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Melissa Wynne
How Long Is The TEAS Test
The TEAS test is 209 minutes long and consists of 170 questions which covers 4 subject areas which are reading, math, science and English language usage.Â
In relation to other standardized tests the TEAS test is very long at almost 3.5 hours.
To be prepared for a test this long requires specific preparation that will enable you to be fully prepared for the duration of the TEAS test.Â
The best way to become comfortable with how long the TEAS test is will be to take timed TEAS practice tests like the one from Smart Edition Nursing.
After your first practice test you will be able to determine if you were able to answer all of the questions in each section within the given amount of time.Â
Many students find they were not able to answer all the questions before the time ran out.
Unanswered questions will be marked incorrect which can kill your score so it’s really important to make sure you answer every question in each section before time runs out.Â
To improve your timing you can dig a little deeper and get more specific on exactly which topics within a subject section you need to improve your timing on.
The Smart Edition practice tests provide you with a score report that actually breaks down every question by the topic it relates to and exactly how much time you took to answer each question.Â
To use this score report effectively we can take an example from the math section of the test which is 57 minutes long and has 38 questions.
This gives you 1.5 minutes to answer each question and what you might find is that for a specific topic like word problems, you are taking 2.5 minutes per question.Â
Being able to isolate the exact topics you need to improve your timing on helps guide your studying to improve your timing.
The good news is that now you know you need to work on answering word problems faster. So how do you do that?Â
This is where the question banks in the Smart Edition Nursing TEAS course comes in.
The question banks are organized by each topic on the test so you can study practice questions for just that topic.
For example in the math word problem question bank there are over 100 practice questions where you can work on your timing.Â
If you can work on your timing to become faster all of a sudden the question – how long is the TEAS test will not be as important for you.
You will have developed the endurance to complete all 4 sections of the test in the allotted time and answer every question within those sections.
How Many Questions Are On The TEAS Test
The TEAS test includes 170 questions covering four subject areas which include reading, mathematics, science and English language usage. There are 20 unscored questions that are used by ATI to test before implementing them as scored questions in the real exam.Â
Here is how the questions are broken down for each subject section of the TEAS test:
- Reading: 45 questions, 55 minutes
- Math: 38 questions, 57 minutes
- Science: 50 questions, 60 minutes
- English and Language Usage: 37 questions, 37 minutes
Here is a break down of the number of questions for each specific topic within each subject section:
Reading
- Key ideas and details (15)
- Craft and structure (9)
- Integration of knowledge & ideas (15)
Math
- Numbers and algebra (18)
- Measurement and data (16)
Science
- Human anatomy & physiology (18)
- Biology (9)
- Chemistry (8)
- Scientific reasoning (9)
English
- Conventions of standard English (12)
- Knowledge of language (11)
- Using Language and Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing (10)
Is The TEAS Multiple Choice?
The TEAS test is multiple choice however the TEAS 7 test introduced alternative question types.Â
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The multiple choice questions consist of a question and four answer choices with only one correct answer choice. These questions can include things like graphs, images, charts and tables.Â
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The test also includes:
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Multiple-select: this question type includes 4-5 answer choices where anywhere from one answer to all answers can be correct and you must select all of the correct answers, if you miss any correct answer the question will be marked incorrect.Â
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Fill in the blank: these types of questions require you to provide the correct answer in a box. It’s important to pay attention to any specific instructions, for example in math it may specify how many decimal places to include.
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Hot Spot: This question type will give you an image along with a test question that requires you to click on the areas of the image that answers the question correctly.Â
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Ordered response: This question type asks you to correctly order 4-6 choices usually in a drag and drop format. These typically ask you to order sequences of events or on the math section it might ask you to order fractions from least to greatest.Â
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While ATI states the test does include the alternative question types, many students in our TEAS Facebook study group say they received very few of these questions and some have said they did not receive any so don’t stress too hard about these question types.Â
Even with what other students have said, it’s best to be fully prepared to answer these question types.Â
How Long Does It Take To Study For The TEAS?
The recommended time it takes to study for the TEAS is 6 weeks. However every student is different so some may need more or less time depending on things like prior coursework, personal schedules and your TEAS practice test scores.
Many research studies have shown that spacing out your study sessions over a longer time period helps you retain the information better.
It’s often better to instead of studying for 8 hours in one day to spread out your studying for 2-3 hours for several days in a week.
According to the American Psychological Association a research study published in 2009 in the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, showed that the spacing effect works on a smaller time scale as well.
So even shorter bursts or study sessions as short as 30 minutes can be helpful.
While 4-6 weeks generally works for most students, the best way to get an idea of how much time you may need to study for the TEAS is to take a TEAS practice test.
Your practice test score can be used as a benchmark as you continue to study.Â
For example if your schools TEAS requirement is a minimum overall score of 72% and you are scoring 90% on your practice tests then you may need less time to study. However if you are scoring 50% on practice tests you may need additional time.Â
Another factor in how long it takes to study for the TEAS test is factoring in any prior course work or prerequisite courses you have taken.
If you have taken A&P 1 and 2 or math courses for example you may need less time to study the science or math sections. On the other hand if you have been out of school for a long time, plan to leave yourself more time.
Every student is different and are at different stages of their lives which affect personal schedules and how much time you can dedicate to studying and how long it will take you to study for the TEAS test.Â
If you have children and work a full time job you will need to plan for more time to study as you may not be able to fit in 4-6 hours of studying each day.
You might have a heavy course load at school and have to dedicate most of your time to your current classes, in this case you may need to plan for more time to study for the TEAS test.Â
Lastly If you have more time available and can dedicate up to 8 hours a day of studying then you might need less than the recommended 4-6 weeks.Â
When to Start Studying for the TEAS?
You should begin studying for the TEAS test about 4-6 weeks before your test date. Once you decide to take the test or register for the test you should begin studying.Â
When you start studying for the TEAS test one of the first things to do is create a study plan that outlines what you will study and when you will study for each day and week that you are studying.Â
One mistake students make is putting off studying in the beginning and then trying to cram closer to the TEAS test date. Making this mistake generally will create unnecessary anxiety that tends to disrupt and take away from your studying progress.Â
This video goes over how to create an effective study schedule that will get you on track and help you pass the test.
Now that we have answered how long is the TEAS test, you’ll want to make sure you know what the TEAS test is and the details of each subject and topic. You can learn more about each section by starting with our TEAS reading subject review.
