Is the TEAS Test Required for All Nursing Programs?
Nursing programs require various standardized tests for admittance. One of the tests often required is the Test of Essential Academic Skills, or the TEAS Test for short. But is the TEAS Test required for all nursing programs?
TEAS Test Overview
The TEAS Test is an assessment administered by the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) that helps schools measure prospective nursing students’ academic readiness. The test consists of 170 multiple-choice questions in four subject areas:
- Reading Comprehension: Questions covering passage analyses, inference, and determining the main idea
- Mathematics: Questions covering whole numbers, metric conversion, fractions, and decimal operations
- Science: Questions covering life science, physical science, and earth and space science.
- English and Language Usage: Questions covering conventions, punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar
The TEAS Test is almost always administered as a timed assessment. Depending on the specific version, the total testing time is usually between three and a half and four and a half hours.
TEAS Test and Nursing Program Admittance
Whether or not a nursing program requires the TEAS test of its applicants can vary substantially. Some schools may only use it as an additional tool to measure an applicant’s aptitude for the program. Other schools may require that all applicants submit a TEAS test score. To be sure, consider inquiring directly with the specific nursing school you are interested in attending.
In many cases, whether or not you are required to take the TEAS Test, taking a practice version of the TEAS to study for the test can be beneficial. Doing so may help you score higher on the official version, potentially increasing your chances of acceptance into your chosen nursing program.
