The ATI offers the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) test and is commonly used as an entrance exam to health science-related programs, such as nursing. The test is designed to test a student's preparedness in 4 different subject areas: reading, mathematics, science, and English and Language Usage. Each section covers various topics and has its own number of questions and time allotment. Students can take the TEAS test in several different formats (online vs. in-person), and the exam is commonly offered by the institution that requires it.
Students wondering 'how hard is the TEAS test?' should understand that it is designed to test student's basic skills in these different subject areas. Since the test is used as an entrance exam to health science-related programs, students should have obtained the skills and knowledge covered on this exam in high school and/or entry-level college courses. However, some students may find the TEAS test difficult, depending on their personal areas of strength and weakness.
In this article, we will try to answer the question 'is the TEAS test difficult?,' help students understand the different parts of the exam and how to properly prepare. We will also discuss details about how to take the exam and how it is scored.
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As mentioned, the TEAS test covers the subject areas of Reading, Mathematics, Science, and English and Language Usage. Although each section has its own number of questions and time limit, students have 209 minutes to answer 170 total questions. These questions are multiple-choice, where students choose the best answer out of four possible options. Each subject area also contains some pretest questions that are not scored.
The Reading section contains 53 questions that must be completed in 64 minutes. Test takers will answer questions pertaining to the following sub-content areas:
The Mathematics portion must be completed in 54 minutes and contains 36 questions. Students will be asked questions in sub-content areas including:
The Science section of the test has 53 questions. Students have 63 minutes to answer questions about the following sub-content areas:
Finally, the English and Language Usage section contains 28 questions that students must complete in 28 minutes. Test takers must answer questions about the sub-content areas of:
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Create AccountUnderstanding TEAS scoring can help students answer the question 'is the ATI TEAS test hard?' for themselves. Each school determines its own passing score since the exam is used as an entrance exam to health science-related programs. Therefore, students should know their school(s) of interest's required score before taking the exam.
In general, there is a range for TEAS scoring that demonstrates a student's ability level:
| Level of Academic Preparedness | Score Range |
|---|---|
| Developmental | 0%-40.7% |
| Basic | 41.3%-58% |
| Proficient | 58.7%-77.3% |
| Advanced | 78%-90% |
| Exemplary | 90.7%-100% |
TEAS scoring includes a total score, content score (Reading, Mathematics, Science, and English and Language Usage), and sub-content scores (each sub-content area under each content area). Scores are given on a 0 to 100% scale, but each score is calculated differently. For instance, the total and content area scores are equated, which means that students get a score for questions answered correctly, but then this score is adjusted to account for different versions of the exam.
Conversely, the sub-content score is not equated and is an exact percentage of the correct answers. Students who score lower than a proficient or passing score can still use their scores and the score breakdown to monitor their progress and know which areas to study harder for the next time.
Take an assessment and focus on the areas that need the most practice.
Some students will not pass the TEAS exam the first time they take it and must retake the test. Those wondering 'is the TEAS test harder the second time?' should know that although there are different editions of the exam, each exam covers the same types of questions and content. Therefore, students should become more and more familiar with the content and questions as they study and take the exam multiple times.
Most schools will look at a student's highest score, but they can also see the number of attempts. While a student's goal is to reach or exceed the benchmark score for their institution, some students may still decide to retake the exam if they score right around the benchmark. This is because earning a higher score may make them more competitive for admission into the program. However, students are usually only allowed three retakes in one year, and some schools require students to wait 30 days between test dates.
There are other factors about the TEAS test that may help students determine the difficulty of the exam and decide which TEAS study tips need to be followed. Here we will discuss factors such as the exam format and what to expect on test day.
According to the ATI, about 40% of students have to take the exam more than once. Preparing for the TEAS test may seem overwhelming, but if students take the appropriate steps and plan for enough time to study, they can pass the TEAS as quickly as possible. Although it is not an exhaustive list, test takers should consider some of the following TEAS study tips:
Christina Flores, BSN has 4 years of experience in nursing. She has worked as both an RN and as a Prenatal Care Coordinator. To earn her certification, Christina passed the NCLEX and TEAS exams. Christina obtained her BSN from Valparaiso University.
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Each school determines its own passing score for the TEAS test, but according to the ATI around 40% of students have to take the exam more than once. A good or proficient score is considered earning a 58.7% to 77.3% on the exam.
The ATI recommends studying for at least 6 weeks prior to the TEAS exam. However, this amount of study time may vary by individual students' strengths and weaknesses.
The TEAS test can be taken at most 3 times a year. Some schools require students to wait 30 days in between retakes.
The ATI TEAS practice tests are designed to simulate the exam, and therefore, should be around the same difficulty as the actual exam. This helps students monitor their study progress.