Your ATI TEAS total score is an adjusted score, not a simple average of the four section scores. Your school decides the score it accepts and the retake rules that apply. Start with your Individual Performance Profile, the testing format you used, and the requirements of each program receiving your results. How ATI scores the TEAS, ATI's pre-registration checklist.
Official ATI guidance checked November 9, 2026. This guide explains the report, score availability, transcripts, and retake questions to resolve before booking another exam.
What the TEAS score report shows
ATI calls the report your Individual Performance Profile, or IPP. Open the Results tab in the account you used to test, find the TEAS assessment under proctored assessments, and select the exam name. You can download the report from the results area or the IPP. ATI instructions for accessing your score report.
| Report item | What you should use it for |
|---|---|
| Adjusted individual total score | Compare the reported result with the total-score requirement specified by your program. |
| Content-area scores | Review Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage separately, including any section minimums your program specifies. |
| Sub-content-area results | Locate narrower topics that need attention; do not treat every small category as equally informative across different exam forms. |
| Academic preparedness level | Read ATI's descriptive classification alongside the score; the label is not an admission decision. |
| National mean and percentile information | Understand the reference-group comparison without confusing it with the number of items answered correctly. |
| Topics to Review | Identify objectives for your next study sessions. |
The report includes the score and preparedness fields, section results, comparisons, and topics to review. ATI uses the labels Developmental, Basic, Proficient, Advanced, and Exemplary for academic preparedness. Read the actual label on your report rather than assigning one from an unrelated version's chart. ATI IPP field guide.
What does “adjusted” mean?
ATI explains that total and content-area scores are equated: they reflect correct responses with an adjustment for differences between exam forms. They are not the same calculation as a raw percentage of a question list. Consequently, you cannot reconstruct the total score by averaging the four section scores, or reconstruct an adjusted section score from its sub-content results. ATI scoring explanation.
Sub-content-area scores are different: ATI describes them as the percentage correct within that area, without equating across forms. Use those smaller categories to guide review, not as interchangeable measures when comparing different forms. ATI's distinction between score types.
Score, percentile, and preparedness level answer different questions
- The score is the result your program may use in its admissions rules.
- A percentile describes where performance falls relative to the report's comparison group; it is not a percentage-correct conversion.
- The preparedness level is ATI's classification on that report; it does not tell you whether a specific program has accepted you.
For example, do not copy a national percentile into an application field that asks for the adjusted total score. Use the exact field named by the school and ask admissions if its wording is unclear. The sample linked from ATI's current scoring page separates scores from percentile comparisons; its example numbers are not current admission requirements. ATI sample score report.
When will my TEAS score be available?
The answer depends on who administered the test. These are the main computer-based formats described in ATI's current guidance:
| Testing format | What to expect |
|---|---|
| TEAS at ATI, remotely proctored by ATI | A preliminary result is available after the exam. ATI says it becomes final four business days after the exam date, excluding weekends and major holidays. |
| TEAS at an institution, in person or remotely proctored through the school | Scores generally appear after testing, but the school can disable immediate score viewing. Ask that institution if the result is not visible. |
| TEAS at PSI | ATI says results can take up to 48 hours to appear because PSI sends results to ATI. |
Use the format-specific instructions for your exam; do not assume every candidate receives a final transcript immediately. ATI also gives separate instructions for paper-pencil exams. ATI score-availability guidance, ATI's format-by-format FAQ.
What does the preliminary watermark mean?
For TEAS at ATI, the watermark means the score is not yet final. ATI says it is removed when the score is finalized after four business days. A transcript requested while the score is preliminary is held until finalization. You can still use the report and Focused Review to begin organizing study. ATI preliminary-score policy.
Your report is not the same as sending an official transcript
Viewing or downloading a report is one step. Making sure the receiving school has the official transcript is another.
ATI says TEAS at ATI and TEAS at PSI candidates must initiate transcript sending through their account. For exams taken through an institution, the transcript is sent to that institution; sending to another school is a separate action. Confirm that the destination accepts your exam format and testing location before making a submission. ATI transcript instructions by exam type.
For TEAS at ATI, open your results and use Send Transcript for the intended exam and school. If the score is still preliminary, the request is queued until finalization. Check the confirmation and your application's status instead of assuming that a score visible to you is already in the admissions file. ATI transcript-sending instructions.
How soon can I retake the TEAS?
ATI's current guidance says ATI does not require a waiting period between TEAS attempts. Your school or program sets its retake policy. A blanket “ATI requires 30 days” rule should not replace the current instructions for your program. ATI retake policy.
Before registering again, get answers from each program you are applying to:
- What total and section scores are required?
- How many attempts are allowed, and over what period?
- Is there a required wait between attempts?
- Which result is used: highest, most recent, first, or another stated method?
- Does the program accept the format and location where you plan to test?
- How old may the score be for this application cycle?
- When must the official transcript arrive?
Every attempt matters to that planning: ATI says schools can see attempt history, including attempts for which you do not send a transcript. ATI also says score-acceptance periods are set by schools; two years is common, not a universal promise. ATI questions to resolve before registering.
Use the first report to plan the next study cycle
Start with the Topics to Review list rather than repeatedly calculating a new target score from a percentile chart. ATI's personalized TEAS Focused Review organizes missed topics by content area and links to study material. Open it from the Focused Review column next to your assessment in the Results tab. ATI TEAS Focused Review instructions.
A practical study cycle is:
- Pick one objective you cannot yet explain.
- Review the relevant material, then answer fresh practice questions on that objective.
- Write why your answer is supported by the passage, data, calculation, or concept given.
- Revisit the objective later, and include mixed review across the four content areas.
- Check that your next date fits both your preparation and the program's application rules.
This is a study-planning method, not a promised score increase. For arithmetic practice with nursing applications, the dosage-calculation guide can provide additional unit-setup exercises. It is not a TEAS blueprint or a TEAS score predictor. The free quiz directory is NCLEX-style nursing practice, so use the official TEAS content outline and your Topics to Review to choose appropriate TEAS preparation. ATI TEAS section and content guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What TEAS score is passing?
There is no universal school admission cutoff. Ask each program for its total-score and section requirements and how the score is used in selection. ATI's explanation of school score requirements.
Can I average my Reading, Math, Science, and English scores?
Not to calculate ATI's adjusted total. ATI explicitly says the content-area scores cannot be used to calculate that total. Use the reported total instead. ATI scoring rules.
Can I retake only the lowest-scoring section?
ATI says you must take all four sections in one sitting to receive the total score and academic preparedness level. Improving the score requires retaking the whole exam, even if a program emphasizes certain sections. ATI section and retake guidance.
Can I hide an attempt by not sending that transcript?
Do not plan on it. ATI says attempts are recorded and schools can see the history. Check the school's policy before adding another attempt. ATI retake guidance.
Does “Proficient” mean I am admitted?
No. It is a preparedness label on the ATI report. The program's own requirements and selection process still apply. Read the report and the school's policy together. ATI report fields.
What if my score is missing?
First check the ATI account used for testing and the instructions for your testing format. Ask the school about disabled score posting for institution-administered exams; use ATI's support instructions for other account or posting questions. ATI score-availability guidance.
