Hey guys! Welcome to our insightful guide on TEAS 6 vs. TEAS 7 exams.
In this article, we’ll cover the glaring differences between these two versions of the Test of Essential Academic Skills.
By the end of this session, you’ll be familiar with the changes from the TEAS 6 exam to the TEAS 7 exam.
In short, here is what we’ll cover:
- An overview of the TEAS exam
- TEAS 6 VS. TEAS 7: Number of questions, time limit, and section changes
- TEAS 6 VS. TEAS 7: Type of questions
That said, let’s get started without wasting time.
An Overview of the TEAS Exam
The Test of Essential Academic Skills is a preliminary exam taken by students interested in nursing and other health programs.
It’s administered by the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI).
The exam evaluates whether test-takers have what it takes to pursue a health-allied or nursing program.
Most nursing schools have it as an admission requirement.
The TEAS is updated every five years to be relevant to current nursing practice.
The ATI TEAS 6 took over from TEAS V on August 31, 2016.
The TEAS 6 was phased out last year on June 3, 2022, and replaced by the ATI TEAS 7.
Hence the need for this comparison.
If you are still unsure about the changes, this article is dedicated to you.
Let’s go straight into the comparisons between the old and the new version.
TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7: Number of Questions, Time Limit, and Section Changes
The main changes between these two versions of the ATI test are the number of questions per category, types of questions, time limits, and the introduction of new subcategories.
From my findings, the total number of questions remains the same.
Let’s now delve deep into the new changes and how they contrast with the TEAS 6 exam.
The TEAS exam tests candidates on four content areas: Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage.
Let’s take a look at each of these categories:
TEAS Reading
The TEAS reading category has maintained the same subcategories:
- Key Ideas and Details
- Craft & Structure
- Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
This section of the TEAS has 45 questions, and only 39 questions are scored.
That means six questions are pretest and, therefore, unscored.
The section takes 55 minutes to complete, while previously, it took 64 minutes.
The TEAS 6 reading section had 53 questions, where 47 questions were scored and 6 were unscored.
Reading Category Comparison Table for TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7
| Categories for TEAS 7 | Number of Questions for TEAS 7/ Time Limit | Categories for TEAS 6 | Number of Questions for TEAS 6/ Time Limit |
| Reading | 39 [55 minutes] | Reading | 47 [64 minutes] |
| Key Ideas & Details | 15 | Key Ideas & Details | 22 |
| Crafts & Structure | 9 | Crafts & Structure | 12 |
| Integration of Knowledge & Idea | 15 | Integration of Knowledge & Idea | 11 |
TEAS Maths
The TEAS math section has two subcategories:
- Numbers and Algebra
- Measurements & Data
This section had 36 questions, of which 32 were scored, leaving only four unscored questions.
The time limit was 64 minutes.
Currently, TEAS version 7 takes 57 minutes to complete and has a total of 50 questions.
Among the 50 questions, only 34 are tested.
The remaining 16 are pretest questions.
Maths Category Comparison Table for TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7
| Categories for TEAS 7 | Number of Questions for TEAS 7/Time Limit | Categories for TEAS 6 | Number of Questions for TEAS 6/Time Limit |
| Maths | 34 [57 minutes] | Maths | 32 [54 minutes] |
| Numbers & Algebra | 18 | Numbers & Algebra | 23 |
| Measurements & Data | 16 | Measurements & Data | 9 |
TEAS Science
The TEAS 7 science section has two additional subcategories, Biology and Chemistry, replacing Life and Physical Sciences in TEAS 6.
That is to say, TEAS 6 had three subcategories, while TEAS 7 has four subcategories.
TEAS 7 Science subcategories
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Scientific Reasoning
TEAS 6 Science Subcategories
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Life and Physical Sciences
- Scientific Reasoning
The new version has 50 questions.
Forty-four of these are scored, and six are unscored.
The section takes an hour to complete.
The previous version, ATI TEAS 6, had 53 questions in total, where 47 questions were scored, leaving six unscored questions.
This section of the TEAS 6 took 64 minutes to complete.
Science Category Comparison Table for TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7
| Categories for TEAS 7 | Number of Questions for TEAS 7/Time Limit | Categories for TEAS 6 | Number of Questions for the TEAS 6/ Time Limit |
| Science | 44 [60 minutes] | Science | 47 [64 minutes] |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology | 18 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 32 |
| Biology | 9 | Life and Physical Sciences | 8 |
| Chemistry | 8 | Scientific Reasoning | 7 |
| Scientific Reasoning | 9 |
TEAS English and Language Usage
The subcategories remained the same except for the number of questions.
Here are the subcategories:
- Convention of Standard English
- Knowledge of Language
- Using Language for Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing
Previously, the English and Language Usage section had 24 scored questions and 4 unscored questions, bringing the total to 28.
Currently, this section has 33 scored and 4 unscored questions.
In total, there are 37 questions.
TEAS 6 English and Language Usage sections took 28 minutes to complete.
Currently, it takes 37 minutes.
English and Language Usage Category Comparison Table for TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7
| Categories for TEAS 7 | Number of Questions for TEAS 7/Time Limit | Categories for TEAS 6 | Number of Questions for the TEAS 6/Time Limit |
| English & Language Usage | 33 [37 minutes] | English & Language Usage | 24 questions [28 minutes] |
| Convention of Standard English | 12 | Convention of Standard English | 9 |
| Knowledge of Language | 11 | Knowledge of Language | 9 |
| Using Language for Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing | 10 | Using Language for Vocabulary | 6 |
TEAS 6 Vs. TEAS 7: Types of Questions
The ATI TEAS 6 exam was predominately a multiple-choice question exam.
Multiple-choice questions have four answer choices, and test-takers are supposed to choose one correct answer.
The new version has five types of questions.
The new question types include multiple-choice, multiple-select, ordered response, supply answer, and hot spot.
Here is an overview of what to expect in each of these categories of questions.
Multiple-choice
As I mentioned, multiple-choice questions have four responses, and learners must choose the correct response.
Sometimes, the multiple-choice questions come with graphs, charts, figures, and exhibits for reference.
Multiple-select
Multiple-select questions have more than one correct response.
The question here comes with “select all that apply.”
Hence, students are required to select all the correct answers.
Ordered response
This category of questions requires test-takers to place the 4-6 alternatives given into the right sequence.
Your task here is to click, drag and drop the answers in the right order.
Remember, there is no partial credit here.
All the answers must be in the correct order for full credit.
Supply answer
Supply answer questions are also known as fill-in-the-blank questions.
In my opinion, this is the trickiest type of question you’ll ever come across in TEAS version 7 because they have very detailed instructions on how to submit the answers.
What does that mean to you?
You must read the instructions carefully before you submit the answers.
This is of utmost importance because there are no partial credits if you don’t submit the answer in the format instructed.
Hot spot
Hot spot questions have an image, and test-takers are required to click the correct area of the image.
You only click one area.
As someone well-versed with the ATI TEAS 7, I recommend you take many TEAS practice tests to familiarize yourself with the type of questions.
The more practice questions you take, the easier it will be to tackle the different questions in the ATI TEAS test.
Conclusion
When it comes to TEAS 6 vs. TEAS 7, there are several differences, although the number of questions has remained the same.
The Assessment Test Technology has adjusted the types of questions tested in the exam and the number of questions in various categories and added a few subcategories.
The changes are to ensure the Test of Essential Academic Skills aligns with the ever-evolving nursing and medical field.
The goal is to test learners’ competency in relevant nursing and other health-related skills.
TEAS Vs. TEAs 7: Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a big difference between teas 6 and 7?
The difference is small. However, some notable changes include new types of questions and additional chemistry and biology subcategories in the science section. The number of questions in the different categories and the time limit for each section have also changed.
Is the TEAS 7 harder than the TEAS 6?
No. The difficulty level for the two exams is almost the same. This is because ATI updates are not designed to increase the difficulty level. The goal is to better assess the learners’ level of competency. All you need to do is prepare for the exam.
Can I use TEAS 6 to study for TEAS 7?
You can, but it’s not recommended since the new version of the exam (TEAS 7) has a few additions that its predecessor didn’t have. Before you start your exam, visit the ATI website for the TEAS 7 exam outline. With the outline, you can better prepare for the exam.
What is different about TEAS 7?
TEAS 7 has multiple-choice and alternate questions, including hot spot, multiple-select, and supply answers. The TEAS 6 had multiple-choice questions only. Also, some categories, like English and Language Usage, have more questions. Further, the science category has additional chemistry and biology subcategories.
Is the TEAS 7 the newest version?
Yes. ATI TEAS 7 is the newest version. It was rolled out on June 3, 2023. It took over from TEAS 6, which has been around since August 31, 2016. ATI upgrades the TEAS exam after every few years to keep the exam up-to-date.
What are the similarities between TEAS 6 and TEAS 7?
Both TEAS 6 and TEAS 7 have the same number of questions, that is, 170 questions. The time limit to complete the exam is also the same 209 minutes. Several categories, like reading and math, have the same subcategories. However, the content coverage has a few adjustments.
How many questions are on TEAS 7?
The exam has 170 questions that constitute multiple-choice questions and alternate questions. TEAS 7 categories are weighted differently, and their time limit differs. Be sure to check the exam outline from ATI to help you prepare accordingly. Your test prep should include a study guide, flashcards, and practice questions.
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