Teas Test Fiasco

[2011NursingStudent]

So I took Teas version 4 riiight after my community college's Spring deadline, and applied for Fall. This was in Nov. I studied for 2 weeks using the Teas version 4 manual, and I did great, like 90th percentile. I figured I was a shoe-in for the program, because the program ranks by Teas score and takes the students w/the top scores.

The school called me today saying in a roundabout way that they really didn't expect anyone to apply for Fall so soon (applying early should never be a bad thing!) and that Teas Version 5 came out Dec 1st - today. I was well aware Teas v. 5 was coming out, but they just said in the info session that if you are taking it before Dec 1st, study version 4, if you're taking it after Dec 1st, study v. 5. That's what I did.

She was encouraging me to retest, so they could more easily rank the students. I said I would consider it, but if I had to, that I would not be willing to pay the cost, for obvious reasons. I paid for a test they said was the admissions test already. She said she understood and that they'd have a meeting for what to do about my score. =/

So now I'm frustrated and stressed. I really want to be in the program starting in August. I thought I had everything set and complete and now she's saying there's a new test with less math, I'm wondering if that will give other people a leg up, math is one of my strong points, and before I was super confident and now I don't know if my score is even good. If its not, I have to study all over again, spend another day testing, etc., and its frustrating because I followed their guidelines for application, took a valid test, etc., and they should have said in the first place that applicants for the Fall should wait until after Dec. 1st to test.

I just really hope I get in......and would prefer to use the score that I already have, in the 90th percentile.

I don't know how I'll wait until March when the letters come out - this has just been made so much more nervewracking for me.

[sandi1743]

honestly - if you %age was good over all - let it stand - they should see/consider that you took V4 and not V5.

When i was applying for Nursing school for Fall '10 i had to take the NET exam, i did not get in the first round so i re-applied for Spring '11 and found out that they had switched to the TEAS - but the school took my NET as it was less than a year old and this was the first semester switch and i got in!

breathe deeply and see what they have to say - as this is the first semester of the TEAS switch they should be a bit more flexible about the whole thing.

*hugs*

[caliotter3]

They are going to inform you about their decision to use your score, aren't they? You deserve an answer now, so you can retest if necessary. But really think about what you want to do about this. This is your first taste of how things go down in nursing school. If you fight with them on this, you will be marked as a trouble maker before you even begin, and that is not a good thing.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I agree you don't want to make trouble before you ever get in. I probably would have said, oh my, yes I'll take the V version.. thank you for the heads up! lol I'm a push over like that.

[2011NursingStudent]

Thanks Sandi, I agree and that's what I was also thinking.

MJMoon, I think that's what they wanted me to say, but because of the time, effort, and cost, its not reasonable for me to so cheerfully agree. They would have to cover the cost of the second exam, and as a result probably have to cover the cost of any other version four test takers as well. It's not a matter of causing trouble, because I'm as polite and professional as they come. If they agree to cover the cost, I will retake it because they went out of their way to make accomodations for me to do so by waiving the fee - I would graciously agree for that reason, as opposed to complaining, but certainly if they will not cover the cost, I will not be retesting because I've already paid for one TEAS that they had req'd.

[2011NursingStudent]

And Caliotter, yes, I hope they inform me what decision they come up with soon. I sent a follow up email to the nursing program coordinator just to find out, so hopefully they respond shortly with something reasonable and I've been worrying over nothing. Definitely no "fighting" - I don't think they would say "Sorry, you have to retest again and pay for it again" - so I don't forsee any conflict, just a matter of a delicate situation, especially for them, because the student rankings are so important and literally change people's lives. I know they want to be fair to everyone.