Nursing Tests

There are a number of testing prerequisites to be completed prior to acceptance into Onondaga’s Nursing program: 

  • English & Reading- Students must complete OCC’s placement test with placement into English 103 and Reading 153.  
  • Math-Student must also place into, or have completed, MAT114 or greater, or have completed MAT087/088, or their equivalents within the last 2 years prior to nursing matriculation.  
  • After having completed math placement prerequisites student must take, and pass the Nursing Math Pre-test. The test is comprised of 30 questions broken up into three 10 question sections. Student must pass each section with at least 8 of the 10 questions correct. This must be passed within 2 years prior to matriculation into nursing. If the student is unable to obtain at least 8 correct answers in each section then they must remediate with the Math Diagnostic Center and then re-test. Note remediation prior to re-testing is required and that only one re-test is allowed. Nursing applicants will not be allowed to take the Nursing Math Test more than two times. 
  • Once placement testing and nursing math pre-test requirements are met student must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) with a grade of 70% or higher. 

TEAS: Test of Essential Academic Skills

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a scholastic aptitude assessment that is used as one component of the selection process for admitting students into the Nursing program at Onondaga Community College.

This computer based, supervised assessment contains four sections, 170 multiple choice questions and covers the following skill areas:

  • Reading Comprehension - paragraph comprehension, passage comprehension, and inferences/conclusions 
  • Mathematics - whole numbers, metric conversion, fractions, decimals, algebraic equations, percentages, and ratio/proportion 
  • Science - science reasoning, science knowledge, biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, basic physical principles, and general science 
  • English Skills - punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, contextual words, and spelling
Test Dates

TEAS is offered during scheduled Testing Lab hours. Students must begin testing within the first two hours of the lab opening. Example: If the lab opens at 9:00am, a student must begin testing by 11:00am.

Steps to Take TEAS

  1. Create a username and password
    • Students must register with ATI prior to taking TEAS. 
    • Log on to www.atitesting.com  
    • Click “Create An Account” and complete the user information page.
    • You must bring your username and password with you on the day of your test.
    • All payments must be made with credit or debit card on test day.  If you need to pay in advance of test day, contact testing services: testingservices@sunyocc.edu for steps to do so.
  2. Pay Testing Fees
    • The cost of a TEAS exam is $35.00 to be paid online directly to ATI through the TEAS website on the day of the exam.  For more information about TEAS, and for instructions for paying in advance, go to a Nursing Information Session.
  3. Take Your Examination
    • Report to the Gordon Student Center lobby and retrieve a testing ticket from the kiosk.
    • You must bring valid photo ID- No Exceptions
    • You must have your Username and Password.
    • No calculators allowed. 
Score Reports:

You will be able to review your scores immediately after you are done with your exam. A score report will also be sent to the institution(s) you selected. Additionally, you will need to retain your ATI User ID and Password in order to access and print your scores for future use.

For more information on TEAS:

More info on Onondaga's Nursing Program  

  • Please note: An additional non-refundable $25 exam fee is only required for students who are not applying into the Nursing program at Onondaga. If you are taking the TEAS test for another school, the exam fee is applicable. The fee must be paid prior to testing. Print out the Exam Fee Slip by clicking here and take it to the Bursar’s Office (Gordon Student Center, Room 114). Bring the stamped student copy with you on test day.
  • All transactions for proctoring fees are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date or exam.
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