nursing second degree progam: TEAS vs non TEAS question

[langston.4]

im evaluating some nursing as a second degree programs and i would like some advice. the entry requirements to all the programs are very similar, except for one program. i live in the state of michigan, and the programs im looking into are university of detroit mercy, wayne state, eastern michigan, and oakland university. UD, wayne, and oakland are almost identical in the requirements i need, 4-7 science classes. eastern's program admission is different. i would only need to take 2 classes, however, they utilize ATI-TEAS scores as part of their criteria, as well as prior working experience in health care.

id like some advice, assuming all things are equal, is it better to take more classes and not have to take the TEAS, or less classes and study for the TEAS. the deadlines have passed for applications, so i have basically a calendar year to get everything taken care of anyway. oakland does offer admittance in the winter and summer though (3 separate cohorts)

wondering because some feedback i hear is that the TEAS is difficult if you are rusty (6 years out of college) or you only have two opportunities to take it or something like that.

thanks

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

I took the TEAS5 test and I didn't find it too hard. I didn't study for it and I can't recall exactly what was on it.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

I have my BSN and have been a nurse about 7 years. I have heard the Detroit area are some of the hardest schools to get into due to the bad economy up there. Now..I am not saying that to discourage. Just be prepared for a long road. You have to hang in there if you really want it. It isn't like the first time going to college where you just sign up and go. I went to college in VA at a private school. We had a lot of people in the class from MI because they couldn't get in up in MI. Do you absolutely have to stay in MI? You should look at some other states and see what is out there.

[Soon2bDmnGoodNurse]

Be careful of who's feedback you adhere to. The fact of the matter is the test is hard for some and easy for others. It depends on how good you are at studying and/or how well you learned your subjects like grammar, mathematics, biology, etc. The TEAS study package including book and practice tests are all you need to pass successfully, in my opinion, but then again, that's for a person who has a sound foundation in English, Math and Science. For me, it was simple and I found that the TEAS practice set gave me everything I needed for the test. Good luck. Weigh your options and exercise them both if you have to.

[chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I would second what Soon2bDmnGoodNurse says about the TEAS. I've taken both the TEAS and the NET and did not find either particularly difficult but I tend to do well on standardized tests.

The TEAS covers a fairly wide range of subjects but not in any great depth. My SAT verbal scores were in the 95th percentile but my math scores were significantly lower. On the TEAS, the reverse was true, and I had some verbal scores as low as the 60th percentile while nearly every math score was in the 99th. This is very strange because I've always done better on verbal than math. Go figure. The recommendation to use a study guide is a good one, though I can't recommend one since I didn't feel the need to use one.

My recommendation would be to hedge your bets if possible. That means preparing for the TEAS while also taking classes. If you do well on the TEAS, you can then place your bet on being accepted to the school that uses the test as their primary admission criterion. If you do poorly, you have a leg up on the classes you need to get into the other school(s).

Good luck.

[dfw_bsn]

I would consider spending about a week reviewing for the TEAS. I was out of college also for a few years, but I bought their review book made by ATI and did quite well on it. It is a difficult test though, but it's conquerable.