How I Studied for the TEAS

This is a breakdown I did of all the important topics I see in the book. I WILL NOT POST TEST QUESTIONS. I hope this helps someone. Nursing Students TEAS Article

I also posted my study "techniques" and websites that might be helpful if you do not have the ATI book or any book for that matter. I guess any book will do as long as you study what is below. I still suggest getting it if you can. Whatever works.

Science

  • General heart anatomy: follow blood flow through the heart in order, and know if the blood is oxygenated or not, know the valves
  • General vascular anatomy(veins, arteries, etc)
  • Respiratory System: general functions and structure
  • Nervous System: Know the subcategories, their functions, and know the anatomy of a neuron and the synapse WELL
  • Digestive System: Just follow a bolus down to the orifice and know generally what is happening to it. Like where the digestion of fat occurs first and where the absorption of water occurs, etc.
  • Immune System: Cell-mediated immunity, Humoral immunity; interferons; know the response to inflammation
  • General Biology: taxonomy(King Phillp Came Over For Granny's Soup); purines and pyrimidines; DNA functions; RNA functions; Transcription & translation; Cellular Organelles: mitochondria, ribosomes, rough/smooth ER, etc etc and their functions; Know plant cells too!!!!! ; prokaryotes vs eukaryotes; mitosis and meiosis stages: know their outcomes; mutations; punnet squares & alleles; difference between protozoa, bacteria, viruses, algae, and helminths AND their basic components(like what do they eat? how to they reproduce?)
  • Chemistry: Again, know your heterotrophs and autotrophs... who uses cellular respiration and whatnot; mass numbers and atomic weights; know what isotopes are, how to find the number of protons in them; know what catalysts are... what decomposition and synthesis reactions are; chemical bonds; know which elements are your metals PLEASE!; acids and bases... know which accept protons and know the logarithmic scale; balancing chemical equations.

English & Language Usage

  • Parts of Speech: Subject, verbs, article, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, etc. They'll make you read sentences and know which word is what.
  • First person, second person, third person verbs, pronouns, in singular and plural forms.
  • Active and Passive voice
  • Context Clues: Synonyms and Antonyms; Compare and contrast
  • Know common prefixes like un-, re-, in-, and dis-.
  • Know common suffixes like -ia, -ic, -ism, -ology, etc.
  • Know common root words like geo, cardio, ped, ortho, bio, psych, etc.
  • Know commonly misspelled words and common homophones.

Math

  • Add, subtract, multiply, divide decimals and fractions (lots of paycheck, rent, and menu questions)
  • Add, subtract, multiply, divide mixed numbers
  • Convert decimals, percents, and fractions
  • The probability of something occurring
  • Dependent & independent variables... can you find which is which in a word problem?
  • Read charts, graphs, tables etc.
  • Know to find the LCD
  • Order of operations & FOIL
  • Solving for x
  • Roman numerals to Arabic numerals... M=1000 D=500 C=100 L=50 X=10 V=5 and I=1.
  • So they can ask you what's 2011 in Roman numerals and you'd choose MMXI.
  • Know PERIMETER because there appear to be lots of "fencing" word problems.

Reading

  • Know more or less how to read nutrition labels & recipes
  • Be able to read directions clearly
  • Be able to identify the summary of a short story.
  • Read movie times, schedules, and invitation letters.
  • Be able to read line graphs, temperature, simple maps, and blood pressure screens
    • Can you find the main idea of an essay, letter, or story?
    • Can you find the supporting details?
    • Can you tell if the writer is trying to explain, entertain, or persuade?(Author's purpose)
    • Can you identify the different supporting details in each paragraph?

How I Study

I take test #1 for each separate section to know where to focus my study.

I use the ATI book and underline the important keywords, directions, or numbers. I look over EACH answer even if I think I know the answer. NEVER think you know because there might be another answer better than the one you chose!

If I think I need more practice, I use websites online. I will go over the ATI notes again, do all the practice questions, and will take the second test for the section (let's say, math). If I don't get AT LEAST 15 points higher, I'll do it all over again, going over similar questions online.

Resources

Science:

Math:

English, Reading, etc.

Hi! everyone! I did ok in the Teas V exam...I could have done better. I didn't use flashcards or other websites. all I did was study from ATI study guide. EVERYTHING ON THE STUDY GUIDE IS ON THE TEST. you just gotta study. there is no easy way out. I was also finishing other 3 prereqs at the same time so that didnt help me BUT I was pleased with the results and I got into the BSB program at South University in FL.

If you can afford it, purchase the 2 practice exams (or one) from ATI. They look very similar to the actual exam. It is timed. This is what I really like: Once you are done with the online practice exam, it gives you a report on all the answers you got wrong and the page number to look back in your study guide. You can retake them too. It is great practice!

ALSO practice your math! it is really simple (fractions, word problems, conversions) BUT it is very easy to run out of time. that is what happened to me. I took too long - maybe because calculators are not allowed! - I had 6 or 10 minutes left and over 10 questions that still needed to be answered, so I rushed to the end.

Science was hard but surprisingly I did really good in it.

Good luck! and just PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE. if you are prepared (and if you studied) you will be FINE :)

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Hi! everyone! I did ok in the Teas V exam...I could have done better. I didn't use flashcards or other websites. all I did was study from ATI study guide. EVERYTHING ON THE STUDY GUIDE IS ON THE TEST. you just gotta study. there is no easy way out. I was also finishing other 3 prereqs at the same time so that didnt help me BUT I was pleased with the results and I got into the BSB program at South University in FL.

If you can afford it, purchase the 2 practice exams (or one) from ATI. They look very similar to the actual exam. It is timed. This is what I really like: Once you are done with the online practice exam, it gives you a report on all the answers you got wrong and the page number to look back in your study guide. You can retake them too. It is great practice!

ALSO practice your math! it is really simple (fractions, word problems, conversions) BUT it is very easy to run out of time. that is what happened to me. I took too long - maybe because calculators are not allowed! - I had 6 or 10 minutes left and over 10 questions that still needed to be answered, so I rushed to the end.

Science was hard but surprisingly I did really good in it.

Good luck! and just PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE. if you are prepared (and if you studied) you will be FINE :)

CONGRATS!!!! :D I don't live far from there! good school!!!! I wish you the best!

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I wish I would have found this site a few days ago! I took the TEAS V yesterday and did awesome on the math and reading, but I bombed the science and grammer. I had never seen anything like it. Not to mention the test was extremely long with time limits which always makes me nervous. My overall score was not good at all. The national average is only at 63% that concerns me. I am very happy to hear that some are doing great on the test. I have a 3.9 GPA at my current college and made A's in both AP I and II. Currently enrolled in Mico. I was very discouraged. Good Luck to all who take it in the future. The links above are the absoulte best way to go. She has outlined everything I saw on the exam.

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Don't feel bad I scored 60% the advisor told me the average score of students was 63% and the national average is very low as well. I consider myself a smart person so don't let this test get you down. I do understand how you feel. I guess study and retake. I will have to do the same in the near future If I don't get accepted.

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That is not a bad score at all. You still fall in the Proficient category. I think alot of people are looking at this test like a Final. There is a breakdown that I received with my results that explained everything. I think you did great. The test was not easy and if you have never had Chem or Bio it was even tougher. Even the Grammer section was brutal. I got A's in my ENC courses and totally failed that section.

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Hi! everyone! I did ok in the Teas V exam...I could have done better. I didn't use flashcards or other websites. all I did was study from ATI study guide. EVERYTHING ON THE STUDY GUIDE IS ON THE TEST. you just gotta study. there is no easy way out. I was also finishing other 3 prereqs at the same time so that didnt help me BUT I was pleased with the results and I got into the BSB program at South University in FL.

If you can afford it, purchase the 2 practice exams (or one) from ATI. They look very similar to the actual exam. It is timed. This is what I really like: Once you are done with the online practice exam, it gives you a report on all the answers you got wrong and the page number to look back in your study guide. You can retake them too. It is great practice!

ALSO practice your math! it is really simple (fractions, word problems, conversions) BUT it is very easy to run out of time. that is what happened to me. I took too long - maybe because calculators are not allowed! - I had 6 or 10 minutes left and over 10 questions that still needed to be answered, so I rushed to the end.

Science was hard but surprisingly I did really good in it.

Good luck! and just PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE. if you are prepared (and if you studied) you will be FINE :)

I would study the book! I think that taking the "online" practice exams A & B is "good practice" however.... I think that, is used against you when it's time to take your test. Tracking your overall preparedness gives them an idea as to what you really know (so you def wont see what you know on your test) I did pass, shocking myself.... to say the least!! I took both online practice exams and when i went to take my actual exam..... it was 100 times harder than my first try, or then the practice tests online! Half way thru the test, I said, "this is a joke" things I'd never seen or heard of were on my exam!! I would use the book, do the practice exams in the back of book, and use Testprepreview.com to prepare yourself. Good luck!!

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how much word math was on the test? i am terrible at word math no matter how hard i study it i never get it

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I would study the book! I think that taking the "online" practice exams A & B is "good practice" however.... I think that, is used against you when it's time to take your test. Tracking your overall preparedness gives them an idea as to what you really know (so you def wont see what you know on your test) I did pass, shocking myself.... to say the least!! I took both online practice exams and when i went to take my actual exam..... it was 100 times harder than my first try, or then the practice tests online! Half way thru the test, I said, "this is a joke" things I'd never seen or heard of were on my exam!! I would use the book, do the practice exams in the back of book, and use Testprepreview.com to prepare yourself. Good luck!!

Everyone has been saying that the actual TEAS is easier than the online practice test

also are any of the grammar words in the study guide on the actual test?

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Just took my exam about an hour ago. TEAS V, paper version. I feel that I did very well.

I don't feel like any of the threads of here, nor my manuals, really specified or prepared me for what was going to be on the test. I was under the impression that math was a huge portion, and science was smaller. For version V Science is the largest portion. Obviously I'm not going to put up test questions, but here's what I encountered:

THE BIGGEST THING you should know: all conversions are provided for you! If they ask you to go from F to C, they will give you the formula. If there is a questions about yards to cm, they give you yard, feet, inch and cm conversions. This was something I had spent time trying to memorize when I didn't have to. My test did not have questions on the metric system, so I am not sure if it would have been provided.

1) Reading and Comprehension: Read the passage, answer the questions. Something I wasn't prepared for was knowing what type of passages were being presented, such as narrative, cause-effect, creative, past-present etc. There were also questions that included charts or pictures, not all straightforward reading. Some also included very basic math, such as looking at a pamphlet for a park and figuring out how to spend the least amount of money doing certain things.

2) Math: I had been under the impression math was the big deal, which perhaps it was on TEAS IV. It was a breeze for me. There wasn't a question I didn't know how to answer. Know fractions, decimals, percentages, and how to convert in between. Be able to solve for X, understand how to look at basic graphs. Know where to put your decimal after adding, multiplying, dividing- This could drastically affect your answer if you do it wrong. All of the options in the math section are varying forms of each other, such as 1.001, 1.101, 11.010, you get the idea.

3) Science: Very hard for me on the test. Nothing on basic anatomy. It went pretty deep into cellular biology, which I wasn't prepared for. There was also a good portion of physiology. Know Mitosis and Meiosis very very well. Even though there are only few questions, they are extremely detailed. Know basic system and organ functions. Chem was light, be able to balance reactions and charges. Physics was practically non existent. Know Potential/Kinetic energy.

4)Grammar: Pretty much what you would expect. Sentence structure, spelling, grammar. etc. Know when to use different forms, such as whom, who, whose, etc. Also know adverbs, pronouns, clauses, etc. My advise if you can't figure it out is to read it aloud. If you absolutely know that you dont know the answer, choose the best looking one immediately. Sitting and staring at the question starts to give you all kinds of false "well that looks right and maybe that works" type of thinking. especially with the spelling.

Surprisingly, I think overall I did the best in math and comprehension. I have taken all my A/P, Micro, O Chem, so the cellular biology was a little fuzzy, since I had my basic bio class 2 years ago. Again, my version of the test obviously is different than others, as every test is different, but this is what I came across. Really focus on the biology, fractions/decimals/percentages, and grammar.

I used the McGraw study manual, and unfortunately I think it was for the Version IV. Besides the ATI book, NOTHING specifies which version it is for. Overall it was a GREAT book. It has more than you need, but if you know what is on the TEAS, then you know what to leave out. If I had known how huge science was, I would have focused more on it.

If I left anything out, or if anyone has more questions, feel free to ask!

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what did the cellular biology material consist of??

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Hello,

Thank you everyone for all the good information. I'm taking the TEAS V Sept 30. I took the ATI A test and scored 64.7 overall bombing on the Science, great on the Math and Reading and average on the E & L. Any suggestions to improve the Science area - weakest link (Life Science & Scientific Reasoning) and on the E & L it was Spelling. I will be studying from the ATI Study Guide and taking the online test over and over. Is the online test easier or harder than the actual test? Any other suggestions greatly appreciated.:confused:

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Hi Ess Jai,

I'm taking mine in October. Would you mind posting again after your exam. Im super nervous and it seems like you are too. Just wondering if you surpass your goal score, u know? Some say they perform way better than the practice exams. Just would like to know your experience and any advice once you're done!

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