Date Published: October 23, 2019
So you’ve just taken the ATI TEAS Exam and didn’t do as well as you had hoped. This may seem like a major speedbump on your road to nursing school, but rest assured that you are not alone. 40% of students take the TEAS more than once.
Here we are sharing some insights into why being successful on the TEAS is so important and offering helpful tips for bouncing back and rocking the exam the next time you take it.
Why Is It So Important to Score Well Anyways?
Most nursing programs have a limit for the number of students that can be admitted into their program each semester or year, so the admission process can be very competitive. In fact, 30% of qualified applicants are turned away from ADN, Diploma, and BSN programs. Having a TEAS score that isn’t up to par could be one of the reasons that you find yourself in this unfortunate group, so prepping to earn your highest score the first time is crucial to your success for nursing school admission.
Related Read: TEAS Success Story – Hannah C.
Be Aware of the Admissions Requirements
If you are planning on retaking the ATI TEAS Exam, you should be aware of any requirements or restrictions that the school(s) you are applying to may have for admission. Is there a deadline for application or for the latest date that your TEAS score can be submitted? Are you only allowed to attempt the TEAS a certain number of times? Knowing these requirements will help you plan when to take the TEAS again and know how long you will have to prepare for your next attempt.
Give Yourself More Time to Prepare
Speaking of preparing for your next attempt, the number one mistake that TEAS test takers make is not giving themselves enough time to prep. In fact, when we asked 4 test takers what they really thought of the exam, one of their biggest tips was to prepare as much as you can. If you think you can walk in and be successful on the TEAS without studying, think again.
ATI recommends giving yourself a minimum of 6 weeks to prepare. You can check out our 6-week study plan here to get an idea of how much time you should study each subject. Remember, 40% of students have to take the TEAS more than once, so prepping for the TEAS isn’t just helpful – it’s crucial!
Invest in Prep Materials + Use the Score Report
In addition to giving yourself more time to prepare for the TEAS, making sure you have high-quality materials to study will be a huge help as you get ready to take the exam again. ATI offers a variety of different solutions written by the creators of the TEAS themselves that can help you grasp the content you need to know and achieve your highest score possible the first time.
If you are taking the TEAS again, we recommend the ATI TEAS SmartPrep Tutorial, or the ATI TEAS Comprehensive Study Package if you are looking to achieve a higher score.
Another hint? Use the score report from your first attempt. This will help you identify the subject areas of questions that you missed and can be an extremely helpful tool in remediation.
Stay Positive
The most important thing to remember when facing a score that you are not happy with is to stay positive! Doing well on the TEAS is a very important part of your nursing school journey, but scoring poorly on your first attempt is not the end of the world. By giving yourself more time to prepare and studying the right materials, you can bounce back and achieve your highest score!
Related Read: 5 Pieces of Motivation to Get Your Head in the Game
Looking for more test prep help? Check out our Test-Taking Strategies + Tips for Overcoming Anxiety.
