According to the Southeast Technical Institute, the Test for Essential Academic Skills assesses future nursing students' abilities in math and reading comprehension. Additionally, the TEAS V includes science and English and language use. The TEAS V doesn't evaluate the the applicant candidate's nursing knowledge. Instead, it focuses on the basic academic knowledge that's essential for completing an educational program and working as a professional. Although not every nursing school requires the test, many technical, career and community college schools do as part of the nursing or pre-nursing admissions process.
The "high" TEAS V score that you need may vary, depending on which nursing school you're applying to. For example, Erwin Technical Center's practical nursing program requires applicants to get a total score at or above a 60 percent for admission, while the Southeast Technical Institute looks for a math score of 62 percent or higher and a reading total of 75 percent or more, and the Texas Women's University requires students to score at least a 64 percent overall.
Your test prep for the TEAS V can begin with the study guide provided by the test-makers, ATI. Although you'll have to pay for this study aid, ATI's guide includes content on all four areas of the TEAS V, as well as explanations of exam objectives, practice questions and definitions. ATI claims that students who use their test prep materials score higher on the TEAS V than those who don't. You can also choose another study guide from an authoritative educational publisher such as McGraw-Hill.
Knowing what kinds of questions are on the TEAS V, although helpful in itself, isn't always enough to get a high score on this nursing entrance exam. ATI offers an online practice test that includes practice problems during a simulation of the real deal. You can also find free-of-charge TEAS V practice tests online at a variety of nursing and education prep websites. For example, TestPrepPractice.net and Test-Guide.com offer no-charge online practice to increase your test scores.