My TEAS Journey

[BiscuitStripes, BSN, RN]

I began completing my nursing prerequisites about two years ago. I finished anatomy and chemistry in Spring 2016, both with A's. I took about a year off from school due to some personal reasons, and picked it back up in June of 2017. I registered for my last two prerequisite courses, physiology and microbiology, this coming Fall 2017, so I have yet to complete them.

I started studying for the TEAS at the end of June, having only completed anatomy and chemistry, plus a bachelors degree in business. I purchased the ATI TEAS SmartPrep study package. It's a steep $209, but when you see what it includes, it is worth the cost. The package includes 65 online lessons in all areas of the TEAS, the official TEAS study guide, 650 practice questions, and the official TEAS Practice Test A and TEAS Practice Test B. The practice tests are $46 each, the study guide is $50, which totals $142. For the extra $67, you receive all the online modules and practice questions.

The online modules were time consuming, but contained an abundance of information. I personally felt the study guide was worthless on its own, but was a great supplement to the online modules. I studied the online modules first, then reviewed my class notes, textbooks, online videos, and the study manual to reinforce ideas. The online modules contain way more information than the study manual. I made flashcards on the information I did not know from all the sections. After finishing the online modules and reading the study manual, I studied my flashcards.

Although I did not get to study as much as I wanted to over the two month period, I am fairly happy with my practice test scores. I am shooting for a 90% or higher on the TEAS, as I am applying for competitive ABSN programs. I take the real test tomorrow morning, so wish me luck. Here were my results from the pre-test (online modules) before studying, and my practice test scores after the two months of studying.

SmartPrep Pre-Study Scores

English - 91.7% (22/24)

Math - 93.8% (30/32)

Reading - 89.4% (42/47)

Science - 57.4% (27/47)

Total - 121/150 = 80.7%

TEAS Practice Test A and B (Scored the Same)

English - 20/24 = 83.3% (-8.4%, felt the practice tests were much harder than pre-assessment)

Math - 31/32 = 96.9% (+3.1%)

Reading - 43/47 = 91.5% (+2.1%)

Science - 42/47 = 89.4% (+32%)

Total - 136/150 = 90.7%

In summary, I would highly recommend purchasing the SmartPrep Study Package when preparing for the TEAS. I would give yourself at least 2-3 months to adequately go through all of the material and actually make the package worthwhile, unless you are a super star with the information already. Let me know if you have any questions, and I will post my official scores in a few days when I receive them from PSI/ATI.

[BiscuitStripes, BSN, RN]

I took the TEAS yesterday, afterwards, I feel I had prepared well for it. The prep materials were pretty similar to the test. In relation to the practice tests, I felt the actual test reading portion was a little different, not necessarily harder, just different. Math and English were pretty similar to the practice tests. Math was maybe a little more difficult on the actual test. I felt the science section was much easier on the real test than the practice tests, but maybe just my questions.

It took me a little while to get used to the PSI testing format, as it was different than the practice format I had done online through ATI. Scheduling with PSI was easy, the center was nice, and the testing arrangements/area were good. I thought I had read online through ATI that you would be given a break after the math section, if desired. At PSI, I was given no breaks, and once you finished one section, it went directly into the next section. You are allotted one 5 minute bathroom break; however, it uses your test time. I finished the science section with about 15 minutes left, so I used that time to use the bathroom. All of the other sections I was pretty close to the time limit, so I couldn't leave.

Keeping my fingers crossed I did well. It takes 48 hours to receive your results from PSI, so I'm still waiting.

[sunshine0272]

I hope that it is okay to add to your my experience as maybe several POV would be helpful!

I am re-careering. I work in education and I have been out of school for 25 years (I am not a math, science or English teacher). English is my first language and you will have an idea of my age by how long its been since I was in school.

I took micro in Spring 2017, AP 1 this summer. I starting looking at TEAS library books in June (mometrix and Kaplan). I have been studying for about 3 weeks a couple of hours maybe 4-5 times a week. I have taken the practice test in every book I could get my hands on.

I ordered the ATI TEAS prep on Amazon for 19.00 and then the A and B package for 92.00 about 2 weeks ago.

I started with one practice of A and B and then looked at what I was missing. You can take each 2x but know that you are taking A twice and B twice so you don't want to take them too close together or you will remember the answers. I following Khan academy for math and used my AP book for Science. I used noredink.com for English and reading.

I tested at the CC that I am applying to. It was online and very similar to the set up of the practice test. The actual calculator in the test has a % on it (btw). I could take a break at the end of each section where I had extra time and the option of letting the proctor know I needed a break in between exams. The results were IMMEDIATE. :)

Practice test A round one = 83

Reading 93

Math 81

Science 75

English 83

Practice test B round one = 80.7

Reading 92

Math 85

Science 66

English 92

Round 2 was too close to round one and the scores were too high for me to consider valid.

Final TEAS today = 87

Reading 85

Math 90 (what???)

Science 83

English 88

Reading was what I expected (but I needed to know more about the difference kinds of writing.

Math was easier - not as much algebra (which I totally relearned for this).

Science I knew what I knew from micro and AP plus a little detailed extra review of the structure and functions of each system and their hormones.

English - good think I reviewed the different parts of speech, but certainly still missed some of those.

Good luck everyone!

[BiscuitStripes, BSN, RN]

So my scores are in, I scored exactly what I did on the Practice Tests overall, just with different scoring in different areas:

Reading - 91.5%

Math - 96.9%

Science - 93.6%

English - 75%

Overall - 90.7% (99th Percentile)

[AshleySchott]

That amazing!! Congrats! What school are you applying for the program?

[becominganRN]

This was a great post... very helpful with specific action steps! I, too, am pursing an ABSN degree and am in the beginning stage of preparing for the TEAS. Thanks for the advice!