The Test of Essential Academic Skills is administered by ATI, a nursing education company
based in Kansas. Candidates are tested on subjects they will have learned during high school. It’s actually a test of basic knowledge (as the name implies) in science, reading, English and math. The test was designed to predict which candidates are more likely to succeed in nursing school and colleges have found this exam to be a significant predictor of nursing school success. It can help schools recognize which students will need extra attention and which ones are not a good fit for their program. There are 170 multiple choice questions. Time limit is 209 minutes. No calculators are allowed.
One of the best study guides for this test is: TEAS V Study Manual. This book is specifically written to address each objective that is addressed on the exam. It also comes with two practice test with rationale for correct answers. With this test, as well as all others, unanswered questions are considered wrong. Make sure you answer every question. Most tests have 4 option multiple choice questions. If you honestly have no clue, guess! A guess has a 25% chance of being the right answer. If you leave it blank, it is wrong. Fees for the TEAS vary from school to school. The range is typically between $20.00 to $60.00.
