- TX PACT 738 is a 125-question, computer-administered exam covering five life science domains for grades 7-12.
- Genetics and Evolution carries the heaviest weight at 27%, more than any other domain.
- The passing scaled score is 240, and the base exam fee is $106 through Pearson VUE.
- You get 3 hours of testing time within a 3 hour 15 minute total appointment, plus an on-screen scientific calculator.
What TX PACT 738 Certification Actually Is
TX PACT: Life Science: Grades 7-12 (738) is a content-knowledge exam developed under the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and administered by Pearson through Pearson VUE test centers. It exists to confirm that a candidate entering a Texas educator preparation program (EPP) has the science background needed to teach life science to secondary students before that candidate moves further into certification coursework.
It's easy to get this confused with unrelated credentials that share the "TX PACT 738" shorthand elsewhere online. For clarity on the exact identity of this exam, see What Is TX PACT 738? and TX PACT 738 Meaning. If you want a plain-language breakdown of the acronym itself, What Does TX PACT 738 Stand For? walks through it in detail.
Who Needs This Exam and Why
Not every aspiring life science teacher in Texas has to take TX PACT 738. It's specifically required for admission when a candidate's GPA falls below 2.5 or when they have fewer than 15 relevant subject-area semester credit hours. Candidates applying for EPP admission or transfer must hold a bachelor's degree or be in their final semester, and they need a TEA ID before registering. Individual EPPs are also permitted to layer on additional requirements beyond the state minimum.
For a full rundown of who qualifies and what documentation is needed, check TX PACT 738 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you're still trying to figure out whether this exam applies to your situation at all, What Is A TX PACT 738? and What Does TX PACT 738 Mean? cover the basics from a candidate's-eye view.
Exam Format, Fee, and Scoring
TX PACT 738 is a computer-administered exam consisting of 125 selected-response questions. Some unscored field-test items may be mixed in without being labeled, so every question deserves genuine attention even if a handful don't count toward your score. You're given 3 hours of actual testing time, and the full appointment runs 3 hours 15 minutes once you add the 15-minute tutorial and compliance agreement at the start.
The base exam fee is $106, paid when you register through Pearson VUE. A scientific calculator is provided on-screen, so you don't need to bring your own. The passing scaled score is 240.
Key Takeaway
Budget the full 3 hours 15 minutes for your appointment, not just the 3-hour testing window - arriving late or skipping the tutorial time can compress your actual answer time.
For a line-by-line breakdown of what that $106 fee covers and whether retakes cost extra, see TX PACT 738 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. If your main question is simply "what score do I need," TX PACT 738 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass explains the 240 scaled score in more depth.
The Five Domains You'll Be Tested On
The official framework organizes TX PACT 738 into five domains and 15 competencies. Domain weights are approximate, but they tell you exactly where to invest your limited study hours.
Domain 1: Nature of Science (20%)
Covers scientific inquiry, experimental design, lab safety, and how scientific knowledge is built, tested, and revised.
- Distinguishing hypotheses, theories, and laws
- Interpreting experimental controls and variables
- Safe laboratory practice and equipment use
Domain 2: Biochemistry and Cell Biology (13%)
The smallest weighted domain, but still foundational - it covers macromolecules, cell structure, energy transformations, and cellular processes.
- Photosynthesis and cellular respiration pathways
- Enzyme function and biochemical reactions
- Cell organelles and membrane transport
Domain 3: Genetics and Evolution (27%)
The largest domain on the exam by a clear margin. Expect deep coverage of heredity, molecular genetics, and evolutionary mechanisms.
- Mendelian inheritance and genetic crosses
- DNA replication, transcription, and translation
- Natural selection, speciation, and evidence for evolution
Domain 4: Biological Unity and Diversity (20%)
Focuses on classification, comparative anatomy and physiology, and the shared and divergent traits across life forms.
- Taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships
- Structure and function across organism groups
- Homeostasis and organ system interactions
Domain 5: Ecology and Environment (20%)
Covers ecosystems, energy flow, population dynamics, and human impact on the environment.
- Food webs, trophic levels, and energy pyramids
- Population growth models and limiting factors
- Biogeochemical cycles and human environmental impact
Because Genetics and Evolution alone accounts for more than a quarter of the exam, it deserves proportionally more of your review time than any other single domain. For competency-level detail across all five areas, see TX PACT 738 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.
Registration, Scheduling, and Retake Rules
Once you register, you must schedule and take the exam within 170 days. Testing is available year-round by appointment at Pearson VUE test centers across Texas and nationwide, so there's no fixed "testing window" to wait for - you pick a date that works once you're ready. For scheduling logistics and how to avoid registration deadline mistakes, see TX PACT 738 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
If you don't pass on the first try, you must wait at least 30 days before retesting, and your prior results need to be posted to ECOS before you can register again. Candidates affiliated with an EPP also need retest approval from that program. There's some nuance in the attempt limits: PACT taken for EPP admission or charter-school assignment purposes is exempt from the standard five-attempt limit, but intensive pre-service candidates remain subject to it.
Building a Domain-Weighted Prep Plan
Rather than studying every domain equally, allocate time in rough proportion to exam weight. That means Genetics and Evolution (27%) gets the largest block, followed by Nature of Science, Biological Unity and Diversity, and Ecology and Environment (each 20%), with Biochemistry and Cell Biology (13%) getting a lighter but still deliberate pass.
Genetics and Evolution
- Review Mendelian genetics, molecular processes, and evolutionary evidence - the heaviest-weighted domain deserves the first and longest block
Nature of Science & Biological Unity and Diversity
- Alternate practice questions between experimental design concepts and organism classification/physiology topics
Ecology and Environment & Biochemistry and Cell Biology
- Finish with ecosystem dynamics and cellular processes, then run full-length practice sets under timed conditions
Simple review techniques like active recall on flashcards, or spaced review sessions spread across these three weeks, work well for memorizing terminology-heavy content like taxonomy or biochemical pathways - just anchor them to the domain schedule above rather than studying randomly. For a more complete week-by-week prep framework, see TX PACT 738 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and if you want a sense of how challenging candidates generally find this exam, How Hard Is the TX PACT 738 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 is a useful companion read.
You can reinforce domain-by-domain practice using full-length simulated exams on our practice test platform, which mirrors the 125-question, selected-response format you'll see on test day.
Key Takeaway
Don't split study time evenly across five domains - weight your hours to match the exam's actual point distribution, with Genetics and Evolution getting noticeably more attention.
After You Pass: What Comes Next
Passing TX PACT 738 clears you for admission into your EPP's life science teaching track - it does not, by itself, make you a certified teacher. Certification is a separate process that follows later in your program. If you're weighing whether pursuing this pathway makes sense for your career plans, Is the TX PACT 738 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 lays out the considerations, and TX PACT 738 Jobs looks at where this background tends to lead. For general earnings context in the field, TX PACT 738 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis and TX PACT 738 Training are useful next reads once you've cleared this hurdle.
If you're curious how other candidates have fared statewide, TX PACT 738 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows covers the historical best-attempt data by program year. And for a fast pre-test review the morning of your appointment, bookmark TX PACT 738 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
| Exam Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Question count | 125 selected-response items (plus possible unscored field-test items) |
| Testing time | 3 hours (3 hours 15 minutes total appointment) |
| Base fee | $106 |
| Passing scaled score | 240 |
| Domains | 5 domains, 15 competencies |
| Largest domain weight | Genetics and Evolution - 27% |
| Registration window | Must schedule and test within 170 days of registering |
Frequently Asked Questions
No. TX PACT 738 supports admission into an educator preparation program for life science, grades 7-12. Teaching certification is a separate, later process handled through different requirements.
Genetics and Evolution, which accounts for 27% of the exam - the largest share of any of the five domains, ahead of Nature of Science, Biological Unity and Diversity, and Ecology and Environment, which are each weighted at 20%.
Yes, an on-screen scientific calculator is provided as part of the computer-administered test - you don't need to bring your own.
You must wait at least 30 days between attempts, and your prior results need to be posted to ECOS before rescheduling. Affiliated candidates also need EPP retest approval.
Not necessarily. It's required for admission when a candidate's GPA is below 2.5 or when they have fewer than 15 relevant subject-area semester credit hours, though individual EPPs may add further requirements.