The TEAS Test, why does it make or break?

[Folkeye]

I'm curious as to why the TEAS test is the final make or break if you can get accepted into most nursing programs. You go through years of pre-reqs, you have grades to show how well you did, did I mention you spent A LOT of time and hours devoted to those classes..... all to find out one super broad spectrum test tells you if you if you can nurse or not.

Why does that test get to dictate if you can get into a program or not? I understand the need for competition, but one test that even the brightest of peeps can crash on? Doesn't make much sense proving ones level of intelligence or nurse qualification.

I'm doing pre-reqs right now and I know it'll be a while before I'm done...but that thing looms on my mind big time. Gets me angry that all my hard work right now can go kaput. Not that good at broad knowledge. Always a chance what they want, I've never been exposed to in class.

[nursinglove15]

My school requires a 75 overall on TEAS for acceptance and looks at reading scores more so than math or science. When I was doing pre-reqs, I didn't understand the importance of TEAS. However, after getting into my program, it was explained to us that a lot of nursing students have poor reading comprehension skills. Which means doing poorly on tests that will require critical thinking and comprehensive reading. It's one way to determine if you'll be able to make it through. TONS of people do well in all of the pre-reqs, but they don't test well in nursing school.

[mrsboots87]

Since you are not a nursing student yet, you cant understand why this test is important for entrance. I don't feel it should be the ONLY entrance requirement, since passing or failing isnt the only important thing in nursing school, and there are factors that can affect a students ability to do well on it. BUT, it does test basic knowledge that you will use for your entire nursing program and beyond. If you disagree, then you don't truly know what nursing is. When you start to learn pharmacology, you will need an understanding of A&P and some patho to understand how drugs work in the body and how it helps with treating ailments. For med/surg, you will need a deep understanding of A&P. Med math, although seemingly basic, is VITAL to being a nurse. I don't think you want to be responsible for overdosing a patient on a heparin drip. Reading and comprehension comes into play in that you will not want to do a heparin flush with the regular heparin as that would be disastrous. Charting needs to be formal and legal. Without basic knowledge of the English language and proper grammar and sentence structure (because mine has been great in this response lol), you could get sued and/or lose your license from incorrect charting. I could go on. But basically, nursing school will be very hard for someone who cant pass a basic proficiency test, and with so much competition in nursing schools right now, there needs to be some sort of assessment to weed out those who may not do as well as others in school. ANd lastly, nursing school exams will test your ability to critically think and pull an answer to a question from multiple concepts. You cant just cram for a test and pass like in pre reqs. A good student will be taking pre reqs seriously and actually LEARNING the material. If you are learning to earn those grades in the pre reqs, then you will do fine on the TEAS. If you cram before each test for good grades, you likely wont retain the info for long and will not do well on the TEAS. That is what it is for. GL, work, and study. Don't think about the TEAS now. Worry about passing your pre reqs and learning the material and you will do just fine.

[LVN_Flower, LVN]

Its another form of extra income for the schools requiring it. The more you fail, the more money the school can make off of you because you are determined to get into a nursing program and are willing to pay the $70 to take the exam. Just imagine if 20 prospective nursing students take the TEAS in one day at $70 per person, you do the math. Its almost always going to be about money and generating more income for the school. And yea, the best scores have a higher chance of getting in the first try.