How is TEAS 7 Exam Scored? And What is a Good Score?

You are preparing for the TEAS and must have many questions regarding the exam. Your most important question might be, how is TEAS 7 scored? And what score do you require to get into a good nursing program? So let us understand the ATI TEAS 7 exam and learn about the scoring system, the scores, and the minimum score you need in the exam.

What Is ATI TEAS 7?

TEAS stands for the Test of Essential Academic Skills, and ATI, Assessment Technologies Institute, is the company that makes the test.

It evaluates how ready you are for entering the medical field. In addition, it determines if you have the base of knowledge and skills required for learning to become a nurse. You can take the test as a proctored exam at an educational institute, a testing centre, or as a remote proctored test through ATI.

The TEAS upgrades every five years to keep it up to date with the latest nursing standards. Hence TEAS 6 is switching to TEAS 7 on 3 June 2022.

Will the Scoring System Change In TEAS 7?

Category Of Question For TEAS 7	Number of Questions For TEAS 7	Category Of Question For TEAS 6	Number of Questions For TEAS 6
Reading Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration and Knowledge and Ideas	39 15 9 15	Reading Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration and Knowledge and Ideas	47 22 14 11
Math Numbers and Algebra Measurement and Data	34 18 16	Math Numbers and Algebra Measurement and Data	32 23 9
Science Human Anatomy and Physiology Biology Chemistry Scientific Reasoning	44 18 9 8 9	Science Human Anatomy and Physiology Life and Physical Sciences Scientific Reasoning	47 32 8 7
English and Language Usage Conventions of Standard English Knowledge of Language Using Language and Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing.	33 12 11 10	English and Language Usage Conventions of Standard English Knowledge of Language Using Language and Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing	24 9 9 6

No, the scoring system will remain the same, and you will be scored in the same manner as in TEAS 6. Though the number of questions asked per section has changed, the overall number of questions remains the same. Just as before, the test will have 170 questions, of which 150 will be scored, and 20 will be unscored. The changes in the number of questions in each section are as follows-

How is TEAS 7 Scored? 

The TEAS 7 exam uses Equating to score your exam. Equating gives more weightage to some types of questions than others. But you have no way of knowing which questions have higher weightage. Hence it is wise to give equal importance to every question.

After completing the test, you will get a composite score and a subscore for each content area. The composite score will reflect your overall performance in the exam, and the individual subscores will reflect your performance in each section of the TEAS exam. The  composite score is your main score, but some programs may require you have a specific minimum score for all four sections of the TEAS.

The students taking the TEAS through a computer will get their scores immediately. However, those who take the paper version of the test will have to wait for ATI to grade their exam.

Does ATI TEAS 7 Have Negative Marking?

No, the ATI TEAS 7 does not have any negative marking system, so make sure to attempt all the questions.

How To Read Your TEAS Score? 

You will get your TEAS 7 scores in terms of percentages for each exam section. Depending on your overall score, you will also be given an Academic Preparedness Level to determine your readiness to attend a health science program. The Academic Preparedness Levels for TEAS scores are as follow-

1. Exemplary→ 92.0%-100%
2. Advanced→ 80.0%-91.3%
3. Proficient→ 58.7%-79.3%
4. Basic→ 40.7%-58.0%
5. Developmental→ 0.0%-40.7%

Also, there are four individual scores and two rankings given to you to help you understand your overall performance in the exam compared to other students. The following table contains the meaning of the scores and rankings you will get in your TEAS 7 Exam-

1. Adjusted Composite Score→ This is your overall score that determines your pass/fail decision.
2. Adjusted Subscale Score→ This is your score in each subtest/ subsection of the exam.
3. National Mean Score→ This is the score that compares your score with other test-takers around the country.
4. Program Mean Score→ It is the average score in a particular nursing program.
5. National Percentile Rank→ This represents the percentage of students who achieved below your score.
6. Program Percentile Rank→ This rank represents the percentage of students who performed below you and are in the same program as you.

What Is The Minimum Score That You Require for TEAS 7?

The score you require to enter nursing school depends highly upon the school you apply to. But most nursing schools will accept you if you have a TEAS 7 score between 60-70%.

Your acceptance into a nursing program also depends upon your Academic Preparedness Levels. If you have an Advance or Exemplary APL, you have a high chance of getting accepted into a good nursing program. If you have a Proficient APL, it is a competitive score. It indicated that you have a general understanding of the nursing field and are eligible to attend nursing school. Whereas getting a Basic AFL means that you have a basic knowledge of medical sciences and will be allowed to apply for nursing school. But your chances of acceptance will be pretty low. And a Developmental ADL means that you are not prepared to enter nursing school and need to work more to gain knowledge and skills.

Ideally, you must try to get an above 80% score, but your score must at least be above 60% if you want to attend a decent nursing school.

It is stressful to appear for any exam that determines your career and future, but you should not be afraid. The exam means to help upskill yourself to attend nursing school. If you prepare well, you will get an excellent score and enter your dream college. If you want to know more about the latest changes that TEAS 7 will bring, you can read our blog. Here is the link-