During a remote ATI TEAS® exam, the proctoring system records you and your screen, and a live proctor or the exam administrator reviews anything unusual. A flag is a note that something needs a second look; it is not an automatic penalty. Most flags come from a handful of avoidable causes, listed below.
The most common reasons exams get flagged
- Leaving the camera’s view. This is the number one reason. Stay centered on camera with your testing area visible for the entire exam, except during the scheduled break.
- ID problems. No ID photo captured during the pre-checks, an unreadable ID, or a name on the ID that does not match the ATI account. Approved IDs · Fix the name on your account
- Another person in the room, or voices and conversation in the background. Only the test-taker may be in the room.
- Looking away from the screen for extended periods, or repeatedly looking down or to the side.
- Items in the testing area: phones, smartwatches, smart glasses, notes, books, a second screen, a personal calculator, or drinks and food on the desk. Only your computer, ID, and one sheet of paper or a small whiteboard with two writing instruments are allowed.
- Headphones or earbuds, unless an accommodation has been approved.
- Anything worn on your head. No head coverings of any kind are allowed: hats (including worn backwards), hoods, bonnets, stocking caps, beanies, headbands, scarves, or wraps. “My face is still visible” does not make it allowed. The only exception is a head covering worn for religious reasons. A head covering worn for religious reasons, such as a hijab or another familiar religious head covering, is allowed and does not need to be requested in advance; the proctor approves it at check-in. Bonnets, shower caps, and plain scarves or wraps are not recognized as religious head coverings and must be removed. Head coverings during the TEAS
- Testing in a public location, such as a car, coffee shop, or open library area, or sitting with your back to a window.
- Talking or reading questions aloud. Speak only if you need to explain an interruption to the camera.
- Leaving your seat outside the scheduled break.
What happens when something is flagged
- Usually nothing you will see. ATI proctors do not have chat and cannot message you during the exam. If a problem is serious enough to deny or stop your exam, a message appears on your screen with the reason (for example, an ID that could not be read or a name that does not match your account); most of these you can fix and relaunch. If the reason is not one of the standard messages, the screen just says you were denied and the proctor team emails you the reason. Otherwise the software simply records the event and you will not know whether anything was flagged. Why would I be denied by my proctor?
- After the exam, every TEAS at ATI recording is reviewed by ATI’s Video Review team, which is overseen by ATI Test Security. The team decides whether a flagged event affected exam integrity; subtle, ordinary movements are rarely a problem. For school-proctored exams, your school’s exam administrators do this review.
- Serious or repeated violations can invalidate your attempt.
How to avoid flags
Set up a private room and clear desk, do the Dry Run in that room, complete every pre-check including the ID photo, and stay on camera. Room requirements for a remote exam · TEAS Exam Day Requirements and Expectations
Frequently asked questions
Can I have tissues or medication at my desk?
Tissues: no, and exceptions are not given. If you need to blow your nose, you will have to step away from the desk to do it. Medication: for a TEAS at ATI exam, email the proctor team at [email protected] before test day. Tissues during a remote exam
Who decides what counts as cheating?
For TEAS at ATI exams, ATI’s Video Review team, overseen by ATI Test Security, reviews the recording of every exam after it ends and decides whether a flagged event compromised exam integrity. For exams proctored by your school, the school chooses which behaviors are monitored, and its exam administrators make that call. In both cases a person reviews the recording; the software only flags, it does not decide.
Will I get flagged for looking at the clock, stretching, or moving around?
Small, natural movements are unlikely to be flagged: glancing at a wall clock, shifting in your seat, stretching, or looking down at your scratch paper. What draws attention is repeatedly looking off-screen in the same direction, turning away from the camera, or leaving the camera’s view. Even when something is flagged, the Video Review team looks at the recording afterward and decides whether it was actually a problem, so a flag by itself is not a penalty.
Will I get flagged for taking a bathroom break?
Not if you take it at the scheduled time. The exam has exactly one break: 10 minutes between the math and science sections. Step away then, leave your camera on, and be back within 10 minutes. Do not take breaks at any other point, including between other sections. Leaving your seat at any other time can be flagged, especially if you are away for long, and the proctor usually will not stop you in the moment; the recording is reviewed afterward. Bathroom breaks during the TEAS
Someone walked into the room. What do I do?
Ask them to leave right away and briefly explain what happened out loud to the camera. Keep testing; the proctor sees the explanation.
Will I know if I was flagged?
Not during the exam. ATI proctors do not have chat, so no one will message you about a flag while you test. If your exam is denied or stopped, you will see a message on screen with the reason, or, for reasons outside the standard list, an email from the proctor team explaining why. After the exam, if your attempt is held for review, you will be contacted. For TEAS at ATI exams, that message comes from ATI Test Security at [email protected], not from the proctor team or Customer Support, and it will include your next steps and who to reply to. For school-proctored exams, your school contacts you.
For TEAS at ATI exams, the review happens while your score is in Preliminary status. Once your score is marked final, your exam has cleared review. On rare occasions a finalized exam is pulled back for review, but that is uncommon.