation stabilizes memories in your brain so you actually remember them)

Of course, a lack of sleep also leads to drowsiness, which means you won't be as awake when you study, and you might mix up facts as you try to memorize them. Worse, if the test is the next day, you risk being too slow for the timed sections, or you could even fall asleep during the test.

Are You Prepared for Nursing Success?

ECPI University's registered nursing (RN) program can lead to an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing in as little as a 1.5 years through our year-round curriculum. If you would like to know more about the program, contact us to discuss the curriculum. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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