TEAS 7 Test Day Tips: How to Stay Calm and Finish Strong

The day or two before the exam

The last days are for review and rest, not for starting a new chapter.

• Skim your notes and the free TEAS 7 cheat sheets. If you just signed up, the sheets are sent over the next few days, not all at once, so give them time to arrive (and check spam).
• Review missed practice questions and why the right answer is right.
• If science still feels shaky, review the systems you already studied, or see my TEAS 7 Science section tips.
• Confirm your test time, location or login instructions, and what your school or testing site allows. Rules can differ for in-person and at-home exams.
• Lay out your photo ID and write down your ATI username. Reset your password before test day if you're not sure of it.
• Get a good night's sleep and eat a meal you know sits well.

Check your program's required score one more time. There's no single passing score; what counts as a good TEAS 7 score depends on your school.

What to bring (and what to leave at home)

Always follow the instructions from your school or testing site. ATI's rules are a starting point, and your site may add its own.

For most exams, plan to have:

• A current, government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or permanent resident card). The first and last name should match your ATI account. A student ID is usually not enough.
• Your ATI username and password. You'll sign in to start the exam.
• Anything else your registration confirmation lists. Some schools ask you to bring a laptop; most provide the computer.

Leave these at home unless your site says otherwise: your own calculator, phone, smartwatch, bags, notes, and food or drink (unless a medical need has been approved). The TEAS has a basic on-screen calculator in every section, and personal calculators aren't allowed.

If you're testing in person, ATI recommends arriving 15 to 20 minutes early; late arrivals often aren't admitted. If you're testing at home, log in early (often about 30 minutes before) so you can finish check-in. Plan on about four hours for the whole appointment. Scratch paper is usually provided in person. At home, follow your exam-type instructions, which typically allow one blank sheet or a small whiteboard.

(Sources: ATI: what to bring, ATI exam day requirements, ATI: calculator rules)

Pace yourself on test day

The TEAS 7 has 170 questions and 209 minutes of testing time, in four separately timed sections, always in this order: Reading, Math, Science, then English and Language Usage. Of those, 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items mixed in. You won't know which is which, so treat every question like it counts.

• Each section has its own clock. Leftover time does not move to the next section.
• You can flag a question and move around inside the section you're in. Once you submit a section, you cannot go back.
• If the clock runs out, unanswered questions are scored as incorrect. There's no penalty for guessing, so don't leave a question blank.
• After Math, take the optional 10-minute break. It doesn't count against your testing time. Don't start Science until you're ready, because that clock starts when you open the section.

A simple strategy I teach: answer the questions you can do with confidence first. If one is taking too long, flag it, pick your best guess, and come back if time remains. Before you submit a section, make sure nothing is blank. English is the tightest section, at about one minute per question.

(Sources: ATI TEAS Exam Details, ATI: sections and timing)

Read the directions

The TEAS isn't only one-answer multiple choice. You may also see select-all-that-apply, fill in the blank, ordered response, and hot spot questions. (ATI TEAS Exam Details)

• Read the question twice if you're unsure what it's asking.
• For select-all-that-apply, look at each option on its own. More than one answer can be right.
• For reading passages, answer from the text in front of you, not from outside knowledge.
• Watch for words like except, not, best, and most likely.
• On math and some science questions, use the on-screen calculator when it helps, and write out your steps on scratch paper.

Make an educated guess

You will not know every answer, and that's okay. Guessing is part of the test.

• Cross out the options you know are wrong, then pick the option that best matches the question.
• If two answers look similar, look again at the wording of the question.
• Don't spend five minutes on one hard question. Flag it, guess, and protect your time for questions you can still earn.
• Never leave a question blank. An unanswered question can't help you; a thoughtful guess might.

Stay calm and take care of yourself

Nerves are normal. They don't mean you're unprepared.

• The night before, stop studying at a set time. Sleep helps more than one more video.
• Eat a meal you know sits well, and use the restroom before you start.
• If you feel stuck or rushed, pause for a slow breath, then go to the next question.
• Talk to yourself the way you'd talk to a friend: "I've practiced this. I can do the next question."
• One hard question is not the whole exam. Let it go and keep moving.