Every year thousands of students take the ATI TEAS Exam to be admitted into nursing school. The TEAS test covers four main content areas – reading, mathematics, science, and English and language use. Each of these sections has its own challenges, and parts of the exam are found to be trickier for some test takers than others.
In this article, we’re offering some insights into the types of questions from each major content area that students most often miss when taking the ATI TEAS Exam. The next time you sit down to study for the test, keep an eye on these sections and review them well!
Related Read: ATI TEAS Prep: 6-Week Study Plan
Reading
The specific content area that students most commonly miss questions from in the reading section of the TEAS is Key Ideas and Details: identifying the topic, main idea, and supporting details. If you want to rock this section of the test, you should know how to determine the topic and main idea of a passage and be able to explain how supporting details in the text support the main idea.
For some help studying for this content section, you should reference the ATI TEAS Study Manual section R.1.3, pages 10-11.
Math
In the math section of the TEAS Exam, the most commonly missed questions are found in the Measurement and Data section, specifically when students are asked to evaluate the information in tables, charts, and graphs using statistics. Learning objectives from this section include things like calculating mean, median, and range, identifying data distribution and trends based on a graph or data table, and explaining points on a graph, including expected and unexpected values.
For help studying for this content section, you should reference the ATI TEAS Study Manual section M.2.2, pages 87-89.
Related Read: 10 Frequently Asked Questions about the ATI TEAS Exam
Science
The specific content area that students most commonly miss questions from in the science section of the ATI TEAS Exam is Life and Physical Sciences, specifically questions that have to do with describing chemical reactions. To ace these questions, you should know how to identify covalent and ionic bonds and simple chemical reactions, describe how various conditions (e.g., pressure, concentration, temperature) and catalysts affect chemical reactions, have knowledge of basic molecules, and be able to describe acids and bases in terms of pH balance.
For help studying for this content section, you should reference the ATI TEAS Study Manual section S.2.7, pages 146-147.
Related Read: 10 TEAS Prep Questions
English
Last but certainly not least is the English and language use section of the TEAS Exam. The most commonly missed questions from this content area are found in the Knowledge of Language section and have to do with distinguishing between formal and informal language. The learning objectives from this section include identifying language that is formal and informal, and you should be able to identify the narrator’s setting or situation based on the language provided.
For help studying for this content section, you should reference the ATI TEAS Study Manual section E.2.2, pages 175-176.
What else should you know before test day? For more information about the TEAS and all of its different sections, visit our website!
