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.

This is helpful, thank you for posting!

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Math was my worst score as well, but I felt like I was getting them all correct while taking the test so I must have missed some subtle nuances. My advice would be to read the questions carefully.

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what type of math did you have on your teas?

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Thats the most embarrasing part, it was all exactly like the ATI practice tests in the book.

I didn't fail the math but it was my lowest score. Fortunately I did good enough in other areas to still get an 86 overall.

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Well, the math portion of my TEAS was not exactly like the ATI TEAS book--there were no Reconciliation of Checkbook problems, hardly any percentage problems, maybe one multiplication problem, one subtraction, had quite a few conversions and algebra problems. And there were these line graphs with ABCD on there and I couldn't figure out who wto do that. Graphs. Word problems. I was very disappointed.

The Science was easy for me and the English was okay. It was like the online practice tests. I wish I had more time on the Reading. I will think of a method to get that done much sooner. I just hate how they add all the unnecessary "draw a circle, shade in two boxes, turn to 180 degree" crap on there.

Maybe the second time around I'll get lucky and have math that is more reflective of what's in the ATI book.

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Wow, mine had a checkbook reconcile problem and I dont recall a single graph. Which version did you take? I took version V.

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I took TEAS V, the paper version. Did you have a lot of basic addition, substraction, multiplication, and division problems?

I only had one substration, one multiplication(really really long one) and one division problem, one percentage problem. Square roots. A few conversion problems. The rest of it was algebra (I didnt study for that because I thought the more basic math would be on there) work rate problems, graphs, a little Geometry, if you look on page 54 of the ATI book, there were like 3 problems on there like number 2. I didn't know how to do them because they weren't as easy as the practice problems. It was just not a good reflection of what was in the study guide. I probably would have passed if it were like the book. (Well I don't know how I did yet) I just started guessing. Maybe certain schools have different math versions depending on what pre requisites are required for the program.

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I took the online version, no square roots but mostly algebra, percentages, conversions ( I think these word problems were where I messed up), and mixed number/ fraction problems. I didn't know there was a paper test, that must be why some people don't get their scores right away.

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Yeah my school gives us the paper version which I actually prefer. It makes it easier in terms of the Reading section. I dont find out my scores until a few more days. Maybe I did good maybe I didn't. If not, then at least I know what to work on

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.
Yeah my school gives us the paper version which I actually prefer. It makes it easier in terms of the Reading section. I dont find out my scores until a few more days. Maybe I did good maybe I didn't. If not, then at least I know what to work on

Hey! I'm glad you were able to get the test out of the way, finally. I'm happy that you said the science was easy. I'm sure you did well because even if you didn't do really well on the math, your performance on the other parts will pull your grade up. So just remain confident...I know the wait is torture.:lol2:

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Hey! I'm glad you were able to get the test out of the way, finally. I'm happy that you said the science was easy. I'm sure you did well because even if you didn't do really well on the math, your performance on the other parts will pull your grade up. So just remain confident...I know the wait is torture.:lol2:

Unfortunately at my school they look at each individual section and you have to do well in all. If the score was combined, I would be very confident that I passed. But I really don't feel that I did all that good on the math section...I remembered some of the problems and worked them out when I got home. I guess I was nervous by the test being timed and froze up. But I worked them out from home and got them right.

I also noticed that some of the math question on the teaspreview site were on my exam. lol I know some people were saying that those don't end up on there at all but I think one or maybe two did.

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Thanks! I'm taking mine Saturday!

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