How the composite is calculated
The TEAS 7 presents 170 questions and scores 150 of them. Your composite is the percentage of those 150 you answered correctly, so each section counts in proportion to how many scored questions it holds:
| Section | Questions | Scored | Share of the composite |
|---|
| Reading | 45 | 39 | 26.0% |
| Mathematics | 38 | 34 | 22.7% |
| Science | 50 | 44 | 29.3% |
| English and language usage | 37 | 33 | 22.0% |
That is why averaging your four section scores gives the wrong number. A weak Science section costs more than a weak English section of the same size, because Science holds more of the scored questions. The calculator multiplies each section score by its share and adds the four results.
What the levels mean
ATI reports an Academic Preparedness Level beside the composite. For TEAS Version 7 the bands are:
| Level | Composite score |
|---|
| Exemplary | 92.0 and above |
| Advanced | 80.0 to 91.3 |
| Proficient | 58.7 to 79.3 |
| Basic | 40.7 to 58.0 |
| Developmental | 0.0 to 40.0 |
Many pages still quote the Version 6 bands, which are different. What TEAS score you needexplains what programs do with the level and with the number.
What programs typically require
| Program type | Typical range |
|---|
| LPN / PN program | 55–65 |
| ADN (community college) | 60–70 |
| BSN program | 70–80 |
| Competitive or selective BSN | 80–90+ |
These are typical ranges, not rules. Every program sets its own requirement, some set a minimum for each section as well, and the only number that counts is the one on your program's admissions page.
What to do with the gap
A gap in points is a number of questions: each scored question is worth about 0.67 points. The useful question is which questions are cheapest to win. That depends on how much of the exam a topic carries and how fast it responds to practice, which is what the study plan generator works out from the same four scores.