1. Do a Diagnostic Test Before You Study Anything
The piece of advice that comes up the most: don't start reviewing content on day one. First, take a full-length timed practice test. Use the actual section limits (Reading 55 min, Math 57 min, Science 60 min, English 37 min). This informs you just where your time is best spent, rather than studying each portion evenly no matter where you actually need aid.
Problem it solves: Time wasted over-studying things you already know, and under-preparing for your real weak places.
2. Begin science instruction with anatomy and physiology
Anatomy & Physiology is the largest section in the Science section of the exam therefore students who have passed easily always tell you to start there rather than splitting your time evenly between Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Scientific Reasoning from day 1.
Problem solved: Getting the most weighted content done before you run out of prep time.
3. Don’t leave Chemistry & Biology as Separate Topics
A common regret for students who scored lower than expected: thinking “Science” was largely anatomy and barely touching chemistry and biology, which are examined as their own unique curriculum areas on the current exam.
Problem it solves: Scoring lower than expected on Science yet being confident in anatomy specifically.
4. Do manual math conversions, not only calculator conversions
The on-screen calculator offered for the Math portion is basic four function only – no fraction or scientific functions. Students that passed easily explicitly note practicing conversion of fractions to decimals and basic mathematics by hand well ahead of test day, not expecting the calculator to do all the work.
Problem solved: Wasting time during a test trying to get around a calculator constraint you didn't know about beforehand.
5. Practice All Five Types of Questions — Not Just Multiple Choice
TEAS 7 is offered in multiple choice, multiple choose, fill-in-the-blank, hot spot, and ordered response forms. Students who used out-of-date or multiple-choice-only preparation materials often say they were surprised by “select all that apply” questions, which do not allow partial credit and require the student to identify all of the correct answers.
Problem it solves: Losing points not because of lack of topic knowledge, but because of unfamiliarity with how to tackle an unfamiliar question style under time pressure.
6. Create a System by System Review of Anatomy
Students who felt best prepared talk about organizing review by bodily system – circulatory, respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal etc., one system at a time, with clear boundaries between sessions, as opposed to considering anatomy and physiology as one big, undifferentiated block.
What it does for you: The feeling of being overwhelmed with a huge, unruly pile of anatomy stuff with no obvious beginning or end.
7. Practice Scanning Passages not full re-reads
One recommendation repeated in the Reading section is to learn how to scan for the part of the passage the question is referring to, instead of reading the whole passage from the start if you don’t know the answer.
Problem it solves: Running out of time in Reading, even if you know the topic really well, simply because you aren’t reading efficiently under time pressure.
8. Take Several Full-Length, Timed Practice Tests Before Test Day
Beyond specific practice questions, students who tell us they felt calm and prepared on test day all regularly cite taking multiple full, timed practice tests in the weeks leading up to their exam — not just reviewing content but practicing the pacing and stamina needed for a 209-minute test.
The problem it addresses is the mental tiredness and pace pressure of the real test that might creep up on you, even if you went over the material thoroughly.
9. Always Answer Every Question, Even If It Is an Educated Guess
There is no penalty for guessing on the TEAS, but a blank answer is the same as an incorrect answer. Students who pass say they never left a question unanswered, even if they were running out of time at the end of a session.
Problem solved. Instead of losing easy points that you could have gotten by just running out of time and leaving questions blank instead of guessing reasonably.
10. Conduct a Diagnostic-Driven Review, Not a Full Restart Before Retake
The most common advise for the second attempt for students who don’t pass the first time is to look at their Individual Performance Profile and see what sub-topics cost them the most points, rather than to study everything from the beginning.
Problem solved: Stop wasting precious retake prep time studying subjects that didn't really contribute to the lower score.
Common Problems Students Run Into Applying These Tips
Problem: “I don’t know which of these tips are the most relevant for my situation. Solution: Use your diagnostic test results to determine prioritizing. If Science is your weakest section, then suggestions 2, 3 and 6 are the most relevant to you personally. If pacing is your problem, then focus on recommendations 7 and 8.
The problem is, I'm attempting to accomplish it all at once and I feel overwhelmed. Solution: Don’t try to do all of these things at once. Start with a diagnostic exam, then move on to targeted topic review, question-type familiarity, and full-length practice tests as your date approaches.
Problem: “I used most of these tips and still felt rushed on exam day.” Solution: If pacing was your unique challenge despite topic prep, go back to tip 8 in particular – full-length, timed practice in realistic situations is the one habit that most directly improves exam-day pacing comfort, more than further content review alone.
Final Thoughts
None of these ten habits are complicated in themselves, but they are a truly different approach than reading a textbook cover to cover and hoping for the best. First, diagnose, then focus on the highest-weighted content, practice the actual question formats you will see on test day, and build real test-day stamina with full-length timed practice – this combination, more than any single trick, is what separates a stressful, unfocused study period, from a confident, well-prepared one.
