TEAS vs Kaplan nursing entrance exam: what is different

The two formats side by side

As of November 2026, ATI lists the TEAS 7 at 170 questions and 209 minutes: Reading has 45 questions in 55 minutes, Mathematics 38 in 57, Science 50 in 60, and English and Language Usage 37 in 37. Twenty of those questions are unscored pretest items.

Kaplan does not publish a public candidate page for its nursing admission test, so the clearest descriptions come from schools that use it. Virginia Western Community College's prep guide and Montana State University Billings City College both list four sections and 91 questions in up to 165 minutes: Reading 22 in 45 minutes, Math 28 in 45, Writing 21 in 45, and Science 20 in 30.

Where the content really differs

Science is the largest gap. ATI breaks the TEAS science section into human anatomy and physiology (18 questions), biology (9), chemistry (8) and scientific reasoning (9). The school guides describe Kaplan science as physiology only, covering systems such as cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, immune and hematological, plus electrolytes and homeostasis.

Kaplan's writing section is passage based, with nine passages assessing development, paragraph logic and mechanics, while the TEAS tests English conventions, knowledge of language and vocabulary in discrete items. Virginia Western also notes that Kaplan reports a critical thinking score built from questions spread through the exam rather than from a separate section.

Is Kaplan harder than the TEAS?

No official source compares the two, so nobody can honestly rank them. What you can compare is fit. If chemistry and general biology are weak spots, the Kaplan science section avoids them, while the TEAS includes them. If you read slowly, Kaplan's roughly two minutes per reading question is more forgiving than the TEAS at about 73 seconds.

The bigger practical difference is the cutoff. Eastern Mennonite University requires at least 50% in Kaplan science and 66% overall, Virginia Western requires a 45% composite, and MSU Billings City College accepts 65. On the TEAS, ATI says there is no universal passing score and each school sets its own minimum.

Can you take Kaplan instead of the TEAS?

Only if your program accepts it. ATI tells applicants to confirm which exam and format a school requires before registering, and Kaplan programs work the same way. A score on the wrong test does not count, and ATI states that its exam purchases are non-refundable.

Fees and retake rules also vary by school. EMU lists a $100 Kaplan fee plus a $25 proctoring fee for transfer students testing at its Career Services office, while MSU Billings City College offers the test free, allows two attempts a month apart per application process, and treats scores as valid for six months. Check the admissions page of every program on your list.

Sources

ATI TEAS exam details. TEAS 7 question counts, timing, and science subarea counts (checked November 2026)

Virginia Western Community College: Kaplan Prep Guide. Kaplan sections, questions, timing, science topics, critical thinking score, 45% composite at this school (guide dated June 2024)

Eastern Mennonite University: Kaplan Admissions Test. $100 Kaplan fee, $25 proctoring fee for transfer students, 50% science and 66% overall minimums at EMU

MSU Billings City College: Kaplan Admission Test Information. Free test, passing score of 65, two attempts a month apart, six-month validity, section breakdown

ATI: What to know before you register for the ATI TEAS. Exams are non-refundable; some schools accept only in-person campus exams and not remote transcripts