{"id":303,"date":"2026-05-19T14:51:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T14:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/?p=303"},"modified":"2026-05-20T12:55:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:55:47","slug":"teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"433\" src=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png\" alt=\"A dark blue promotional banner for Testavia Nursing. On the left, the main text reads 'TEAS TEST PREP: How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Pacing and Test-Day Tactics (2026)' with descriptive subtext about time management, section strategies, and logistics, signed 'by Testavia Nursing' at the bottom. On the right, a focused young male nursing student in light blue scrubs and a stethoscope looks down at a digital tablet showing a bar chart while holding colorful study cards.\" class=\"wp-image-304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-768x325.png 768w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1536x650.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png 1589w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To pass the TEAS test, you hit your target program&#8217;s cutoff usually 65% to 80% for BSN programs and 55% to 65% for ADN. That&#8217;s the whole game. The TEAS 7 gives you 170 questions across 209 minutes split into Reading, Math, Science, and English. You win by pacing each section at roughly 1:13 per question, front-loading anatomy and physiology, using the on-screen four-function calculator wisely, and answering every single question because skips count as wrong. If you want an adaptive platform that builds your study plan around your weakest section, our team at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Testavia<\/a> put one together specifically for TEAS applicants and retakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people who fail the TEAS didn&#8217;t fail because they didn&#8217;t know the material. Instead, they failed because they didn&#8217;t manage the clock. Or they left blanks. Or they over-studied A&amp;P and got blindsided by scientific reasoning. Honestly, the exam isn&#8217;t really an academic test. Rather, it&#8217;s a section-allocation test with academic content underneath. So once you see it that way, your prep gets a lot more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the playbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What &#8220;Passing&#8221; the TEAS Actually Means<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First things first: there is no universal pass mark. ATI doesn&#8217;t fail you. Your nursing program does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your<a href=\"https:\/\/www.atitesting.com\/teas\/exam-details\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> official ATI score report<\/a> shows three numbers: Total Composite Score (your overall percentage), Adjusted Individual Scores (per-section percentages, equated for form difficulty), and your National and Program Percentile Rank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, ATI groups TEAS 7 scores into five proficiency tiers:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"356\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155721-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155721-1.png 356w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155721-1-300x275.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The tiers don&#8217;t decide your fate. What matters is whether your composite beats your target program&#8217;s cutoff. Forget the tier label. Look up your school&#8217;s number. Aim to beat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Find Your Real Target Score Before You Study Another Hour<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, this is the step nearly everyone skips. And it&#8217;s the most important one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, email your program coordinator or pull up the admissions page. Then get their minimum TEAS composite in writing. Also, check if there&#8217;s a separate per-section minimum \u2014 some programs require 70%+ in Science specifically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, build in a buffer. If the cutoff is 70%, aim for 78%+. After all, most nursing programs admit by rank, not threshold. Hitting the minimum doesn&#8217;t get you in. However, beating the minimum by 7 or 8 points does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common cutoffs to ballpark against:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"513\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155801-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155801-1.png 513w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155801-1-300x157.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 513px) 100vw, 513px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>These are ranges, not promises. Confirm yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you&#8217;re retaking and you scored 58% last time and need 65%, that&#8217;s a 7-point gap. About 11 more correct items across the whole exam. So that&#8217;s not a heroic comeback. That&#8217;s targetable. Therefore, lock onto your two lowest sections from your last score report and throw 75% of your study time there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Pass the TEAS Test by Mastering the Pacing Map<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, most TEAS fails are pacing fails. Not knowledge fails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So here&#8217;s the per-section breakdown straight from ATI:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"736\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155834-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155834-2.png 736w, https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-19-155834-2-300x164.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the rule. If a question is taking more than twice your per-question budget, flag it and move on. Come back if time allows. After all, drowning on one item costs you three you would&#8217;ve gotten right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, English is the fastest section by design. So build a guess-and-go reflex for any item that doesn&#8217;t resolve in 60 seconds. Importantly, there is no penalty for guessing on the TEAS skipped questions count as wrong, so always submit an answer before time runs out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, that last sentence is worth reading twice. People still walk into the TEAS thinking blanks are neutral. However, they aren&#8217;t. A blank is a guaranteed loss. Meanwhile, a guess is a 25% chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Section-by-Section Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Different sections, different traps. Here&#8217;s what actually moves the needle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reading (aim ~75%)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Three question categories: main idea, details, source analysis. However, the trap is reading every passage front to back like you&#8217;re studying it. Don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, skim the passage first. Then read the question. Then go back into the passage and locate the answer. Honestly, reading for the question beats reading for comprehension every time on a timed exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, target the easy 35 questions first. Then flag the inference-heavy items and loop back. After all, Reading rewards triage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mathematics (aim ~70%)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hot topics: PEMDAS, fraction-to-decimal-to-percent conversions, one-variable algebra, geometry basics (area, volume, perimeter), word problems, and ratios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, here&#8217;s the calculator catch. The on-screen calculator is plus, minus, times, divide. Period. No square root. No parentheses. No memory. So if a problem needs (3 + 4) \u00d7 5, you&#8217;re doing the parentheses in your head. Therefore, master mental math for these gaps before test day or you&#8217;ll lose easy points to silly mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, 1:30 per question is generous. Use it. Re-read the question stem before you answer \u2014 after all, math word problems hide the actual question in the last sentence half the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Science (aim ~67% \u2014 the hardest section)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the math behind why Science is the make-or-break section. 18 of the 50 questions are anatomy and physiology. So that&#8217;s the biggest single content lever in the entire TEAS. Then biology (9), chemistry (8), and scientific reasoning (9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, if you only have 6 weeks and weak science, spend half of every science study session on A&amp;P. Body systems, cardiovascular flow, the nephron, hormones, basic neurology. After all, these topics show up over and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, ATI has been emphasizing balancing chemical equations, mitosis and meiosis, and microorganisms more in recent forms, per <a href=\"https:\/\/nurse.org\/articles\/ATI-TEAS-exam-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nurse.org&#8217;s TEAS guide<\/a>. So don&#8217;t sleep on those even though they&#8217;re a smaller portion of the section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>English &amp; Language Usage (aim ~70%)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>37 questions in 37 minutes. So this is the fastest pace on the exam. No room to re-read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, drill these specifically: pronoun-antecedent agreement, subject-verb agreement, comma rules, prefixes and suffixes, and medical-term roots. After all, those five topics cover most of the section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, if English is your second language, the pacing here punishes hesitation more than anything else. So build a 300-word TEAS vocabulary list and drill it daily. Pair every new word with a sentence in context, not just a definition. Honestly, context is what makes vocab stick under time pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Test-Day Tactics That Add Points Without More Studying<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What you do on test day can swing your score 3 to 5 points. Maybe more if you&#8217;re a panicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Night Before<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No new content. Instead, skim your formula sheet. Set two alarms. Go to bed early. Honestly, anyone who tells you to cram the night before has never passed the TEAS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Morning Of<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Eat a protein-forward breakfast. Eggs and oatmeal, not a granola bar. Water but not too much. Also, bring your ID and admission docs. Then arrive 30 minutes early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>During the Exam<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The second the section starts, dump your formulas onto scrap paper. Quadratic formula. Common conversions. Whatever you&#8217;ve been holding in your head \u2014 get it on paper before stress evicts it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, use the flag function. Mark anything that needs more than twice your pace budget and move on. Most sections give you enough time to revisit 3 to 5 flagged items if you&#8217;ve stayed on pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, run a two-pass strategy on Reading and Math. Answer everything you know first. Then loop back for the harder ones. This protects your point total when time gets tight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, remember that the on-screen calculator only appears on calculator-eligible items. So don&#8217;t waste seconds hunting for it on every Math question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Above all, answer every single question. Even pure guesses. Skips equal wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, take the optional break after Math. Three minutes of slow breathing is worth more than three minutes of extra Science review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>If You&#8217;re Retaking the TEAS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, pull your previous score report and stare at the Adjusted Individual Scores. After all, those tell you exactly where you bled points last time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, allocate your study hours proportional to your gaps. For example, if your last attempt was Science 55, Math 70, Reading 75, English 80, your split should look like 50% Science, 25% Math, 15% English, 10% Reading maintenance. So don&#8217;t study evenly. Also, don&#8217;t study what you&#8217;re already strong at. Instead, hit the wound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, about retake timing. You can retest after 14 days at an ATI Testing Center. However, plan on about 30 days when administered through your school. Also, many nursing programs cap retakes at 3 per application cycle, so check yours before you book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Above all, a retake isn&#8217;t a do-over. Rather, it&#8217;s a targeted strike on the two sections that tanked your last score. So treat it that way and your odds jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Five Reasons Smart Test-Takers Still Fail<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what the post-mortems look like, over and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, they studied content but ignored pacing. Knew the material. Ran out of time on Science. Walked out at 56%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, plenty of students skip questions. As a result, they leave blanks expecting some kind of no-penalty mercy that doesn&#8217;t exist on the TEAS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another common failure point: over-studying A&amp;P and under-studying scientific reasoning. Sure, A&amp;P is 18 questions. However, the other 32 in Science still count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many also trust free random practice questions that aren&#8217;t aligned to TEAS 7 question types. The real exam uses multi-select, hot spot, ordered response, and fill-in-the-blank items. So if your practice is all four-option multiple choice, you&#8217;re prepping for the wrong test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, some never take a diagnostic. Therefore, they study evenly instead of triaging. Even study time on uneven gaps equals mediocre results across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Honest Path<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So three things work, in this order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, a diagnostic that maps your actual weak spots, broken out by section and topic. Second, a study plan that allocates time proportional to those gaps, not evenly. Finally, weekly timed full-length practice tests that train both knowledge and pacing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, that&#8217;s the system. It&#8217;s not glamorous, but it compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So <a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/teas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">start your free trial of Testavia&#8217;s adaptive TEAS prep course<\/a> and the diagnostic builds your plan automatically based on your weakest objectives. Or grab <a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/teas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free TEAS practice tests<\/a> to see where you stand right now. Also, if you want the day-by-day calendar version of all this, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/article\/practice-test-strategy-mistakes-teas-nursing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4-, 8-, and 12-week TEAS study plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280383267\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is a passing score on the TEAS test?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Honestly, there&#8217;s no single passing score every nursing program sets its own. ADN programs typically require 55% to 65%, BSN programs 65% to 80%, and competitive programs 80%+ (the Advanced tier). So aim 7 to 10 points above the cutoff because most schools admit by rank, not threshold.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280420444\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is the TEAS test hard to pass?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Honestly, the TEAS is set at high-school-graduate academic level hard without preparation, very passable with it. However, the 209-minute length and Science section trip up the unprepared. Still, most students who study consistently for 6 to 8 weeks and take timed practice tests reach the Proficient tier (58.7%+).<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280449204\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How many times can you take the TEAS?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">ATI doesn&#8217;t publish a hard lifetime cap. However,<a href=\"https:\/\/help.atitesting.com\/how-soon-can-i-retake-the-ati-teas-exam\/\"> their retake policy<\/a> requires 14 days between attempts at an ATI Testing Center and typically 30 days for institution-administered exams. Also, most nursing programs limit you to 2 to 3 attempts per application cycle.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280479747\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can you fail the TEAS test?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Technically, you can&#8217;t fail the TEAS in the ATI sense \u2014 you&#8217;ll always get a score. However, you can score below your target program&#8217;s minimum, which means your application gets denied or pushed to the next cycle. So that&#8217;s why passing the TEAS is program-specific, not test-specific.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280507521\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Do skipped questions count against you on the TEAS?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Skipped questions count as wrong. Also, there&#8217;s no penalty for guessing, so always submit an answer. Meanwhile, use the flag function to mark uncertain items and return to them if time allows. Above all, never leave the test with blanks.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280535117\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What&#8217;s the hardest section of the TEAS?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Science. 50 questions with 18 from anatomy and physiology, plus biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning. Meanwhile, Math is second-hardest because the on-screen calculator is four-function only no square roots, no parentheses so you&#8217;ll do conversions and PEMDAS mentally.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280562487\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can you use a calculator on the TEAS test?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, an on-screen four-function calculator (plus, minus, times, divide) appears on calculator-eligible items in Math and Science. However, no square root key, no parentheses, no memory. Also, you cannot bring your own. So master mental math for conversions, fractions, and basic exponents before test day.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1779280594025\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How long should I study to pass the TEAS the first time?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Most students need 4 to 8 weeks at 1 to 2 hours per day. However, if your diagnostic is more than 15 points below your target, plan 8 to 12 weeks. Honestly, the biggest predictor of passing isn&#8217;t total hours rather, it&#8217;s whether you took at least 2 to 3 full-length timed practice tests before exam day.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So find your target. Pace each section. Front-load A&amp;P. Above all, answer every single question. Also, use the on-screen calculator like it&#8217;s free points, because it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, whether you pass or fail is decided more by how you allocate the 209 minutes than by how many hours you logged the week before. So pick your number. Then build the plan. And run the practice tests under time. Do that and the rest takes care of itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/teas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">start your free trial of Testavia&#8217;s TEAS prep course<\/a> and the diagnostic builds the retake or first-try plan around your weakest sections automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"yoast-breadcrumbs\"><span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/\">Home<\/a><\/span> \u00bb <span class=\"breadcrumb_last\" aria-current=\"page\">How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To pass the TEAS test, you hit your target program&#8217;s cutoff usually 65% to 80% for BSN programs and 55% to 65% for ADN. That&#8217;s the whole game. The TEAS 7 gives you 170 questions across 209 minutes split into Reading, Math, Science, and English. You win by pacing each section at roughly 1:13 per [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[5,23,24,62],"class_list":["post-303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-teas-blogs","tag-ati-teas","tag-ati-teas-practice-test","tag-free-ati-teas-practice-test","tag-teas-7","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Testavia Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61580496143234\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1589\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"672\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nathan Cole\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Testavianursing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Testavianursing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nathan Cole\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nathan Cole\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/56b998b052f2c32f70d8312b8f4fabd4\"},\"headline\":\"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2200,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png\",\"keywords\":[\"ATI TEAS\",\"ati teas practice test\",\"free ati teas practice test\",\"TEAS 7\"],\"articleSection\":[\"TEAS Blogs\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00\",\"description\":\"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280383267\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280420444\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280449204\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280479747\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280507521\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280535117\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280562487\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280594025\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png\",\"width\":1589,\"height\":672,\"caption\":\"A dark blue promotional banner for Testavia Nursing. On the left, the main text reads 'TEAS TEST PREP: How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Pacing and Test-Day Tactics (2026)' with descriptive subtext about time management, section strategies, and logistics, signed 'by Testavia Nursing' at the bottom. On the right, a focused young male nursing student in light blue scrubs and a stethoscope looks down at a digital tablet showing a bar chart while holding colorful study cards.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"My Blog\",\"description\":\"Testavia Blog\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Testavia Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/favicon-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/favicon-1.png\",\"width\":362,\"height\":362,\"caption\":\"Testavia Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/web.facebook.com\\\/profile.php?id=61580496143234\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/Testavianursing\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/testavianursing\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCwMYB_ZSYEzi8K-AlYb_K8g\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/Testavia\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/56b998b052f2c32f70d8312b8f4fabd4\",\"name\":\"Nathan Cole\",\"pronouns\":\"He\\\/him\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nathan Cole\"},\"description\":\"Meet Nathan, a registered nurse with over five years of experience in Medical-Surgical care, based in New York City. Having worked with a wide range of patients through some of their most vulnerable moments, Nathan brings a grounded, real-world perspective to his writing on healthcare. His goal is simple: to bridge the gap between medical knowledge and everyday understanding, making health topics feel less intimidating and more empowering for everyone. When he's not caring for patients, Nathan channels his passion for medicine into writing that educates, comforts and inspires.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/Testavia.com\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@NurseNathanCole\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/elizabethcfletcher1\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280383267\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280383267\",\"name\":\"What is a passing score on the TEAS test?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Honestly, there's no single passing score every nursing program sets its own. ADN programs typically require 55% to 65%, BSN programs 65% to 80%, and competitive programs 80%+ (the Advanced tier). So aim 7 to 10 points above the cutoff because most schools admit by rank, not threshold.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280420444\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280420444\",\"name\":\"Is the TEAS test hard to pass?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Honestly, the TEAS is set at high-school-graduate academic level hard without preparation, very passable with it. However, the 209-minute length and Science section trip up the unprepared. Still, most students who study consistently for 6 to 8 weeks and take timed practice tests reach the Proficient tier (58.7%+).\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280449204\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280449204\",\"name\":\"How many times can you take the TEAS?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"ATI doesn't publish a hard lifetime cap. However,<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/help.atitesting.com\\\/how-soon-can-i-retake-the-ati-teas-exam\\\/\\\"> their retake policy<\\\/a> requires 14 days between attempts at an ATI Testing Center and typically 30 days for institution-administered exams. Also, most nursing programs limit you to 2 to 3 attempts per application cycle.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280479747\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280479747\",\"name\":\"Can you fail the TEAS test?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Technically, you can't fail the TEAS in the ATI sense \u2014 you'll always get a score. However, you can score below your target program's minimum, which means your application gets denied or pushed to the next cycle. So that's why passing the TEAS is program-specific, not test-specific.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280507521\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280507521\",\"name\":\"Do skipped questions count against you on the TEAS?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Skipped questions count as wrong. Also, there's no penalty for guessing, so always submit an answer. Meanwhile, use the flag function to mark uncertain items and return to them if time allows. Above all, never leave the test with blanks.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280535117\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280535117\",\"name\":\"What's the hardest section of the TEAS?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Science. 50 questions with 18 from anatomy and physiology, plus biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning. Meanwhile, Math is second-hardest because the on-screen calculator is four-function only no square roots, no parentheses so you'll do conversions and PEMDAS mentally.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280562487\",\"position\":7,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280562487\",\"name\":\"Can you use a calculator on the TEAS test?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, an on-screen four-function calculator (plus, minus, times, divide) appears on calculator-eligible items in Math and Science. However, no square root key, no parentheses, no memory. Also, you cannot bring your own. So master mental math for conversions, fractions, and basic exponents before test day.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280594025\",\"position\":8,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.testavia.com\\\/blog\\\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\\\/#faq-question-1779280594025\",\"name\":\"How long should I study to pass the TEAS the first time?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Most students need 4 to 8 weeks at 1 to 2 hours per day. However, if your diagnostic is more than 15 points below your target, plan 8 to 12 weeks. Honestly, the biggest predictor of passing isn't total hours rather, it's whether you took at least 2 to 3 full-length timed practice tests before exam day.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog","description":"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog","og_description":"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/","og_site_name":"Testavia Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61580496143234","article_published_time":"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1589,"height":672,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Nathan Cole","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Testavianursing","twitter_site":"@Testavianursing","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nathan Cole","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/"},"author":{"name":"Nathan Cole","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/56b998b052f2c32f70d8312b8f4fabd4"},"headline":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)","datePublished":"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/"},"wordCount":2200,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png","keywords":["ATI TEAS","ati teas practice test","free ati teas practice test","TEAS 7"],"articleSection":["TEAS Blogs"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/","url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/","name":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026) - Testavia Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026-1024x433.png","datePublished":"2026-05-19T14:51:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-20T12:55:47+00:00","description":"How to pass the TEAS test in 2026: section-by-section tactics, pacing tables, retake strategy and test-day moves verified against the official ATI exam.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280383267"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280420444"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280449204"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280479747"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280507521"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280535117"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280562487"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280594025"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/how-to-pass-teas-test-strategy-2026.png","width":1589,"height":672,"caption":"A dark blue promotional banner for Testavia Nursing. On the left, the main text reads 'TEAS TEST PREP: How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Pacing and Test-Day Tactics (2026)' with descriptive subtext about time management, section strategies, and logistics, signed 'by Testavia Nursing' at the bottom. On the right, a focused young male nursing student in light blue scrubs and a stethoscope looks down at a digital tablet showing a bar chart while holding colorful study cards."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Pass the TEAS Test: Section Strategy (2026)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/","name":"My Blog","description":"Testavia Blog","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Testavia Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/favicon-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/favicon-1.png","width":362,"height":362,"caption":"Testavia Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61580496143234","https:\/\/x.com\/Testavianursing","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/testavianursing\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCwMYB_ZSYEzi8K-AlYb_K8g","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/Testavia\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/56b998b052f2c32f70d8312b8f4fabd4","name":"Nathan Cole","pronouns":"He\/him","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ea1e906df35b597faa4c732148b493d4a9f4748532877381a4cd960bcb4afbf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nathan Cole"},"description":"Meet Nathan, a registered nurse with over five years of experience in Medical-Surgical care, based in New York City. Having worked with a wide range of patients through some of their most vulnerable moments, Nathan brings a grounded, real-world perspective to his writing on healthcare. His goal is simple: to bridge the gap between medical knowledge and everyday understanding, making health topics feel less intimidating and more empowering for everyone. When he's not caring for patients, Nathan channels his passion for medicine into writing that educates, comforts and inspires.","sameAs":["http:\/\/Testavia.com","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NurseNathanCole"],"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/author\/elizabethcfletcher1\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280383267","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280383267","name":"What is a passing score on the TEAS test?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Honestly, there's no single passing score every nursing program sets its own. ADN programs typically require 55% to 65%, BSN programs 65% to 80%, and competitive programs 80%+ (the Advanced tier). So aim 7 to 10 points above the cutoff because most schools admit by rank, not threshold.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280420444","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280420444","name":"Is the TEAS test hard to pass?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Honestly, the TEAS is set at high-school-graduate academic level hard without preparation, very passable with it. However, the 209-minute length and Science section trip up the unprepared. Still, most students who study consistently for 6 to 8 weeks and take timed practice tests reach the Proficient tier (58.7%+).","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280449204","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280449204","name":"How many times can you take the TEAS?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"ATI doesn't publish a hard lifetime cap. However,<a href=\"https:\/\/help.atitesting.com\/how-soon-can-i-retake-the-ati-teas-exam\/\"> their retake policy<\/a> requires 14 days between attempts at an ATI Testing Center and typically 30 days for institution-administered exams. Also, most nursing programs limit you to 2 to 3 attempts per application cycle.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280479747","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280479747","name":"Can you fail the TEAS test?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Technically, you can't fail the TEAS in the ATI sense \u2014 you'll always get a score. However, you can score below your target program's minimum, which means your application gets denied or pushed to the next cycle. So that's why passing the TEAS is program-specific, not test-specific.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280507521","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280507521","name":"Do skipped questions count against you on the TEAS?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Skipped questions count as wrong. Also, there's no penalty for guessing, so always submit an answer. Meanwhile, use the flag function to mark uncertain items and return to them if time allows. Above all, never leave the test with blanks.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280535117","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280535117","name":"What's the hardest section of the TEAS?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Science. 50 questions with 18 from anatomy and physiology, plus biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning. Meanwhile, Math is second-hardest because the on-screen calculator is four-function only no square roots, no parentheses so you'll do conversions and PEMDAS mentally.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280562487","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280562487","name":"Can you use a calculator on the TEAS test?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, an on-screen four-function calculator (plus, minus, times, divide) appears on calculator-eligible items in Math and Science. However, no square root key, no parentheses, no memory. Also, you cannot bring your own. So master mental math for conversions, fractions, and basic exponents before test day.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280594025","position":8,"url":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/teas-how-to-pass-the-teas-test\/#faq-question-1779280594025","name":"How long should I study to pass the TEAS the first time?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Most students need 4 to 8 weeks at 1 to 2 hours per day. However, if your diagnostic is more than 15 points below your target, plan 8 to 12 weeks. Honestly, the biggest predictor of passing isn't total hours rather, it's whether you took at least 2 to 3 full-length timed practice tests before exam day.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":320,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303\/revisions\/320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testavia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}