Exactly what sits between you and your nursing program application: sections, question counts, timings, sub-content areas and scoring.
| Section | Questions on screen | Scored | Unscored (pilot) | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 | 39 | 6 | 55 |
| Mathematics | 38 | 34 | 4 | 57 |
| Science | 50 | 44 | 6 | 60 |
| English & Language Usage | 37 | 33 | 4 | 37 |
| Total | 170 | 150 | 20 | 209 |
An optional 10-minute break follows the Mathematics section; it does not count against the 209 minutes. Section order is fixed, each section runs on its own clock, and you cannot return to a closed section. Within an open section you can flag questions and review freely.
| Section | Sub-content area | Scored items |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Key Ideas & Details | 15 |
| Craft & Structure | 9 | |
| Integration of Knowledge & Ideas | 15 | |
| Mathematics | Numbers & Algebra | 18 |
| Measurement & Data | 16 | |
| Science | Human Anatomy & Physiology | 18 |
| Biology | 9 | |
| Chemistry | 8 | |
| Scientific Reasoning | 9 | |
| English & Language Usage | Conventions of Standard English | 12 |
| Knowledge of Language | 11 | |
| Using Vocabulary | 10 |
Most items are four-option multiple choice. The exam also uses four alternate formats: multiple select (choose two or more from five or six options - all correct selections are required for the item to count as correct), fill-in-the-blank (type a numeric answer), ordered response (arrange four to six items into a sequence), and hot spot (click a region on an image). Around one in five questions uses an alternate format. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
Your score report shows a total score plus four content-area scores and sub-content scores, each from 0.0% to 100%. The total and content-area scores are statistically adjusted (equated) across exam forms, which means they cannot be exactly reproduced from the number of questions you answered correctly - two candidates with the same raw count can land on different totals if their forms differed in difficulty. Sub-content scores are straight percent-correct and are not comparable across forms.
ATI publishes performance-level descriptions on its score report. Independent summaries of the published cut bands describe five levels: Developmental (0.0-40.0%), Basic (40.7-58.0%), Proficient (58.7-79.3%), Advanced (80.0-91.3%) and Exemplary (92.0-100.0%). Use them as orientation only - your target is your program's cut score, and every program sets its own. Many competitive ADN and BSN programs look for Proficient or better; some set per-section minimums instead. There is no national pass mark.
For TEAS exams taken through ATI, you must wait 14 days between attempts. Exams sat at a school or testing center follow that institution's own policy, and many schools require a 30-day wait. Schools commonly cap candidates at about three attempts per year, and every scored attempt - even one you do not send to a school - stays on your record. Check your program's policy before booking a retake.
PrepSettle's Math drill and English & Language Usage drill are free with no account, with Reading and Science drills and a full-length timed simulation in build. ATI's own free practice test offers 60 questions (15 per subject) with rationales but requires an ATI account and a checkout at $0.00, and the questions are identical on every attempt.
Last verified: 28 September 2026. Sources: ATI's exam-details page, ATI's help-center articles on sections and timing, question types, scoring and retakes. If any figure changes, the table above gets updated with a new date.