The TEAS Test, why does it make or break?

Cuddleswithpuddles · May 2, 2014

The TEAS is kind of an oddity in my mind because it tests knowledge that is largely irrelevant to nursing while setting a pretty low bar compared to all other professional entrance exams.

However, despite my own objections to the TEAS, I do not understand the need to get ahead of yourself. There are many make-it-or-break-it steps in the pursuit of nursing school, but pretty much all of them can be prepared for and redone if need be. You can study for the TEAS and, if you do not do well on it, you can retake it and apply to schools that are amenable to retaking it.

Schools and employers have to have some sort of shortcut in determining who the best candidates are. For better or for worse, teachers and managers do not have time to appreciate every single applicant's life story. No one gets a gold star just for working hard and wanting to be a nurse badly. There has to be tangible, measurable progress and accomplishment. This logic applies to the TEAS and the rest of your nursing life.

Folkeye · May 2, 2014

Bummer it's not focused on the nursing relevant parts. That'd make more sense to me.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · May 2, 2014

It tests your basic knowledge in these categories: Science, English, Math, and Reading. They want to know if you are proficient in these areas because if you are, then you can most likely handle nursing school. You will be doing a lot of reading, writing some papers, and be doing calculations. They want to know if you can handle nursing school. If your math skills are terrible then you won't be able to handle dosage calculations. There is nothing harder than Algebra one on it. The science was the hardest part and if I had taken a chem class before taking the Teas I would have done outstanding in it. If you are not proficient in reading and understanding English you won't make it through nursing school. If you don't score at least proficient on the test it will be recommended to take some remedial classes. But if you have done well on your prereqs you will do fine on the Teas. Don't let it freak you out. It's not a big deal.

PNW0212 · May 3, 2014

It definitely depends on the school. I agree with the silliness of how big of a deal it is for some schools. But more competitive programs at universities will look at many other factors, such as GPA, volunteer work, experience, letters of recommendation, etc. It really depends on what school you apply to, but not all schools go completely off of a TEAS score.

I wish it wasn't a huge deal, the TEAS is all they look at at the program I applied to. I consider myself smart and one day I'll be a great nurse, but I spent many hours studying for the TEAS, only to end up with an 84%. I am happy with my score until I see other students posting about how they're worried about not getting accepted with their 93% ..... :/ haha

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · May 3, 2014

Most require a minimum score to apply. The lower limit is usually not that high (low to mid 60s). If you can't get the minimum, you really need to do some remedial studying before even thinking of re-applying. Math is used throughout the nursing programs and writing APA format research (use of nursing journal research articles) papers is common in nearly every class. Some schools use it as a final deciding factor for students on the bubble. If they accept 50 students and number 50 and 51 have identical GPAs then they will use it as a deciding factor. The schools that use a points system, may use the proficiency levels as a set number of points.

LifeIsGood76 · May 3, 2014

Folkeye, I agree with your points. Although your score should have some impact on getting into nursing school, I don't think it should be the end all be all like some schools have it. With my school, if you don't pass the TEAS you have to apply for the next semester. Plus, you only get two chances ever in your life to take it (I'm not sure if it is like that at all schools or just mine). I was freaked out about it too, but if you study the ATI study book from front to cover, you will be fine. I took mine a week ago and got an 88.7. There was nothing on the test that wasn't covered in the study guide, so I suggest using that book to study and doing as many practice tests as you can. Good luck :)

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · May 3, 2014

It's basically like the SATs of nursing, and I think it can be agreed that the SATs aren't really an accurate measurement of necessarily how well you'll do in college. However, with the TEAs, I feel like the weight it carries on your admission into the nursing program is a bit much, but that's just the way it is.

furelite · May 3, 2014

"There are many make-it-or-break-it steps in the pursuit of nursing school, but pretty much all of them can be prepared for and redone if need be."

Exactly. Any one of the qualifications for getting into nursing school can be someone's "make or break". What about the person who excels on the TEAS but does poorly in a pre-req? Some schools will disqualify them. What if your GPA is one fraction of a point too low for consideration? With a few exceptions, most people who dedicate the time and effort to do well in the school requirements leading up to the point where the TEAS is taken should do well enough on the test to pass whatever the requirement is. Those who don't do well typically have issues taking standardized tests (which remains an issue to be dealt with throughout the academic career) or who haven't really retained any of the information they have been taught thus far and/or didn't bother to review. Each school weight the TEAS differently. In some schools, you simply have to pass a certain number (typically pretty low), and in other schools how well you perform influences your ranking. When there are hundreds of applicants, there is often no other way to make sense of who to consider. This is not unique to nursing school at all. While a healthy amount of apprehension about taking the test is beneficial (to ensure you review the material that may not be as fresh), getting all worked up about it is not. The test is a lot easier than you think it will be. Just review the book and learn things that perhaps you never learned...like I did for Roman Numerals, LOL.

zeus&lincoln · May 3, 2014

I respectfully disagree that the TEAS isn't applicable to nursing school or becoming a nurse. The TEAS encompasses basic mathematic concepts that direct relate to nursing like conversions, percentages and simple algebraic formulas that I personally use daily in my RN job. It has a science section which includes anatomy, chemistry, patho and biology... All of these are basic concepts that need to be learned prior to entering nursing school as these foundational concepts will be built upon during your first week and beyond of nursing school. Without understanding these concepts you will surely be lost and spend a lot of time relearning things that should have been already learnt.

It (TEAS) has a literature section, to ensure the applicant is proficient at the English language as this is the language that your research papers, progress notes and electronic charting will be in. Lastly, it has a section to ensure you know proper grammar and spelling. With all the look alike/sound alike Meds and procedures in nursing, it is paramount that the applicant can differentiate between what word(s) are correct and which are incorrect. This may seem like a trivial thing but I assure you, the first time you pull the wrong med out of the Pyxis because you couldn't differentiate between dopamine and dobutamine, you will be thankful for this lesson. Many may say that the Pyxis is idiot proof and it will not dispense the incorrect med... Wrong! You know who puts the medications in the bins in your Pyxis to be dispensed? A med tech! That is correct someone that isn't even qualified to dispense the med (pharmacist) or give the med to the patient (doc, np or RN). Hope this helps. As I was entering nursing school I too was infuriated about why I had to take such a "meaningless" test... I now wholeheartedly understand.

RescueNinjaKy · May 3, 2014

I disagree that the Teas exam is not applicable in nursing. It is a test of the basic knowledge that you need in the fundamental subjects like reading, writing, math, and science. These are important bases of nursing and you take them as prerequisite before getting in a nursing program.

You may think why do we need to take the test when we already passed the classes but it is just similar to any exams. You may pass all your nursing classes but you still need to pass the nclex as proof that you are at least at the bare minimum knowledge level. You cannot expect the passing of just the classes to be the only indication of your proficiency because there are discrepancies in the different curriculums which is why there is a standardized test to ascertain whether you really have the minimal competency.

While I agree that some people are just bad test takers, there are other factors involved in admissions, the gpa of the student. Think of it as a back up system in which they use an exam to double check your competence. If you passed your classes and still possess the knowledge then you really should be able to at least pass the exam. And if you don't remember/have that knowledge then the exam did its job to either weed the insufficiently prepared people or the unmotivated, as you are able to get a teas review book.

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · May 3, 2014

It's a basic aptitude test to determine whether you are proficient in reasoning, grammar, mathematics, biology and chemistry, etc at the basic college entry level. It is heavy on science, in my opinion. So it is relevant to nursing. But still........ ugh.