Test of Essential Academic Skills

klbinaug · Feb 9, 2009

Basically, it has four parts that ask you to answer multiple-choice questions covering the following:

Reading - paragraph comprehension, passage comprehension, and inferences/conclusions (40 items, 50 minutes)
Math - whole numbers, metric conversion, fractions, decimals, algebraic equations, percentages, and ratio/proportion (45 items, 56 minutes)
Science -science reasoning, science knowledge, biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, basic physical principles, and general science (30 items, 38 minutes)
English and Language Usage - punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, contextual words, and spelling (55 items, 65 minutes)

It is given through ATI testing, and if you look on their website, they sell a study manual. I bought it online and have started working through it. I highly recommend it. It goes over each of the four sections and has examples of each type of question with an actual explanation of the answer. Then there is a practice for each section, with answers at the end. And if I'm not mistaken, there is a comprehensive practice at the end. I've just started working on it, and its making me feel much more confident.

Rhone · Feb 9, 2009

The TEAS gives you a straight percentage score (for each section, and for the test as a whole), and percentile scores that show where your score is at in comparison to others who have taken the test. I don't think schools generally have a strict cut-off point for how high you have to score--rather, they rate their applicants based on a combination of TEAS scores, grades in prerequisite classes, and whatever else that school might decide to factor in (e.g. whether or not you took your prereqs at their school).

There are always far more students applying for nursing programs than there are positions in the programs, so whether you get in really depends on how well you do compared to the rest of the applicants. E.g. if there are 150 applicants to a program that is accepting 30 students, then you need to be in the top 30 in whatever the school is using as their admission criteria. It might help to call someone in admissions or in the nursing program and ask them what the typical TEAS scores and prereq grades are for the students that get in. But either way, you want to do as well as you can.

One word of advice on the math section--if math isn't something you're normally good at, you want to study hard for it--a lot of it is stuff that isn't too hard to do on paper, but you do not have enough time to work every problem out on paper. If you want to finish all the problems in time (with a good score), you need to be able to take some mental short-cuts. I'm good with math, so it wasn't a problem for me, but when I took the TEAS there was a collective gasp in the room when the proctor announced that there were only 5 minutes left.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2009

http://www.atitesting.com/onlinestore/productpage.aspx?code=61&isproduct=1 - this is a link to the official study manual from ati which you can purchase from its online store for $34.95.

you might get more responses if you post your question on the general nursing student discussion forum (click the "students" tab above).

dmr2492 · Jun 16, 2010

Hey Mcdanforth,

Did you ever get any info on LFCC? I am looking at Germanna and LFCC. Let me know if you are attending LFCC and what you think of it. Thanks!

mcdanforth · Jun 16, 2010

Hi there!

I am happy to say that I finished my first year at LFCC a month ago! I am at the Fauquier campus, which (for the RN program) has room for around 20 students. The Middletown campus let in nearly 70 students for their program this year. I really like it there! It is a small campus and so everyone is truly available for any questions you may have at a moment's notice. They also have a program for LPN students which I believe is an 18 month program. If you choose to do the LPN program, LFCC also has a transition program for those who want to then become RNs. I know that they have already chosen their students for the 2010-2011 school year, however - you should use this time to get your general education courses out of the way so that you don't need to worry about them while you are taking nursing classes. Speech, nutrition, Developmental psycholoy, Sociology and Microbiology are some of the few that LFCC requires. You may also need to take placement tests if your math or english from High School are out of date (I think anything over 10 years will require you to take them).

Check out the school website:

http://www.lfcc.edu

and type "ADN nursing program" and it should give you some PDF's from the catalog of what you need to do. It really is a good school and compared to other schools, you truly cannot beat the tuition compared to other accredited programs!

Good luck to you and maybe I will see you around campus sometime!

Marie

dmr2492 · Jun 16, 2010

Hey Marie,

Thanks for the quick response! Congrats on getting through your first year of nursing school. I am currently an LPN and I had just applied to the NVCC LPn to RN and did not get accepted. There are only a few spots for that program and now I wish I had applied to more places. Do you know if LFCC has a Spring class starting? or do there classes start each fall? I do have to take the ENG 112 and Drug calculations so I can get those done. Thanks again for the info and enjoy your summer break!!