TSI 

The TSI Assessment is the standard by which Texas public post-secondary institutions (2-year, 4-year, vocational, trade, etc.) evaluate a student’s readiness for college-level course work in the areas of reading, writing, and math.  If a student does not meet the TSI benchmark scores, the college will assume a student is not ready to take on college-level coursework.  In turn, the college will require the student to take developmental coursework to build knowledge and skills.  This required developmental coursework costs money and prevents students from jumping right into courses that will apply toward the completion of a college degree.  Our goal is to enable students to avoid this coursework by helping students earn those benchmark scores on the TSI. 

Incoming college and dual credit students in Texas are required to take the TSI Assessment, unless they are already exempt, to determine readiness for college-level work. 

You will need to take the TSI if you are enrolling in the following:

• A dual credit course

• College courses as a freshman

• Taking the TSI can save you money. By scoring high enough on this test, you may be able to bypass developmental courses when you start college.

• Taking the TSI can save you time. By being able to bypass developmental courses, you can go right into courses that apply to your degree.

• For prospective dual credit students, the TSI will allow you to take college-level courses.

Texas Success Initiative Exemptions

The following tests can be used to exempt you from one or more parts of the TSI Assessment:

SAT (administered prior to March 2016):

• A minimum combined critical reading and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum score of 500 on the mathematics test for a TSI exemption in math;

• A minimum combined critical reading and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum score of 500 on the critical reading test for a TSI exemption in both reading and writing

SAT (administered on or after March 5, 2016):

• A minimum score of 530 on the Mathematics test for a TSI exemption in math (no combined score required);

• A minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) for a TSI exemption in both reading and writing (no combined score required)

Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable. 

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of the SAT test in order to use the scores for an exemption.

ACT

A student must first achieve a minimum composite score of 23 with:

• At least 19 on math for an exemption in math and/or

• At least 19 on English for an exemption in reading and writing

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of the test in order to use the scores for an exemption.

If you need to take the TSI, contact the College or University you plan to attend to schedule. We are also offering the TSI on campus. 

Sign up is on the main page of this website when open. 

You’re considered college-ready in two ways: 

1. If you score in the range of 945–990 on the multiple-choice CRC Test and a 5 or higher on the Essay Test

OR

2. If you score below 945 on the multiple-choice CRC Test, receive a diagnostic level of 5 or higher on the Diagnostic Test, and a score of 5 or higher on the Essay Test. If your scores don’t meet these criteria, you may be placed in a developmental course or provided with appropriate intervention. You may also be in a corequisite model course, where you enroll in a college-level course while taking a developmental education course/intervention to help ensure your success in the college-level course. 

*NOTE: Any references to developmental courses, interventions, and corequisite models aren’t applicable to high school students seeking to enroll in college-level coursework via dual credit. 

You’re considered college-ready in two ways: 

1. If you score in the range of 950–990 on the CRC Test 

OR

2. If you score below 950 on the CRC Test but receive a diagnostic level of 6 on the Diagnostic Test. If your scores don’t meet these criteria, you may be placed in a developmental course or provided with appropriate intervention. You may also be placed in a corequisite model course, where you enroll in a college-level course while taking a developmental education course/intervention to help ensure your success in the college-level course. 

*NOTE: Any references to developmental courses, interventions, and corequisite models aren’t applicable to high school students seeking to enroll in college-level coursework via dual credit. 

The TSI is an untimed test, so you have as long as you need.

• The average time to complete all sections of the test is 3-5 hours

• The average time to complete the math section is 1 hour.

• The average time to complete the ELAR section is 2 hours.

ACCUPLACER STUDENT PORTAL  or ask Mrs. Weikert for a copy

First of all, there is no "pass" or "fail". You either meet standard and can bypass developmental courses, or you don't meet standard and are placed into Reading, Writing, and/or Math courses that match your skill level.