Changing Careers - Confused about TEAS

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Hello Nurse Beth,

I have been out of school for a while and am returning with the intent to aspire bachelors in nursing... I have an associates in biology, and no prior knowledge of nursing or its prerequisites. So now I'm hearing about TEAS test, and one school told me that would have test with them and cannot use their score elsewhere, which makes me think each school has its own separate test...? Then looking at this other school says knat? I'm really confused.. please help!

Dear Confused,

The TEAS stands for the Test of Essential Academic Skills. It's a pre-admissions test administered to prospective nursing students.

The TEAS does not test for nursing knowledge but covers general Reading, Math, English and Science areas. The test results are an indicator of success in nursing school.

There are mobile apps (some are free) to help you prepare for the TEAS.There are also many online sites. You need to become familiar with the type of multiple-choice questions that are used. I recommend finding a resource and doing at least 100 questions.

I guarantee after 100 questions, you will be a better test-taker. Students who prepare for the test score higher than students who do not prepare.

Here's an example of a TEAS question:

The hardest form of carbon is:

• Diamond
• Coal
• Graphite
• Coke

There are other pre-admissions testing products a college may use, such as the Kaplan Exam. While they are similar in many ways, it's important to use prep materials specific to the exam you will be taking, such as a Kaplan prep for the Kaplan exam.