Getting ready for the TEAS exam can be daunting; with the knowledge that it’s just a few simple errors that keeps you from achieving your desired score, you can imagine that we have encountered many students that have invested weeks going over science, practicing math problems, and enhancing their reading skills, only to lose precious points through lazy test-taking strategies or getting confused in the wording of a question, or by memorizing a few key concepts, but not knowing how to apply it. The added stress of trying to cut corners, as in typing the phrase take my TEAS test for me into the Internet search box can be disastrous, as losing your necessary score.
This is also the concern of students who feel unready and start searching for methods to completely get rid of the test like take my HESI exam for me. Although it seem to be the best solution, yet in fact it is not. In fact it is much more effective to learn what type of questions cut down your score the most so you can prepare more efficiently, enhance your confidence and step into the test with a definite plan.
Misunderstanding the TEAS Exam Format
The biggest mistake that students often make is studying for the TEAS and not knowing how the test is actually set up. The TEAS includes questions from four main academic areas: Reading, Mathematics, Science and English and Language Usage. Each of these subtest sections needs to be studied for slightly differently; otherwise if you just study the whole test at once you may develop some weak spots.
Some students tend to spend the majority of their study time on the subject they enjoy. For example, a student who finds reading relaxing might invest several hours into finishing practice passages, but then not spend enough time studying science because it seems challenging. This results in a lopsided preparation pattern. The solution is to learn the layout of the exam, then work on your least confident topic with practice exams, then apportion your study time based on the topics in which you can score the most points.
Spending Too Much Time on One Question
Time pressure presents another difficulty on stand-alone exams. You will find a question that seems easy, but still be prevaricating in the hope of perfecting it before advancing to the next one. Sadly, spending ten minutes on one challenging question often means you’ll be flying through the next few!
Don’t feel that you have to answer any question once you see it. Learn to identify questions that are taking too long. Once you’ve exhausted a decent amount of time, and can’t make any progress, guess and move on.
Skipping Practice Tests
Reading notes helps, but just studying passively won’t necessarily prepare you for the actual test-taking experience of the TEAS. Many students pour over chapters in their textbook, and think because they have it down, they’re ready. Then they take a timed practice test and realize they don’t know where to put the pacing or know how to approach the questions
Practise tests ensure that you identify your weak areas, and allow you to practise these areas early on so you can put strategies in place before exam day. Practising also familiarises you with the format of the test you will be taking. Practice should not stop once you have completed a test and checked your answers however – the real benefit is gained from reading the explanations for questions you answered incorrectly.
Ignoring Why an Answer Was Wrong
Wrong is not always a problem. Doing wrong over and over again with no reflection and no understanding of why it is wrong is.
Students will often look at the right solution, learn it, and then continue. This may give a false sense of accomplishment. Ask yourself, what was it that caused me to make a mistake?
For instance, one student might get a string of mathematics questions wrong not because they don’t understand the material but because they don’t take their time with complex multi-step calculations. Yet another student may understand the science concept but pick the incorrect answer choice because they miss a critical piece of information in the question. Once the source of a mistake is recognized, practice becomes much more effective.
Relying on Memorization Alone for Science
The science section may encourage students to merely memorize a lengthy list of facts. While knowledge of terminology and fundamental ideas is useful, being able to see the relationships between concepts is also crucial.
You might have a perfect recall of the definition of a biological process but when you are asked a question which requires you to apply this knowledge to a situation you are unsure. To avoid this, it is more beneficial to learn how different systems and processes are related to each other and what Scientific principles they follow. Think about what is happening, why it is happening and what would change if a part of this process was to change.
What is concept-based studying? It is especially useful because it allows you to better answer questions that are not worded exactly the same way as the examples you practiced with.
Final Thoughts
The TEAS exam does not just measure your general knowledge of the topics. It also evaluates how well you can read attentively, pace yourself, see patterns, stay attentive, and make intelligent decisions while under stress. A great deal of points are lost by students not because they simply did not have the knowledge, but because they committed easy mistakes that could have easily been prevented with additional studying.
Practice in real situations, analyze your mistakes, strengthen your basic skills and create a reliable exam strategy and you can avoid these avoidable errors. When the exam gets tougher, don’t try to seek shortcuts. Instead, learn to understand the exam, enhance your weak points, and gain the confidence to tackle difficult questions. The point shouldn’t just be to get through the TEAS. The point should be to go into the exam self-assured enough that your score truly shows how much you know and are able to do.
