TEAS Test-Day Checklist: What to Do Before and During the Exam
Preparing for the ATI TEAS involves more than reviewing science, mathematics, reading, and English. You also need to understand your testing arrangements, organize the required materials, and arrive ready to follow the exam rules. A simple checklist can reduce avoidable stress and help you focus on the assessment itself.
1. Confirm your testing arrangements
Before exam day, check your ATI account and the instructions provided by your testing location or institution. Confirm
- Your exam date and start time.
- Whether you are testing remotely or at a testing centre.
- The identification documents you must present.
- The current check-in and arrival instructions.
- Which items are permitted and which must be stored away.
- Whether your school requires scores to be sent through a particular process.
Do not assume that requirements are identical at every institution or testing location. Follow the instructions associated with your own appointment.
2. Prepare the day before
Avoid leaving important arrangements until the morning of the exam. If testing in person, confirm the address and plan your route. Allow extra time for traffic, parking, or public transportation. If testing remotely, review the current technical requirements and proctoring instructions. Check your computer, internet connection, webcam, microphone, and testing environment if these are part of the approved setup. Prepare permitted identification and any other required materials. Do not bring prohibited notes, devices, or accessories into the testing environment.
3. Review strategically
The day before the exam is usually not the best time to attempt to relearn every topic. Review concise notes, formulas, vocabulary, and concepts you have previously studied. Complete a short practice session if it helps you feel prepared, but avoid a long session that leaves you exhausted. Your goal is to reinforce familiar information and identify anything essential that still needs attention. Get enough sleep and eat a meal or snack beforehand if permitted and appropriate for your testing schedule.
4. Manage your time during the exam
The TEAS contains multiple sections, and each section has its own time allocation. The current official ATI details list 170 total questions and 209 minutes, including unscored questions. Verify the latest information and your specific appointment instructions before test day. During the exam:
- Read the complete question before selecting an answer.
- Pay attention to words such as except, most likely, and best.
- Avoid spending too long on one difficult item.
- Use the time remaining to review when the platform and rules permit.
- Follow all proctor instructions.
If a question feels unfamiliar, eliminate clearly incorrect options and use what you know. Randomly changing answers without a reason can introduce new errors.
5. Know what to do after the exam
Follow the instructions for receiving and sharing your results. Check whether your chosen nursing program requires an official score report and whether it has minimum scores or retake rules. If you need to retake the exam, review your score report and identify the sections that need the most attention. Create a targeted plan rather than repeating the same study routine without changes.
Final thoughts
A successful exam day begins with preparation. Confirm the rules, organize your logistics, sleep well, and use a calm, consistent approach to each question. You cannot control every exam question, but you can control how prepared you are to take the test.
